Back in September 2018, Audi said it would consider bringing back the not-a-Quattro version of its flagship sports car, and now they’re actually doing it by releasing another rear-wheel-drive derivative. This time around, it’s a permanent member of the R8 lineup and won’t be limited to 999 examples like its predecessor. The Four Rings are also changing the car’s name from RWS (Rear Wheel Series) to RWD (Rear Wheel Drive), which frankly makes more sense to us.
Needless to say, the new R8 RWD is based on the facelifted version of Audi’s naturally aspirated superstar and is being revealed today in both Coupe and Spyder forms. You can tell it’s the tail-happy version by looking at the iconic sideblades as the top one now comes painted in black while the bottom one is finished in the same hue as the rest of the body.
Gallery: 2020 Audi R8 RWD
As standard, the rear-wheel-drive R8 has the front blade, side sill inserts, and diffuser painted in glossy black, but you can optionally go for a carbon package. The droptop version can also be ordered with an extended black appearance pack, while the body can be painted in a fresh colour dubbed “Kemora grey.” There will be multiple ways to customise the RWD, such as going for a glossy black look for Audi’s four rings and the model’s logo.
The new derivative tailored to purists uses Audi’s glorious 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10. The FSI unit pumps out 532 bhp and 398 pound-feet of torque to the rear axle through a seven-speed S tronic transmission and a mechanical locking differential. It’s worth pointing out the new version of the R8 is less powerful than the facelifted base R8 Coupe V10 Quattro, which offers 562 bhp and 413 lb-ft. Doing the quick math, the RWD is down by 30 bhp and 15 lb-ft to perfectly match the RWS before it.
Long live the R8:
Nevertheless, the setup enables a 0 to 62 mph sprint in just 3.7 seconds before hitting a top speed of 199 mph in the case of the Coupe, while the Spyder due to its increased weight needs a tenth of a second more for the sprint and maxes out at 198 mph.
Losing the Quattro setup has paid dividends in terms of weight as the R8 V10 RWD is about 65 kilograms lighter than the equivalent R8 V10 Quattro Coupe, at 1,595 kg without the driver. The R8 V10 RWD Spyder has shaved off 55 kg and now weighs 1,695 kg after removing the propeller shaft, multi-plate clutches, and the front axle differential.
There’s another benefit to having the rear-wheel-drive model as it’s cheaper than its Quattro counterpart. Pricing has only been released for the German market where the Coupe starts off at €144,000 and the Spyder from €157,000, with both representing a €22,000 decrease than the equivalent Quattro models.
Audi will have the R8 V10 RWD on sale in Europe early next year.
Even sharper and more striking:
The Audi R8 V10 RWD
- The sports car with rear-wheel drive is now a fixed element of the portfolio
- New exterior design analog to the revised R8 quattro versions for the series production model and racing car
- 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine with 540 PS accelerates from zero to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 3.7 seconds
From special series to standard range: The Audi R8 V10 with rear-wheel drive (combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 13.1–12.9 (18.0–18.2 US mpg); combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 293–299 (471.5–481.2 g/mi)) is advancing to a permanent model. In this context, its exterior is being redesigned to make it even more striking: It will be fitted with the same new features as the R8 V10 quattro models**. The V10 mid-engine, which delivers 397 kW (540 PS) here, and the rear-wheel drive offer a puristic kind of driving pleasure. The near-production-level Audi R8 LMS GT4 racing car, which also features rear-wheel drive, is being released at the same time, with a new design and noticeable optimizations in terms of vehicle dynamics. The customer sport racing car for the international GT4 category will offer private drivers even more precise adjustment options in the future.
* Fuel consumption, CO2 emission figures and efficiency classes given in ranges depend on the tire/wheel sets used.
** The collective consumption values of all models named and available on the German market can be found in the list provided at the end of this press release.
