Frankfurt Motor Show: First Of Its Kind, Rear-Wheel Drive Audi R8 V10 RWS
Audi has ditched the Quattro system in favor of a purist’s delight. The good-old rear-wheel drive finds its way into R8 range with the Audi R8 V10 RWS.
The 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show witnessed the car that may make Audi followers scream, “Blasphemy!”. But admit it, you boys are secretly happy to have an R8 which comes with a rear-wheel drive system. And with the Audi R8 V10 RWS (that stands for Rear Wheel Series), the Ingolstadt boffins are gradually going to change the way we see Audi sports cars.
Many journos have often regarded the R8 Quattro to be super-serious and joyless, regardless of being a competent, well-built, technologically-sound sports car. It doesn’t laugh at jokes, they say. The same folk have the exact same comment about the Nissan GT-R. And while both cars are super-fast, handles like a dream and will give the Italians a couple of clearly-defined worry lines, the whole “not-so-fun to drive” catch line is still popular to this very day.
The Audi R8 V10 RWS will correct all of that and is for sure going to be a tail-happy, drift-loving puppy when the right kind of driver steps inside. But there is a good chance of the spirited-yet-inexperienced drivers getting wrapped around a pole, if they don’t treat it differently from the obedient and sober attack dog that’s the Quattro-driven Audi R8 is.
Courtesy: Audi MediaCenter
Courtesy: Audi MediaCenter
Courtesy: Audi MediaCenter
Courtesy: Audi MediaCenter
The Audi R8 V10 RWS also packs a feature that lets drivers enjoy the pleasures of controlled drifts.
The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission of the Audi R8 V10 RWS directs 540 hp of power from its 5.2-liter V10 engine to the rear wheels. Once there, the horses will hurl the 1,590 kg sports car from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. Top speed is the same as the Quattro-endowed model at 199 mph. There is less weight to push around now, as removing the Quattro mechanicals has rid the RWS model of around 50 kg of family burden. Unless you and the passenger are on the heavier side, that’s a decent amount of weight-saving which will come in handy.
While it doesn’t look that different from the standard R8 V10, the RWS has a couple of visual cues for the car spotters to pick it out in a crowd. The matte black inserts, body-colored side blades, black-finished aluminum alloys and the options decals inspired by the R8 LMS racer are some of the clues to identify the bad boy that the R8 V10 RWS is.
It’s for drivers who like to kick the tail out, treating the car and the bystanders to tire-shredding drifts. Others are advised not to opt for the Audi R8 V10 RWS.
Courtesy: Audi MediaCenter
Courtesy: Audi MediaCenter
Courtesy: Audi MediaCenter
Courtesy: Audi MediaCenter
By the way, in order to keep the whole idea of deviating from its Quattro-defined brand identity a special thing, Audi will be limiting the production to 999 units, split across Coupe and Spyder body types. With prices starting at €140,000 for the Coupe and €153,000 for the Spyder, the RWS looks like plenty of value for a rear-wheel drive sports car built by hand.
Next: Frankfurt Motor Show: Porsche 911 GT3 With Touring Package
On a related note, why do we have the feeling that the Audi R8 V10 RWS will be turning into the next Porsche 911 R? Buyers never got enough of that Porsche to take home. Thanks to the sub-1000 unit production run. And everyone is running around nowadays, to grab one in the pre-owned cars market. Will the Audi R8 V10 RWS become the next 911 R? Too early to comment on that.
Source: Audi MediaCenter