Category Archives: Audi RS & R

Audi RS4

Audi RS4 Ride and Drive – Oulton Park

Well here we go; it’s the B8 RS4 review you may or may not have been waiting for…..

Let’s just start by saying that Grizz and I are probably a little spoilt for cars and you need to consume this review knowing that we drive cars that are not short on power (600+ GT-R and 700’ish RS6 plus).

The day started with coffee and a bacon butty then straight to a video of Audi’s rally past and the heritage behind the Audi “Q cars” and why the RS4 is only available as an Avant.  Audi then presented the history behind the RS4 and built up from RS2 Avant, to B5 RS4 Avant, to B7 RS4 and finally to the B8 RS4 Avant.  An interesting statistic was the number of cars brought to the UK; 200 RS2, 400 B5 RS4 and almost 4,000 B7 RS4.

The “wavy disc” was also explained as being designed for lower unsprung weight and better cooling to essentially delay brake fade.

There were a selection of colours on display including silver, grey, black and blue.  The latter being our favorite as it seems to present the bulging wings a little more that the other colours.

Once the briefing was over we were taken in 3 car convoys for a drive around the local roads to experience the RS4 as a road car.  The lead car was a V10 Audi R8.  All in all the RS4 is a very nice car on the road and the usual effortless “uber bahn stormer” you would expect from an RS.  Whilst driving, we played with a few of the options and found the “dynamic” suspension setting gave much more feedback than the wallowy lesser settings.  The nav and audio was at a good standard with the usual AMI interface in the glove box and 12v feed in the arm rest.

Once the road testing was over, it was a time for some quick refreshments and on to the track stage….  Again in small convoys of three cars but this time following an instructor in an RS5.  Thankfully our group seemed to be identified as people with some track experience and before long we were allowed to start stretching the RS4’s legs and test the carbon ceramic anchors.  Again Audi have done some great work and the chassis setup and the balance of the car make it very predictable.  The 7 speed S-Tronic gearbox is very smooth and easy to use due to the paddles being fitted to the steering wheel.

The grand finale was a couple of laps with an instructor driving.  This again brought out the excellent chassis and setup of the car as it handled the instructors attempts to scare it’s passenger; and oh boy did they try, as shown in the picture below with smoking brakes which even had a few flames to boot.

So it’s a great car, BUT…..  We do think it will be a lot more interesting when we start to see some superchargers being fitted and some aftermarket anti-roll bars to stiffen things up a little more.

Bang for buck; it does what it says on the tin and we can only imagine what it would have been like with the 4.0 biturbo V8…

Audi RS5

Audi RS5 Cab

Intoxicating RS 5 driving experience is amplified by new open-top variant

  • Audi range expands yet again to include potent new V8 convertible
  • One of the stars of this month’s Paris Motor Show (Sep 29 to Oct 14 2012)
  • 4.2 FSI engine with 450PS, zero to 62mph in 4.9 seconds, 25.9mpg
  • Elegant and spacious body with lightweight cloth soft top

As the UK basks in Indian summer sunshine Audi has just very appropriately removed the wraps from its most exhilarating RS convertible to date – the new 450PS RS 5 Cabriolet. Complementing the beauty and brawn of the RS 5 silhouette with a fast-acting lightweight fabric roof the new open-top will arguably offer the very best environment in which to savour the red-blooded 4.2-litre V8 shared with the RS 4 Avant. The new RS 5 Cabriolet opens for UK ordering in late 2012, and deliveries are expected to begin here next spring.

The lightweight ‘acoustic hood’ of the RS 5 Cabriolet offers a degree of sound absorption that runs its fixed head counterpart remarkably close, and at the press of a button opens and closes fully automatically in 15 seconds and 17 seconds respectively – even when driving at speeds of up to 31mph.

When open, it hardly affects the size of the spacious luggage compartment – it only requires 60 litres of its 380-litre total volume. The split rear seatbacks can be folded down individually, and a through-load facility from the boot to the rear seating area maximises versatility. Special reinforcements contribute to the convertible body’s high rigidity, and aluminium front wings compensate for some of the added weight of the reinforcements.

Not surprisingly the body benefits from the same subtle revisions that brought the RS 5 Coupe into line with new generation A5 models earlier this year. Styling updates include a slight revision to the single frame grille design, sharper and more pronounced bonnet contours, new ‘solid band’ wraparound LED daytime running lights and LED rear lights, new look front and rear bumpers and 19-inch wheels in a new ’10-spoke’ design. In the Cabriolet, a subtle matt carbon fixed spoiler lip on the boot lid boosts downforce – this can be body-coloured if required.

