They told us it would never happen, but it now seems that, contrary to earlier reports from senior Audi bosses, next year’s even hotter R8, the RS8, will get the same twin-turbocharged, 572bhp V10 as the RS6 super-saloon.
That stands to turn Audi's mid-engined sports car into the fastest road-going model ever to wear the four silver rings, and, curiously enough, a genuine treat to in-house rivals the Porsche 911 GT2 and Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. With that kind of firepower to call upon, expect the car to crack 62mph in less than 4.0 seconds, 100mph in around 8.5sec, and to top out way beyond 200mph.In conversation with Swedish journalists last year, and prompted by questions about RS8 prototypes being destroyed by fire at the Nordscheife in 2006, Quattro GmbH boss Werner Froweim had been quoted as saying that Audi could not provide enough cooling for the twin-turbocharged V10 in the R8’s engine bay.
He went to on explain that the car would receive a new, fast-revving 5.2-litre V10 built up around the existing 4.2-litre V8 used by the current R8 and outgoing RS4.
However, it now seems that Audi’s engineers have made a breakthrough allowing them to successfully install the RS6's monster twin-turbo V10 under the R8’s engine cover.
Head of Audi powertrain development Wolfgang Hatz confirmed as much to Autocar only last weekend. “The car is now signed off, and will appear during the second quarter of 2009,” he said. “I can’t say much about it until then,” he went on – but he did confirm the car’s engine origins.
Cool as a cucumber
“The cooling is no problem now," he said, referring to the extra cooling design work done for the V12 TDi concept; that will also appear on the V10, it seems, and provides an extra 20 per cent of cold air to the radiators, as well as including the option of a NACA-style roof air vent for the turbos too.“Why would we spend money developing a whole new engine for this car, when we already have such a good one,” Hatz continued.Further confirmation of the decision came recently, when Micheal Dick, Audi board member for product engineering, responded to a question about why the firm has its most powerful engine in anything other than its most highly revered sports car. “Be patient,” he said simply.
TTRS confirmed, but to get new name
It has also emerged that the forthcoming TTRS, due for a 340bhp 2.5-litre five-pot engine and to arrive in 2010, can not be called TTRS. “Porsche has the monopoly on the ‘RS’ model suffix in the VW Group,” a source told us. “Audi can only use it as a prefix, as in ‘RS6’.
Matt Saunders
Join the debate
Add your comment
Re: Audi RS8 will get turbo V10
Strange- Audi who used to be the more conservative of the executive German auto manufacturers now think it is the right time to be producing, 100k+, 500bhp+ monsters....
I don't really see the need for this car- first of all it's already (V8 R8) stepping on it's subsidary, Lamborghini's toes by being in this market place and this just adds to it. Audi seems keen on competing with VW Group sibilings in particular Lamborghini and Bentley. It's also likely to upset he VW's groups largest shareholder, Porsche.
Does not make business sense to be competing against your own brands and it makes me fear for Audi, it's ever expanding range from A1 to a 572bhp supercar, Mercedes tried something similar a few years ago and look where it ended up.
Audi shouldn't lose focus of what it does best- Good quality executive cars.
Re: Audi RS8 will get turbo V10
Really am struggling to see the point of this car. (RS8)
With the almost obligatory extras fitted its surely going to fall the wrong side of £100k. That puts it against some serious comepetition. Plus it will make Lambo Gallardo drivers feel shortchanged. Mercedes/AMG recently announced its backing out of the bhp war, and concentrating on making its cars lighter and better to drive. Maybe Audi should take note... More power doesnt always mean more fun. I predict the basic R8 will remian the pick of the range and the only one that really makes sense.
Interesting how Porsche is already making its presence felt over the mighty VAG empire (RE:TT-RS) They should be less concerned about a simple badge though and worry about the 572bhp RS8 Audi has made... I guess Porsche came too late to halt its development.