Only 333 lucky Europeans with €193,000 to spend can secure the ultimate Audi R8 supercar – a new lightweight version called the GT which also boasts an extra 26kW from the V10 engine.
Using a stunning aluminium body, the standard R8 5.2 FSI Quattro weighs only 1.625 kgs, but for the GT model, Audi’s engineers have trimmed that to only 1,525kgs.
Changes include thinner windscreen glass, use of lightweight polycarbonate for the rear bulkhead and window, a fixed rear wing and thinner sheet metal plus additional cutouts for the aluminium luggage compartment hatch and the use of carbon-fibre for the bonnet, sideblades and rear bumper. Even the battery has changed to a lighter version and some five kilos was pared from the brakes.
Inside, glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) seats saved 31.5 kgs and even the carpet has been swapped to lightweight loom which saved 7.9 kgs.
Underneath, the aerodynamic package has been enhanced for extra high-speed downforce.
Externally, matt carbon is used for the rear wing, front splitter and curved flics at the corner of the nose. There are also new 19-inch alloy wheels and standard LED headlights.
The R8 GT is available in a choice of four paint colours – Samoa Orange metallic, Suzuka Grey metallic, Ice Silver metallic and Phantom Black pearl effect.
Changes to the management system of the hand-built V10 engine have boosted power to 412kW. Torque is up by 10Nm to 540Nm at 6,500 rpm. Audi says the R8 GT has a top speed of 320 km/h and sprints from zero to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds.
Those figures are achieved thanks to an R tronic sequential manual transmission with launch control and of course Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system which, under normal driving, transmits 15 per cent of the power to the front wheels and 85 per cent to the rear.
Carbon fibre ceramic brakes (380mm front/356mm rear) handle the stopping and the ESP stabilization program features a ‘Sport’ mode for power oversteer to assist fast cornering.
On the inside, R8 GT owners won’t be doing it tough with abundant Alcantara trim material, climate control air-conditioning, satellite navigation and a 465 watt, 10-channel Bang & Olufsen audio system.
A racing version with bolt-in roll bar (painted black or red) is also available.