Inside, the cabin also features the latest RS 5 detail enhancements, including a new flat-bottomed RS three-spoke steering wheel, along with the new generation Coupe’s equipment upgrade, which brings Bluetooth mobile phone preparation, cruise control, satellite navigation and Audi Music Interface iPod connection to the already lengthy standard equipment list.

Head-level heating

Cabriolet-specific standard features include automatic front seatbelt feeders, a wind deflector, the lighting package including LED interior lights and a rollover protection system incorporating aluminium plates which deploy upwards behind the rear head restraints. Key options include three-stage head-level heating and front seat heating for top-down comfort on slightly cooler days.

All assistance systems offered in the A5 model line-up are available as options in the RS 5 Cabriolet as well, including adaptive cruise control which is capable of initiating full brake application in an emergency situation, Audi side assist blind spot monitoring and the Audi active lane assist lane departure warning system. The standard parking system plus with front and rear sensors can also be extended to include a reversing camera.

In the multimedia field, the headline news is the Mobile Phone Preparation – High with Audi connect option, which lets passengers surf the web with their mobile devices via an integrated WLAN hotspot and also offers everything from Audi traffic information online to navigation with Google Earth images and Street View.

High-revving V8 power

As in the Coupe, the high-revving, naturally-aspirated 4.2-litre V8 that is hand built for the RS 5 delivers 450PS at 8,250 rpm and peak torque of 430 Nm at between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm. It powers the Cabriolet from rest to 62mph in 4.9 seconds, and where possible can take it to an electronically-limited 155mph top speed, which at extra cost can be elevated to 174mph if desired. Thanks to a combination of technologies from the Audi modular efficiency platform, including a recuperation system, the high-tech V8 can also deliver real world fuel economy, with up to 25.9mpg possible according to the combined cycle test.

New electromechanical power steering which demands no input from the alternator while in the ‘straight-ahead’ position works in favour of efficiency, as does the familiar seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission with its long top gear, lightning-fast shifts and steering wheel paddle control.

Permanent quattro all-wheel-drive smoothes out power delivery, and is backed up here by torque vectoring, the crown-gear centre differential and the rear sport differential for even more stringent protection against traction losses and split-second allocation of torque between the front and rear axles and the rear wheels. Up to 70 per cent can flow to the front or as much as 85 per cent to the rear, as necessary. The default 40:60 ratio of the rear-biased configuration ensures sporty handling.

RS chassis modifications

The body is 20 mm lower than that of the Audi A5 Cabriolet; its mounts are stiffer, and its anti-roll bars are larger and firmer. Five-link front and self-tracking trapezoidal-link rear suspension with very high lightweight aluminium content imparts great agility, and large, internally-ventilated wave brake discs with eight-piston callipers instil complete confidence.

Carbon fibre-ceramic brake discs are also available at extra cost, as is the Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) system, which uses diagonally opposed pairs of shock absorbers linked by hydraulic lines and a central valve. During fast cornering, the system intensifies the stabilisation of the front outside wheel for optimum stability and composure. Its response can be varied across three settings at the touch of a button.

A dynamic steering option is also available for integration into the standard Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system, enabling the actual ratio of the steering to be varied according to the four Audi drive select settings comfort, auto, dynamic and individual. When the dynamic steering option isn’t specified, the system can apply these same four settings to the steering weighting, along with the S tronic transmission’s shift points and the throttle’s response. It can also modulate the distinctive, bass-heavy sound of the exhaust system. A sports exhaust system, identifiable by its black-coloured tailpipes, can be specified at extra cost to deliver even richer sound.

Customer deliveries of the Audi RS 5 Cabriolet will begin in early 2013 in Germany, where its base price will be 88,500 euros (£70,154 as at 6.9.12). UK-specific pricing has yet to be confirmed and will be announced nearer to the start of customer ordering later this year.

Audi R8

2013 Audi R8 S tronic

Revised R8 range incorporates faster S tronic twin-clutch sports transmission and new lighter and more powerful V10 plus model

  • New look R8 V8 and V10 Coupé and Spyder models adopt S tronic twin-clutch transmission as part of comprehensive programme of 2013 Model Year revisions
  • Latest range headed by new lighter, quicker and even more focused 550PS V10 plus Coupé version
  • All-LED headlights and rear indicators with innovative sweeping function standard across the range – equipment upgrades for most models
  • OTR prices from £91,575 to £127,575 –  ordering possible from next month, first deliveries in early 2013

The adrenaline-fuelling Audi R8 driving experience is about to be charged with even greater intensity by a new S tronic twin-clutch sports transmission delivering blink-of-an-eye gear shifts and improved sprinting ability. The ultra-rapid transmission is just one highlight of the 2013 Model Year R8 range, which also now features new design detailing and all-LED lighting across the board, equipment upgrades for most models and a new, even more powerful and focused version of the V10 Coupé – the 550PS V10 plus.

