2016 Audi R8 SOUND Start Up and Revs YouTube In Top 10 Luxury Cars, Like the TT, the R8 comes with Audi's "virtual cockpit," although this version is more sophisticated. There is a TFT monitor placed directly in front of the driver; the centrally mounted screen is gone. We first tried the base car, good for 540 hp, and found it astonishingly capable, rocketing through each gear to the 8,500 rpm redline with alacrity, then snapping off upshifts in the fastest and most seamless fashion either of our two occupants had ever experienced.
The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is an all-new unit, and it's about the best of its kind despite the many design challenges it posed. Because the V10 is a low-slung, dry-sump monster, the transmission had to have a very low profile. This resulted in three separate oil levels being serviced by one mechanical oil pump, and, with the assistance of fast processors and clever software, in shifts that take just 120 milliseconds in normal use, and even less in the V10 Plus car's performance mode.
The flat-bottom steering wheel is fitted with four buttons to select the modes, open the exhaust flaps, and to start and stop the engine. Audi offers different looks and trims for the interior that range from traditional to futuristic.Despite the old-school powerplant, when it comes to the transmission, Audi turns its back on tradition. The wonderful manual transmission of its predecessor, with its metallic gated shifter, is gone. The new R8 comes only with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The console shifter looks futuristic, and shifting action is ultraquick, but we’re sorry to see the manual go.
Outside, the R8 is more angular than the predecessor, and the massive vertical sideblade has been split into two elements. The aesthetic doesn't really take sports-car design to the next level, but it’s contemporary and also doesn't make the outgoing car look dated and frumpy. LED headlights are standard, and there are optional laser lights; they might eventually be offered in the U.S. if the federal government can figure out the regulations. On the European market, they cost about one-third of what BMW is charging for laser lights on the i8. As before, torque is transmitted to all four wheels via Audi’s Quattro four-wheel-drive setup. The default distribution is slightly rear-biased, although it is fully variable from 0 to 100 percent on each axle. Standard kit includes 19-inch wheels; 20-inch rolling stock is optional, as are carbon-ceramic brakes. Audi has fitted a water-cooled front differential and a passive limited-slip rear differential, as well as electromechanical power steering. The variable, magnetic-ride suspension again will be offered as an option. Audi’s Drive Select switch is on the steering wheel; Performance is the ultimate setting, and the stability control system can be switched off entirely.
Outside, the R8 is more angular than the predecessor, and the massive vertical sideblade has been split into two elements. The aesthetic doesn't really take sports-car design to the next level, but it’s contemporary and also doesn't make the outgoing car look dated and frumpy. LED headlights are standard, and there are optional laser lights; they might eventually be offered in the U.S. if the federal government can figure out the regulations. On the European market, they cost about one-third of what BMW is charging for laser lights on the i8. As before, torque is transmitted to all four wheels via Audi’s Quattro four-wheel-drive setup. The default distribution is slightly rear-biased, although it is fully variable from 0 to 100 percent on each axle. Standard kit includes 19-inch wheels; 20-inch rolling stock is optional, as are carbon-ceramic brakes. Audi has fitted a water-cooled front differential and a passive limited-slip rear differential, as well as electromechanical power steering. The variable, magnetic-ride suspension again will be offered as an option. Audi’s Drive Select switch is on the steering wheel; Performance is the ultimate setting, and the stability control system can be switched off entirely.