The new
Audi R8 V10 (www.audi.com) features the body of
Robb Report’s 2008 Car of the Year and the same engine—a 5.2-liter V-10—that powers the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4. Aside from a few minor design alterations—oval-shaped exhaust pipes, slightly larger scoops on the side blades, and fewer crossbars beneath the all-LED headlights—the R8 V10 is indistinguishable from the V-8-equipped R8, which was the judges’ top pick at our 2008 Car of the Year competition. The V-10 version, which has an estimated cost of approximately $160,000, reaches 60 mph in less than four seconds and can continue on to 196 mph, a top speed that matches that of the Gallardo Superleggera. On the track, the naturally aspirated R8 V10 can keep pace with a Porsche 911 Turbo. And thanks to its quattro all-wheel-drive system, the Audi provides better balance and handling than the 911 through tight chicanes and off-camber corners.