The totally new seven-speed S tronic transmission replaces the R tronic automated manual option in the latest R8 range, and is available as an alternative to the acclaimed six-speed manual gearbox with its open stainless steel gate, which continues to be offered for all versions in the UK. With a three-shaft layout, the S tronic transmission is less than 60 centimetres in length. Its two multi-plate clutches are positioned behind one another (a new feature), and serve two mutually independent sub-transmissions; gears are shifted directly as the clutches alternately open and close. As a result gear shifts take place within hundredths of a second and with virtually no interruption to tractive power.

The twin-clutch S tronic transmission can make its rapid fire shifts via the selector lever or the steering wheel paddles. It offers a sports mode that adjusts the shift pattern to extract the very best from the V8 and V10 engines, and a launch control function that manages engine speed and permits exactly the right degree of tyre slip for the quickest possible take-off when accelerating.

Quicker and cleaner

With the benefit of S tronic the hand built, naturally aspirated eight and ten cylinder FSI petrol engines are given even more opportunity to show their mettle. The integration of the new 7-speed S tronic transmission has not only reduced CO2 emissions by up to 22 grams/km, but in V8 and V10 Coupé and V10 Spyder versions it has also improved the acceleration time from rest to 62mph by three-tenths of a second compared with R tronic-equipped equivalents. Both engines are compact, comparatively lightweight and feature motorsport-derived dry-sump lubrication which allows for low positioning and therefore a lower centre of gravity for optimum handling.

The 4.2-litre V8 FSI engine produces 430PS at 7,900 rpm, and peak torque of 430 Nm between 4,500 and 6,000 rpm. The unit powers the R8 Coupé with S tronic transmission from rest to 62mph in 4.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 186mph (with manual transmission: 4.6 seconds and 187mph). The R8 V8 Spyder in manual and S tronic forms takes care of the sprint in 4.5 and 4.8 seconds respectively, and in both cases can reach a top speed of 186mph. According to the combined cycle test the V8 Coupé with new S tronic transmission can return up to 22.8mpg.

The V10 engine provides 530 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm, and peak power of 525PS available at 8,000 rpm. With S tronic transmission the V10 Coupé can accelerate from zero to 62mph in 3.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 195mph. With manual transmission the values are 3.9 seconds and 196mph. The R8 V10 Spyder with S tronic completes the standard sprint in 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of 193mph (with manual transmission: 4.1 seconds and 194mph). Combined economy in the V10 Coupé with S tronic stands at 21.6mpg.

550PS R8 V10 plus

The new flagship of the range is the Audi R8 V10 plus. Developing 550PS and maximum torque of 540 Nm at 6,500 rpm, this coupé-only version catapults from rest to 62mph in 3.5 seconds and achieves a top speed of 197mph when linked to S tronic transmission; Combined fuel economy is 21.9mpg. With manual transmission, the acceleration time lengthens slightly to 3.8 seconds, top speed also increases to 198mph and combined fuel economy tops out at 19.0mpg

The chassis of the high-performance sports car employs technologies derived from motorsport. Double wishbones forged from aluminium guide all four wheels, and in the R8 V10 plus the springs, shock absorbers and front suspension geometry have been specially tuned and adapted. Audi magnetic ride adaptive damping is standard for the R8 V10 and optional for the V8 variants; it offers a normal mode and a sports mode. The power steering delivers super-sensitive feedback, with ultra-direct gear ratios.

In the UK, V8 versions of the 2013 Model Year R8 will feature 19-inch five-arm double-spoke wheels with 235/35 tyres at the front and 295/30 tyres at the rear. ‘Standard’ V10 models will be equipped with 19-inch ten-spoke Y design wheels with tyres of the same specification. The R8 V10 plus will differentiate itself further through an exclusive 19-inch five-arm double-spoke wheel design. Optional wheels with a high gloss or titanium look will also be available, with an exclusive black gloss finish offered for the V10 plus.

Standard ceramic discs for V10 plus

The steel brake discs of the high-performance sports car are internally ventilated, perforated and joined to the aluminium disc bowls by pins. The new “Wave” design of the discs, with their wave-like exterior contour, lowers the weight overall by about two kilograms compared with round discs of the same dimensions. The aluminium brake callipers operate at the front wheels with eight pistons each, and at the rear wheels with four pistons each. Carbon fibre ceramic brake discs with remarkable stopping power, exceptional resistance to fade and a long service life are standard for the V10 plus and optional for other models. The electronic stabilization control system ESC offers a sports mode and can also be fully deactivated.

