The new Audi R8 has officially launched in South Africa, and we’ve managed to lay our hands on pricing.
At launch, the local line-up of the second-generation R8 includes two derivatives: the V10 (which comes in at R2 630 500) and the V10 Plus (which is priced from R2 970 000), both fitted with the Ingolstadt automaker’s quattro all-wheel drive system and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Yes, that means the old V8 option (and the manual gearbox) is no longer. The Audi R8 Spyder, meanwhile, is scheduled to arrive in South Africa in 2017.
The standard V10 coupe’s naturally aspirated 5,2-litre mill is good for 397 kW and 540 N.m, allowing it to sprint from standstill to 100 km/h in a claimed 3,5 seconds.
The V10 Plus, meanwhile, makes 449 kW and 560 N.m (yes, just like the Lamborghini Huracan), which sees the obligatory dash to three figures fall a full three-tenths to 3,2 seconds. In addition to this performance boost, the flagship model also gains a few choice styling upgrades, including a fixed rear wing fashioned from carbon-fibre.
We’ve already had an early taste of the new Audi R8 V10 Plus, putting it to the test on a 700 km road-trip. You can read about that in the upcoming August 2016 issue of CAR magazine.
In the meantime, here’s the official pricing:
Audi R8 V10 quattro: R2 630 500
Audi R8 V10 Plus quattro: R2 970 000