What is it?
For the first time in its 12-year history, Audi’s mid-engined supercar is available in a rear-wheel drive configuration.
The R8 RWS (which stands for Rear Wheel Series) junks the standard model’s front driveshafts, centre differential and propshaft in the pursuit of lightness and purity. Removing the four-wheel-drive hardware has saved 50kg, which is the sort of weight saving Audi Sport could only achieve elsewhere if it stripped the cabin back to its bare bones and replaced the aluminium body panels with cardboard.
But the R8 RWS isn’t a stripped-out, uncompromising road racer; the cabin still has thick carpets and powered leather chairs and a full suite of infotainment goodies. It’s less of a natural rival for the Porsche 911 GT3, then, and better aligned with the less-hardcore 911 Carrera GTS.
If Audi Sport’s engineers had simply ripped out the four-wheel-drive gubbins and gone for an early lunch, the RWS would have been close to undriveable. To bring back some semblance of civility, they’ve fiddled with the suspension geometry and fitted a fatter front-anti roll bar; measures that nudge the car’s natural balance towards understeer and, consequently, safety.
The R8 RWS is a thoroughly re-engineered version of an existing performance car, then. It’s a limited edition model, too, with a total of 999 set to be built across coupé and Spyder body styles. It should follow that the price has been massively inflated to reflect the car’s special status, right?
Actually, starting at £112,450, the RWS is now the cheapest R8 you can buy.
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WOW...!!!
A RWD car that has uncorrupted steering and handles decently (that's brilliant handling considering it's an Audi)...must tell others about this..wow must have a stiff drink after this news..who'd have thought it and then dialing in a bit of understeer just so upgraders from the "nose heavy" lower ranks of Audi ownership will feel completley at home if they gain a promotion...genius....next up the outer limits of the options booklet.
Way to go Audi.
Keep it up Audi, make all your cars like this, stylethem to look different to each other, use any colour except silvery greys - oh, and make them reliable while you are at it.
You never know, people who enjoy driving might start buying your cars.....
Audi comments
That's unlike you Thekrankis to have a negative comment about a Audi before one is even on these shores
Been here about eight weeks
Been here about eight weeks actually....
I really dislike Audis, but
Honesty, the only thing I would change is giving the option of a manual box, which I would much prefer to more power.