Yes Yes Yes! Audi R8 has turned a teenager. It began as a limited edition mid-engine V8 that has now evolved into the most powerful and popular luxury models. To keep up the excitement, a lot of changes are outlined for next year. The 2019 Audi R8 will land with 50% of its parts shared with the LMS GT3 cars and 60% of the GT4 race car’s components. The engine upgrades come from their cousins at Lamborghini, with the same V10 found in the Huracan LP610-4.
Audi’s fastest vehicle, the R8, is getting even faster and more powerful with the 2019 model update. As Oliver Hoffman, Technical Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH, said in a statement, “With around 50 percent shared parts with the R8 LMS GT3 and even 60 percent with the R8 LMS GT4, no other automobile is so close to motor racing as the R8.”Like the 2018 R8, the 2019 model is powered by a naturally-aspirating V10 engine — with that characteristic, high-revving sound — in two output ratings, probably one for the standard model and one for the Plus.
The suspension has been modified to increase steering response precision and stability. Depending on which engine you select, there will be three additional driving modes to adapt the vehicle to dry, wet, and snowy conditions based on the road’s friction coefficient.
The newly designed body parallels the heightened performance features. The grille got meatier as did the front splitters, and the hood now features flat slits that share the DNA of the iconic Audi Ur-quattro. Each of these features have variants based on the engine chosen, which will also alter how the side trims and diffuser are highlighted. In Q1 of 2019, the new R8 models will arrive in dealerships across Europe and go on sale shortly after. The US market is still awaiting an arrival announcement.
It is rated at 612 horsepower without any silly superchargers or turbos. A new dry-sump oil system has multiple scavenging sections along with an integrated oil cooler. It allows the engine to be mounted even lower than before, which translates to 1.5G of cornering grip. The increased power and acceleration are handled by an enhanced stability system. If you want the ultimate daily driver, it can respond quicker in dry, wet, and snow modes. It also shortens your stopping distance from 62 mph by 5 feet, and at 124 mph by a whopping 16.4 feet.
This is made possible by the optional carbon rotors, while steel rotors are standard equipment. Why can’t all cars have this? Swapping rotors isn’t hard, and I want the ability to choose! Of course, the exterior has been sculpted to display a meaner look, and it has come a long way since the unassuming first generation examples. You now have 3 exterior packages to choose from depending on how aggressive and how much carbon fiber you want to play with. The Audi R8 and the Lamborghini Huracan are now virtually identical underneath, so pick one based on your genre!