The 2013 Model Year R8 has evolved more subtly, but no less significantly, in terms of styling. Its single-frame grille is a new design with bevelled upper corners and horizontal chrome inserts adorning the struts on the V10 variants. The bumper is also new, with the air inlets bearing three crossbars each, and in the new V10 plus coupe it incorporates a weight-saving Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) front splitter.

The housings of the outside mirrors and the lateral air inlets, known as ‘side blades’, are also made from CFRP in the new R8 V10 plus. In all the ten-cylinder variants the side blades extend outwards further than in the V8 models and have special edging. The vent louvres next to the rear window have an aluminium look on the R8 V10 Coupé, and are finished in matt black in the R8 V8 Coupé and R8 V10 plus. The mighty engine that is visible through that rear window in the R8 V10 plus is trimmed in CFRP and illuminated by LEDs – these features are also available at extra cost for all other models.

Range-wide all-LED headlights

All-LED headlights are now standard on all variants of the Audi R8, and are complemented by new strip-shaped daytime running lights that form a ‘clasp’ around the lens. The light-emitting diodes for the high and low beam headlights have been placed above and below the daytime running lights, which are specially actuated to serve as indicators. Static cornering lights are also integrated into the headlights.

LED lights also dominate the rear of the Audi R8. The clusters include innovative new indicators which appear to perform a ‘sweeping’ movement from the inside outwards, making them more noticeable than even the latest LED indicator systems. The sweep is achieved by a horizontal row of LEDs that are illuminated in successive blocks. The latest R8 is also distinguishable from its predecessor by way of its new badge with signature Audi Sport red diamond, and by its repositioned diffusor, which in the V10 plus Coupé is made from CFRP. In all engine versions the exhaust system terminates in two round, glossy tailpipe trim sections, painted black on the R8 V10 plus.

The 2013 Model Year R8 will be available in the two solid colours Ibis White and Brilliant Red, and with four metallic and five pearl effect / crystal effect options. An additional matt effect colour is available exclusively for the R8 V10 plus. The side blades on the Coupé are offered in a choice of eight colours, and the Spyder’s soft top can be finished in either black, red or brown.

The R8 embodies Audi’s wealth of expertise in ultra-lightweight design. The aluminium Coupé body with the Audi Space Frame (ASF) weighs just 210 kg, and the Spyder body 216 kg. The unladen R8 V8 Coupé with manual transmission weighs in at just 1,560 kg, while the open-top sports car registers 1,660 kg. The R8 V10 plus, available only as a coupé, adds just 10 kg to the weight of the V8 Coupé, taking it to 1,570 kg. Its additional CFRP body components combine with adjustable bucket seats with glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) chassis, reduced insulating materials, special light alloy wheels and chassis components such as the standard ceramic brakes to keep weight to a minimum.

On the Audi R8 Spyder the lid on the soft top compartment and the side parts are also CFRP. The elegant, lightweight fabric top, with its largely aluminium and magnesium linkage, perfectly complements the R8’s inherent ultra-lightweight design. The top opens and closes electrohydraulically in 19 seconds, and during driving at up to 31mph. The heated window in the bulkhead between the passenger and engine compartments stands apart from the soft top; the window can be retracted and extended by a switch and also serves as a wind deflector. If sensors detect a potential rollover situation, two strong, spring-tensioned sections are ejected upwards from the seats.

Further refined interior

Inside the 2013 Model Year R8, the new R8 badge appears on the gearshift or selector lever, in the door sill trims, in the instrument cluster and in the start screen of the on-board monitor. In the R8 V10 plus it also appears on the flattened rim of the leather-covered multifunction sports steering wheel. The instrument cluster itself has been reworked, the gear shift paddles have been further improved and new chrome inserts have been added in several areas. The centre console, the surround for the radio/navigation system and the handbrake lever are also now covered with delicately stitched leather.

Standard equipment levels have also been boosted for the 2013 Model Year R8, particularly where V8 Coupé and Spyder models are concerned. As well as all-LED headlights and new design 19-inch alloy wheels, they gain the Audi Music Interface (iPod connection), satellite navigation, Bluetooth mobile phone preparation and heating for their Fine Nappa Leather-upholstered sports seats. To bring them into line with the V10 Spyder, V10 Coupe models upgrade to an extended Fine Nappa Leather package which takes in elements such as the dashboard and side panels.

At the top of the range, the most driver-focused R8 V10 plus Coupe models feature numerous weight-saving Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) elements externally, in areas such as the door mirrors, side blades, front splitter and diffusor, plus lighter and even more effective carbon fibre ceramic brakes. Their glass fibre-reinforced buckets seats weigh less than their counterparts in the standard V10 versions. Exclusive 19-inch five-arm Y design double spoke alloy wheels also mark them out externally.