Although Audi has produced its share of high-performance machines in its greater than 100 years in enterprise, the 4 interlocking rings are usually not the primary badge that involves thoughts when the topic of unique automobiles comes up. Until the early 2000s, Audi centered largely on cranking out reliable sedans, coupes, and wagons whereas additionally dedicating vital assets to its motorsports program.

That started to alter in 1998 when the Volkswagen Group paid greater than $100 million to amass Lamborghini. Soon after, Audi sought to capitalize on its success at Le Mans by introducing the Le Mans Quattro idea automobile on the 2003 Frankfurt Auto Show. That idea merged with the R8 race automobile that had gained the 24 Hours of Le Mans yearly from 2000 via 2002; the brand new mannequin debuted on the 2006 Paris Auto Show.

Little was modified between the idea Le Mans Quattro and the manufacturing model R8, besides that the idea automobile’s twin-turbo V10 engine was swapped out for a naturally aspirated 4.2 liter V8 that put out 414 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. The 2007 R8 may go from zero-to-60 mph in 4.3 seconds and had a high velocity of 187 mph.

In 2009, Audi added these two cylinders again to the R8’s engine, changing the V8 with a 5.2-liter V10 that shaved almost a half second off the R8’s zero-to-60 time and boosted the highest velocity to 196 mph. A lighter and extra highly effective R8 got here in 2011, and Audi launched a GT version in 2023 with a 602 horsepower engine, rear-wheel drive, and a seven-speed automated transmission.