When Audi introduced the R8 V8 for the first time, it shook up the supercar category quite a bit. Nobody had thought Audi, of all automakers, would come up with a car that looked this cool. It was Audi's first shot at making a supercar, and even today, the R8 lives on in its latest-generation avatar. Three years after the V8 version was taken to market, the V10 made its debut.
It garnered attention just like any other supercar on the road, and got Porsche 997 911 Turbo S buyers thinking twice. The V10 R8 was Audi's most extreme and expensive model back then, until the Spyder showed up later that year. The Coupe's six-figure price tag gave many supercars, especially Ferraris and Lamborghinis a bit of a scare - and with the way it looked, the price was a great deal.
The differences from the V8 were very subtle; you'd have to be a gearhead to spot them. It looked a bit sportier, thanks to its new wheel patterns, came with blacked-out bits and screamed differently from the V8 the moment you floored it.
2010 Audi R8 V10 Design Makes It An Awesome Buy
A lot of you, with the money to buy one, will have to own up to the fact that this is a gorgeous supercar to look at, which is one of the reasons it's on your pre-owned supercar bucket list. The overall shape of the R8 V10 seems to hug the tarmac. It has beastly proportions, with flared wheel fenders up-front and at the rear.
The lines are all there to give it its sharp look, but it's that curve in the roofline that makes one fall for it. With the cabin pushed forward, it isn't difficult knowing where the V10 engine is placed. On the sides, there are vertical air scoops that let air into the engine. The aluminum gas cap sits flush with the side-blade on the right.
It features air inlets up-front, which channel air to the coolers, while the lip of the front apron gets a gloss black finish. The vanes on the single-frame grille are done in chrome, and back when it was new, the R8 V10 stood out for its all-LED headlights.
Audi was the first in the world to use LEDs for the DRLs, high beam, low beam and the turn signals - and they continue to come up with crazy light concepts even today. Everything is wider, sharper and more prominent than it is on the V8 version; even the exhaust grilles at the rear get a matt aluminum look.
The best part about cars like the V10, is the fact the rear window is large enough for you to get a proper view of the engine. The see-through glass gives you a clear view, unlike today's supercars, which have smaller see-through ones. The rear spoiler deploys at 60mph, and the exhaust system ends with a pair of oval tailpipes.
2010 Audi R8 V10 Screams Luxury & Sport
Getting into the R8 V10 will show you that there is a mix of a sport and luxury inside. It's not hardcore, like some other supercars from its time. The monoposto, also known as a wide arc, includes the steering wheel and the cockpit. The workmanship that's gone into the development of the interior leaves nothing to complain about. The dashboard's surfaces and the doors are covered in the best materials.
Some interior highlights include heatable seat covers made from Fine Nappa leather, the Bang & Olufsen sound system, a driver infotainment system along with navigation, and the gearshift knob gets a sporty, red accent around it. The rocker switches of the R-Tronic get an aluminum finish, so do the footrests.
2010 Audi R8 V10 Performance Makes It Desirable
Beneath the stunning silhouette is a mid-mounted, 5.2-liter V10 that had more power than the 997 Porsche 911 Turbo. The Audi makes 525hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. It may produce lesser torque than the 911 Turbo, but that's because the Audi comes with a naturally-aspirated engine.
The V10 is said to enjoy being revved, and it produces an exhaust sound similar to the Lamborghini Gallardo of its time. You'd probably buy it for its exhaust note alone.
The R-Tronic automated manual transmission is not the ideal transmission for enthusiasts, because in Sport and Normal modes, there is some jerkiness. But a blip of the throttle on downshifts is likely to change that opinion. The Quattro drivetrain results in impressive grip, and all the power can be felt going to the rear wheels, particularly when darting out of corners.
Back then, four-wheel-drive cars were scoffed at, while the rear-wheel-drive ones got all the praises, but the V10 proved that fun can be had even with power sent to all four wheels. For its time, it was said to be an incredibly easy supercar to drive! For about $80,000, you can find yourself a decent example with less than 20,000 miles on the odometer.
Sources: Audi, Classic Cars