Audi has made numerous versions of its R8 supercar since it launched in 2007. The model has been available in coupe and convertible body styles with both rear- and all-wheel-drive powertrains propelling the car. A new video sees three different versions of the R8 – a GT, an R8 Performance Quattro Spyder, and an R8 Performance RWD – race against each other to see how their differences shake out on the track.
All three R8 supercars feature the same 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, but the outputs vary. The R8 GT makes 620 horsepower and 418 pound-feet (565 Newton-meters) of torque. The R8 Performance Spyder makes the same amount of horsepower and more torque, turning out 427 lb-ft (580 Nm) of twist.
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The R8 Performance with rear-wheel drive makes the least amount of power of the bunch. Its engine produces 570 hp and 405 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque. It’s also 44 pounds (20 kilograms) heavier than the GT, weighing 3,505 lbs (1,590 kg) compared to 3,461 lbs (1,570 kg). The R8 Spyder is the heaviest of the bunch at 3,739 lbs (1,695 kg).
The lighter, more powerful R8 GT won the first race, with the heavier Quattro variant taking third. The second race saw the GT finish last, losing to the R8 and R8 Spyder.
While the three have different power outputs from the same engine, they all took 11.3 seconds to complete the quarter-mile sprint in the third and final race. The R8 GT had the power to win, but the rear-wheel-drive variant crossed the finish line first.
The GT shined in the final two rolling races, winning both. The R8 Spyder brought up the rear for two third-place finishes. The convertible also lost the brake test at the end, as did the GT, which lost to the RWD R8 by mere inches.
The Audi R8 is at the end of its line. Production will cease at the end of the 2023 model year, with the R8 GT as its swan song. Audi will only produce 333 examples for the world, with the US getting 150 of them. It’s the most potent rear-wheel-drive R8 ever, with a starting price of $251,395 (price includes the $1,495 destination charge).