“We launched a limited series of the Audi R8 V10 RWS** at the beginning of 2018,” says Oliver Hoffmann, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH. “Its rear-wheel drive derived from the R8-LMS racing car, and the special dynamics sparked our customers’ enthusiasm right away. Now it will become part of the R8 family as a separate model, the R8 V10 RWD**. And we are giving it the same sharp look with which we designed the new R8 quattro models. At the same time as we are releasing the series production model, we are also offering the R8 LMS GT4 racing car with a new look.”
The series production car: Audi R8 V10 RWD
The design of the R8 V10 RWD
The new design features perfectly highlight the dynamics of the Audi R8 V10 RWD**, which is available as a Coupé and Spyder. The Singleframe is broader and flatter, and the slits below the hood are reminiscent of the brand’s icon, the Audi Sport quattro.
The air inlets, the front splitter and in particular the air outlet grille at the rear have become broader. The diffuser, which is flanked by two oval tailpipes, has moved further upward. In the engine compartment, the air filter is situated under a new cover, which is available in a choice of plastic or carbon fiber.
The sideblades of the R8 V10 RWD** hint at the model’s special status: The top blade is designed in glossy mythos black, while the bottom blade is painted in the color of the vehicle. The front blade, the side sill inserts and the diffuser are painted in gloss black as standard. The carbon styling package and, for the Spyder, an extended black styling package are available as an alternative. Kemora gray has been added to the color chart. As an option, the Audi rings and logo are painted in high-gloss black. Inside, the driver and passenger sit in sport seats covered in leather and Alcantara. A shiny badge with the “RWD” logo is fitted across from the front passenger.
The heart of the high-performance sports car: the 5.2 FSI
The heart of the Audi R8 V10 RWD** high-performance sports car beats behind the passenger cell. The naturally aspirated V10 inspires pure fascination, with an incomparable sound, lightning-fast response and immense torque. The 5.2 FSI delivers 397 kW (540 PS) and at 6,500 rpm, it achieves a maximum torque of 540 Nm (398.3 lb-ft) that is transferred to the rear wheels via a seven-speed S tronic and a mechanical locking differential.
The R8 V10 RWD Coupé (combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 12.9 (18.2 US mpg); combined CO2 emissions in g/km:293–294 (471.5–473.1 g/mi)) catapults itself and the driver from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 3.7 seconds, and its propulsion ends at 320 km/h (198.8 mph). The values for the Spyder (combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 13.1 (18.0 US mpg); combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 298–299 (479.6–481.2 g/mi) are 3.8 seconds and 318 km/h (197.6 mph).
Extreme vehicle dynamics for purists
The rear-wheel drive of the R8 V10 RWD** provides a very special kind of driving pleasure. If sport mode is activated in connection with the Electronic Stabilization Control ESC, the suspension setup and control system even allow controlled drifting. The power steering ensures intense contact with the road. The Audi R8 V10 RWD** rolls standard on black 19-inch forged wheels with 245/35 tires up front and 295/35 tires at the rear. 20-inch wheels and sport tires are also available; they improve the dynamics, grip and deceleration under high loads and requirements even further.
The axle load distribution is 40:60. The Coupé (empty and without the driver) weighs just 1,595 kilograms (3,516 lb) – the omission of the propeller shaft, the quattro multi-plate clutches and front axle differential make the R8 V10 RWD** around 65 kilograms (143 lb) lighter than the R8 quattro model. Weighing 1,695 kilograms (3,737 lb), the R8 Spyder V10 RDW** is 55 kg (121 lb) lighter than the R8 Spyder V10 quattro**. Like all R8 models, it features an Audi Space Frame (ASF) body made of aluminum and large parts of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).
The R8 V10 RWD** is produced, largely by hand, at the “Böllinger Höfe” production facility at the Audi location in Neckarsulm. The high-performance sports car with rear-wheel drive will be introduced on the European markets at the beginning of 2020; the base price for the Coupé in Germany will be EUR 144,000. The Spyder will start at EUR 157,000.