The Audi R8, which debuted at the Paris International Motor Show in 2006, was preceded by a concept car Audi Le Mans quattro, which was presented in the autumn of 2003 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It is noteworthy that the Audi R8 is the case when the concept shown before the model was launched into production almost completely coincided with the production model. The release of this car has become a landmark for the company. With him, the German company first entered a narrow segment of expensive supercars. “R8” is a new status of “Audi”, a demonstration of the capabilities of a successful company.
This first sports car in the history of the company combines Audi's experience, gained through numerous motor sport victories with revolutionary design and the latest technology. The design of the R8 is outstanding - diode ribbons from small lanterns in the headlights, side decorative panels on the body. Audi set a small record with the R8 model - all the optical devices of the coupe are LED, including direction indicators and brake lights. Diodes have several advantages over incandescent lamps, they work longer, consume more modest energy, take up less space, in general, a different technical level. The body looks very compact.
The width is 1.90 m, the length is 4.43 m and the height is 1.25 m, the wheelbase is 2.65 m. The front part and the gently curved roof are one sweeping line. The line passing over the wheel arches and the shoulder line connect the front, side and rear parts between themselves, distinguish the doors and the passage to the side air intakes, and also emphasize the circular wheel arches characteristic of Audi, in which huge wheels are located.
The front part is distinguished by a trapezoidal radiator grille Audi Single Frame, to the right and to the left of which additional large air intakes are located. The R8 is the first Audi car on which four rings are located on the hood, above the grille. The interior design has kept the Audi corporate identity. In the interior, trimmed with Alcantara and expensive leather, there is not even a hint of negligence. The salon is distinguished by a bright sporty character: it is completely focused on the driver sitting between the instrument panel and the high center console. The central part of the instrument panel is slightly turned to the driver.
There is nothing superfluous on the dashboard. Only a necessary minimum: large speedometer and tachometer, and on the sides - fuel gauge and coolant temperature indicators. The wheel, covered with leather "Nappa", in sports is small, with a diameter of 365 mm.
Its lower part is sloping - this not only underlines the semi-subtle status of the car, but also makes it much easier for the driver to land and disembark. Chairs will delight you with excellent lateral support. In addition, they are not without comfort and are regulated in a very wide range. In general, the cabin is not super-spacious, the two of them are very free in front - the width at shoulder level reaches almost 1.5 meters.
The luggage of the car (front and closer behind) does not shake volumes, however, the travel bag can also be thrown into the back seat, it still does not have to accommodate passengers. For a more rational placement of things are offered (as accessories) suitcases and suitcases of various configurations. The main trump of the R8 is the diffuser bottom, which is very close in shape to the bottom of Formula I cars. Its configuration is designed in such a way that the higher the speed, the greater the vacuum in the air between the bottom and the asphalt — accordingly, the more the machine “sticks” to the roadway. Fully aluminum body created by technology Audi Space Frame (ASF).
The combination of the lowest possible mass and maximum stiffness is a prerequisite for sports dynamics, as well as to provide an outstanding mass / power ratio of 3.71 kg per liter. from. All the important elements of the spatial frame, carrying the maximum load, are made of thin casting under pressure. Triangular aluminum levers of the front and rear suspensions end in powerful silent blocks hidden in stainless steel housings that are bolted with powerful bolts (also stainless steel) to the aluminum frame. Everything is thought out to the smallest detail and verified to micron. Officially, the R8 is referred to as a central-engine supercar.
The atmospheric "eight" with direct fuel injection FSI is located immediately behind the passenger seats. However, the engine is so closely displaced to the rear axle, that in an empty car, 44% of the mass on the front wheels and 56% on the rear wheels. For perfect weight distribution in the car should sit the driver with the passenger. The 75-liter gas tank is located exactly in the middle of the car, in the safest place. The quattro all-wheel drive system was specifically modified for the specific weight distribution of the supercar, so the character of the car remained typically rear wheel drive: only 10–35% of power is thrown onto the front axle depending on the driving mode.
The car is equipped with an aluminum V-shaped 8-cylinder high-performance engine, which is installed in the central compartment of the space frame specially designed by Audi engineers (ASF). The maximum power of the motor is 420 hp, while the maximum torque is 43.8 kg-m, it is achieved in the range of 4,500 ~ 6,000 rpm. Audi R8 can accelerate to 301 km / h, and the acceleration from zero to hundreds takes 4.6 seconds. Recall that at the moment the R8 is the fastest car produced by the German automaker.
Two types of gearboxes are offered for the car: 6-speed manual gearbox and custom-made gearbox R-Tronic, which is a mechanical box with manual and automatic shifting, and more simply, robotic mechanics. Special attention deserve the brakes. In total, 24 working pistons (eight of them on each front wheel), clinging to the huge brake discs, will instantly stop the car even from 300 km / h. As standard, the R8 has four aluminum-based composite discs. On request, you can get ceramic brake discs that easily withstand even a heavy race mode. Their resource to replace is 300.000 kilometers. Standard equipment R8 meets all the requirements of car buyers of this class.
Xenon headlights, taillights with LEDs, daylight system for driving in the daytime, 18-inch aluminum wheels, a 7-inch audio system, an anti-theft system and leather upholstery are just a few of the long list of standard equipment. The list of additional equipment is no less impressive. A Bang & Olufsen audio system with 465 W power output and twelve speakers provide surround sound. The car noise compensation system using microphones adjusts the sound of the audio system depending on the quality of the road surface and the speed of the vehicle. The parking assistance system and rear view camera help the driver to maneuver in tight spaces.
An advanced radio and navigation system with a widescreen color display and an MMI keyboard combines exceptional functionality with intuitive controls. The Audi R8 is produced on a small-scale conveyor in a specially built workshop at the Audi company in Neckarsulma. At each stage of production, small groups of specialists of the Quattro GmbH tuning studio subject all the components and assemblies of the vehicles to careful control.
This approach ensures that all cars meet Audi’s highest quality standards. R8 - the car is really great.
