2016 Audi R8 Photos and Info News Cars and Drivers V10.To create the new car, Audi started with the platform of the first-gen R8 and modified it into the modern MSS (Modular Sport System) architecture. The bones are shared with the Lamborghini Huracán, but they’re tweaked here for a bit more space and comfort. Compared with the outgoing model, more than 100 pounds have been shed.
The R8's backbone is a lightweight aluminum space frame, with the B-pillars, central tunnel, and rear firewall made from carbon-fiber composite materials. At 174.0 inches long, 76.4 inches wide, and 48.8 inches high, it is wider, lower, and a little bit shorter, which gives it slightly more-dramatic proportions. Besides the trunk up front for luggage, there is space behind the front seats designed to hold the proverbial golf bag. One thing is certain: Audi didn't reinvent the wheel. The new R8 stands on the thoroughly updated platform of the predecessor, now called MSS, or Modular Sports System. It is shared with the Lamborghini Huracán, but it doesn't bear any similarity to the Porsche 911. At some point down the road, corporate step-siblings Porsche and Audi will have to sit down together and figure out how to get synergies out of their next generation of sports cars. As it sits, the new R8 was conceived before Porsche became part of the Volkswagen Group.
he R8 has been engineered for superior on-track performance, and as a clear indication of its ambitions, it is for the first time available with hard-core performance tires straight from the factory. In standard kit, the tires measure 245/35 up front and 295/35 at the rear—these are fitted to 19-inch wheels. Buyers will be able to upgrade to 20-inch pieces with 245/30 front and 305/30 rear rubber. The water-cooled front differential is unique to the R8 and not fitted to the Lamborghini Huracán, while the electromechanical power steering can be ordered with variable-ratio functionality. Another option is the "magnetic ride" suspension.Thanks to a clever materials mix, the new R8 was able to shed more than 100 pounds compared with the current car, and its center of gravity is even lower than before. The R8 is also more powerful than ever. The slightly modified, naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V-10 is a high-revving engine, with an 8850-rpm redline, and it cranks out a healthy 540 horsepower (up from 525). The V10 Plus model adds another 70 horsepower for a total of 610 (versus the previous 550). At its launch, the new R8 will have only the 10-cylinder—no V-8 will be offered initially.
he R8 has been engineered for superior on-track performance, and as a clear indication of its ambitions, it is for the first time available with hard-core performance tires straight from the factory. In standard kit, the tires measure 245/35 up front and 295/35 at the rear—these are fitted to 19-inch wheels. Buyers will be able to upgrade to 20-inch pieces with 245/30 front and 305/30 rear rubber. The water-cooled front differential is unique to the R8 and not fitted to the Lamborghini Huracán, while the electromechanical power steering can be ordered with variable-ratio functionality. Another option is the "magnetic ride" suspension.Thanks to a clever materials mix, the new R8 was able to shed more than 100 pounds compared with the current car, and its center of gravity is even lower than before. The R8 is also more powerful than ever. The slightly modified, naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V-10 is a high-revving engine, with an 8850-rpm redline, and it cranks out a healthy 540 horsepower (up from 525). The V10 Plus model adds another 70 horsepower for a total of 610 (versus the previous 550). At its launch, the new R8 will have only the 10-cylinder—no V-8 will be offered initially.