A Street-Ready R8 Might Strengthen Audi’s Seriously Diluted Brand

by Chris Abraham on 15/02/2006

PinExt A Street Ready R8 Might Strengthen Audis Seriously Diluted Brand

audi r8 thumb A Street Ready R8 Might Strengthen Audis Seriously Diluted Brand




I test drove the A6 before buying the 530i. It felt like Monique’s Passat. Now, that’s sad.

Mind you, the Passat is a gorgeous, fun, fantastic car. Its the car that proved to me that I wanted a German sedan and not an English truck.

If Audi is able to turn the stunning Le Mans quattro concept car into a production version — the Audi R8 — then maybe Audi’s quickly-diluting and fading brand won’t be bitchslapped into becoming something lame like Saab’s, Volkswagen’s, or — gasp — Volvo’s.

Via Autoblog.

Also, more info from WoldCarFans.com:

“Customers will have the choice between a V8 engine featuring around 400 bhp and a bi-turbo V10 with an output close to 600 bhp and a top-speed of 345 km/h. The car’s official debut will be in around one year’s time.”

And from Jalopnik:

“The six-figure supercar will go into series production in late 2006 at Audi’s plant in Neckarsulm, Germany, with a mid-2007 release date scheduled. The new screamer is reported to have a twin-turbo variant of the Lamborghini 5.0-liter V10, producing 610 horsepower and 553 ft.lbs of torque.”

And from Forbes:

“Audi’s goal is to become every bit as racy and blue-blooded as its German competitors, and the company is about to take a big step forward in that pursuit.”

“As DaimlerChrysler’s Mercedes-Benz subsidiary has its SLR McLaren and Porsche has its Carrera GT, Audi is about to build its own supercar. The company recently announced it will turn its Le Mans quattro prototype into a production vehicle called the R8.”

“The Le Mans quattro was the show-stopper at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, where Audi unveiled it. The showcar was a two-seater with a mid-mounted, 610-horsepower V-10.”

“Audi is preparing to build the R8 at its plant in Neckarsulm, Germany, beginning in the fourth quarter of 2006. In a recent statement, the company said the vehicle will go on sale in the second quarter of 2007.”

“However, Audi — a subsidiary of Volkswagen — has not released other details about how it will turn the Le Mans quattro into the R8, and what specifications the production car will have. Frankly, part of the reason for running a piece about the new vehicle is to revisit the glory of the showcar.”

Its supposed to go head-to-head with the Porsche 911 — probably the Turbo. Yeah, right. Not with a brand like that and the dismal failure of the Phaeton — called the VW Phaetal.

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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

Felthcer February 6, 2008 at 04:54

No not the closet homo car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Chris February 7, 2008 at 00:40

Isn’t the TT that car? Also, the Miata. Also, any BMW 3-series that isn’t an M.

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Chris February 7, 2008 at 00:40

Oh, also any man who owns a hybrid.

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