Audi just dropped the all-new 2022 R8 V10 Performance RWD coupe along with the convertible Spyder. At first glance, it looks similar to its predecessor with a nip and tuck. But this quattro-less, rear-wheel-drive monster might be the last of its kind. With Audi and many automakers committing to go all-electric very soon, we may not have any more cars like the Audi R8 in the future. But going electric is not the only reason we will shed tears when the R8 is gone.
The Last Of The Fire-Breathers
The Audi R8 is not like most asthmatic modern cars that use turbocharging or supercharging to produce vasts amounts of power and performance. The 5.2-liter V10 engine placed behind the driver breathes unassisted. Without any turbo-trickery, it generates a whopping 570hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The engine screams its glorious soundtrack up to the redline around the 8,000rpm mark. Fun fact: they use this engine to power Lamborghinis! What does that tell you?
The slick-shifting S-Tronic 7-speed twin-clutch gearbox sends power only to the rear wheels in this one: there's no quattro to kick in to save you from being over-exuberant when driving on the limit.
The R8 Performance Quattro is available with more power. But the RWD is lighter, weighing a mere 3,505 lbs for the coupe and 3,736 lbs for the convertible. It is all thanks to the body that is built from aluminum. The Audi Space Frame that underpins the R8 now uses Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP). The result of all of that is a 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds (3.8 seconds for the Spyder). Only at a staggering 204mph (203 mph for the Spyder) does the R8 Performance RWD refuse to go any faster.
The latest generation of electric cars might be quicker to accelerate from 0-60 mph. But even turbocharged or supercharged engines can’t create the same sense of exhilaration. It's not how much power you have, but how the power is delivered that is exciting. This is where the 5.2-liter V10 in the Audi R8 display's its magnificence.
An Audi That Drifts
For the RWD models, Audi has gone to town to make the R8 handle like a dream when cornering. The ESC is specifically designed to allow the driver to slip and slide if they want to. Something other Audis with quattro all-wheel-drive struggle with. The steering rack is a dynamic electromechanical system to help allow the driver to feel the road more precisely. With no driveshafts going to the front wheels, the steering in the R8 RWD would offer a lighter feel while being more responsive to inputs.
The suspension has been further adapted for the new rear-driven layout of the car. It features a double-wishbone setup with a passive diff lock. While the 19 and 20-inch cast-aluminum wheels come wrapped in sticky Cup tires. They allow just enough slip to wag its tail. Audi will offer up to 19-inch high-performance ceramic brakes to help you come to a stop should the V10 get too much to handle.
Not an iPad Surrounded By A Car
Most modern cars are about touchscreens and all the electronic features they come loaded with. While toys are nice, they don’t add much to the car’s personality. The interior Audi R8 does come with a lot of tech but there is no touchscreen, because, it's not the tech that makes it special.
The cabin of the R8 is designed to resemble the look inside a racecar. Special attention has been given to the driver of course. The driver gets a digital dash with Audi’s Virtual Cockpit. The steering wheel is wrapped in sumptuous leather and features just enough buttons to control various things in the car. More importantly, it has a big red button that screams “PUSH ME” every time you see it. The sports bucket seats are draped in Alcantara, while the subtle “RWD” badge sits proudly on the console in front of the passenger.
Audi R8: Handcrafted, Not Manufactured
In a world with machine learning and automation, cars and many other things are largely built by robots while skilled humans assist them. But the R8 is built largely by hand in Germany at the same site that builds the R8 LMS GT4 race cars. 1,000 highly-skilled engineers use their hands to meticulously craft the R8 V10 Performance RWD and its glorious engine. They may be assisted by robots and machines, but it’s the human touch that makes it exceptional.
It’s a shame that more and more cars will head towards being built by robots as time goes on. The R8 with its naturally aspirated V10 will be one of the great supercars that we will look back at with nostalgic eyes. But more importantly, we will eventually lose that human touch that a craftsman painstaking invests into building something as capable as the Audi R8 V10 Performance RWD. Quite literally, they won’t make ‘em like this anymore.