Hard to imagine but it’s been a full six year since Audi first pulled the covers on the R8 supercar – which means it’s time for some changes for the new model-year.
The updated 2013 Audi R8 is making its debut at the Moscow Motor Show, apparently so all those oligarchs can look good stuck in the Russian capital’s endemic gridlock. Should they finally get free of traffic they’ll be able to clock some serious performance numbers with a 2-seater that sleeker, leaner and – with the addition of the new R8 V10 PLUS model, a fair bit faster.
The 2013 Audi R8 gets only minor exterior tweaks, including redesigned front and rear bumpers, new LED headlamps, a new rear diffuser, revised exhaust pipes and an updated R8 logo.
What should really matter to Audi aficionados will be found under the skin. That starts with some significant gearbox changes. The unloved six-speed electrically-shifted manual goes away, with few regrets. In the base R8 424-horsepower V-8 it will be replaced by a seven-speed S tronic automatic. And a new twin-clutch automated manual is offered as an option, as is a six-speed stick.
With the 518-hp 5.2-liter V10 the double-clutch is the factory-spec but the six-speed manual is optional.
The new, higher-efficiency S tronic package features a new launch control mode, which can be triggered by the touch of a button. It automatically calculates the maximum amount of torque to send to the wheels to limit tire spin and deliver the fastest launch times.
For those who want even more performance than the R8 V10 can deliver, there’s a new Audi R8 V10 PLUS, offered in coupe body only. Output is bumped up to 542 hp, cutting 0 – 100 kmh (0 to 60 mph) times from 3.6 seconds to 3.5, though top speed holds at 197 mph.
The V10 gets additional sound deadening material and a beefed-up suspension but the added weight is more than offset through the use of special, lightweight alloy wheels, lighter sports seats and a number of carbon fiber pieces, including the front spoiler and mirrors.
One of the more subtle changes for 2013 comes in the form of unusual, wave-shaped brakes. Now used on both the coupe and cabrio models, they reportedly shave weight by about 4.5 pounds compared to conventional, circular discs without performance compromise. The R8 V10 Plus gets conventionally shaped carbon-ceramic discs, however.
The new R8 line will reach European showrooms by year-end and U.S. dealers early in the 2013 calendar-year.