Since 2006, the R8 has been the highest canine in Audi’s efficiency lineup. Powered by a 5.2-liter V-10 shared with its Italian company cousin the Lamborghini Huracan, the R8 has remained some of the pleasing and livable supercars obtainable available on the market as we speak. After a decade and a half, it’s time to say goodbye to the venerable V-10, however Audi’s prime brass weren’t about to ship it off to the dustbin of historical past and not using a correct farewell. So let’s welcome the limited-edition R8 GT — the alpha amongst the highest canine.
Full Disclosure: Audi needed me to check the R8 GT so badly, the corporate flew me to Seville, Spain, which was a lot hotter than my house in Colorado, and let me free on the native race observe to burn by means of a bunch of tires for the day.
Restricted to 333 items worldwide — sequentially numbered with a medallion on the shift knob, after all; solely 150 examples will come to the U.S. — the R8 GT is hand-assembled on the Böllinger Höfe manufacturing facility, which simply occurs to be the identical line that produces Audi’s fierce R8 LMS race automotive. Coincidence? I believe not. Audi needs to ensure the final of the V-10s is remembered for being the closest factor to a street-going race automotive the model has ever produced.
2023 Audi R8 GT: What Is It?
The center of the R8 GT is, after all, the 5.2 liter V-10, the identical engine that powered the R8 V-10 Efficiency RWD. That automotive put out a wholesome 562 hp. Transferring as much as the R8 GT nets you a considerable 40-hp achieve, bumping the output to 602 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, making this probably the most highly effective rear-wheel-drive automotive Audi has ever produced.
The V-10 places it energy to the bottom through a brand new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Not solely are the shift occasions improved over the usual automotive’s gearbox, however the person gear ratios have been shortened to enhance acceleration in each gear.
Helping within the acceleration division, Audi’s engineers appeared for each manner attainable to shave weight from the automotive. Weight-saving measures embody GT3 race automotive-inspired light-weight cast wheels, commonplace carbon-ceramic brakes, light-weight bucket seats, and sport suspension that includes a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic anti-roll bar. These measures end in an total internet financial savings of 55 kilos, dropping the curb weight down to three,516 kilos.
Extra energy, faster shifts and lighter weight collectively imply the brand new R8 GT storms to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds with a prime velocity of 199 mph.
2023 Audi R8 GT: Torque Rear Mode and Aero Additions
The R8 GT has as a lot energy because the quickest all-wheel-drive R8, however sends all of it to the rear axle alone. To regulate all that energy — or extract most enjoyable from these horses — Audi geared up the R8 GT with Torque Rear mode.
A knob on the steering wheel lets you choose from seven traction-control settings. Stage 1 permits barely any slippage, whereas Stage 7 permits you to take pleasure in extravagant tire punishment. This operate additionally permits you to adapt to the automotive, and its intense energy output, as your familiarity, highway circumstances, and driving expertise develop.
Clearly Audi expects these vehicles to be pushed arduous. All that energy wants some management, and Audi engineers have been glad to oblige. The GT comes with a carbon-fiber aero package fitted as commonplace, together with a entrance splitter, entrance bumper dive planes, facet skirt covers, airflow controlling facet components on the rear bumper, a diffuser, and a rear wing with motorsport impressed gooseneck mounts to keep up optimum airflow.
2023 Audi R8 GT: Observe Impressions
Like I mentioned, Audi’s engineers anticipated these vehicles to be pushed arduous, and I didn’t need to disappoint them. Which is how our group of journalists discovered ourselves on the Circuito Monteblanco, an incredible little check observe simply outdoors Seville, Spain.
Monteblanco has one of many highest FIA score of any observe in Europe (FIA T1 / F2), that means it’s accepted to host every part together with Components 1 testing. It’s a mixture of high-speed sweepers and low-speed hairpins that check the mettle of even the most effective race vehicles, exposing flaws that may in any other case stay hidden on a lesser observe.
Making issues even more durable for the R8 GT was the sunshine rain that made an surprising look simply earlier than we have been to take to the observe. Fortuitously our first few out-laps have been lead-follows behind one in all Audi’s check drivers, permitting us to get a really feel for the observe’s grip stage and the automotive’s stability. Energy in extra of 600 horses on a slippery observe shouldn’t be probably the most confidence inspiring factor — for us drivers or the assembled Audi brass alike.
There needn’t have been any concern, as a result of as highly effective on the GT is, it’s additionally some of the accessible supercars I’ve ever pushed. You’ll count on it to be a handful making an attempt to place that a lot energy down in damp circumstances, however Audi’s engineers bought it very proper with the GT, permitting me to push tougher and tougher on a observe that was by no means totally dry.
Fortuitously, we have been in a position to sneak in one other session towards the tip of the day, when the observe had utterly dried out, permitting me to essentially begin testing the bounds of the automotive. And people limits are very, very excessive.
With Torque Rear mode in Stage 1, the automotive permits for little or no wheelspin, mainly saving you from doing something foolish. Stage 7 mainly says “you’re by yourself, good luck,” providing you with the power to get very sideways with none digital intervention.
No matter which stage you select, you possibly can nonetheless spin the automotive (it’s bought 600-plus horses in any case), however the system does a superb job of giving the nut behind the wheel a superb margin to play with earlier than issues get too sideways.
2023 Audi R8 GT: Styling
The 2023 R8 GT pays tribute to the unique 2012 R8 GT through a black inside with pink highlights and particular embroidery on the seats. The brand new R8 GT is just obtainable in three colours right here within the US: Tango pink, Daytona grey, and Mythos black. In complete, simply 150 examples might be shipped to the US, 50 in every of these paint colours; sadly, the Suzuka grey matte paint on the media check vehicles gained’t be obtainable right here, however US consumers do get one bonus: Sport exhaust, which is louder than what’s obtainable on the Euro-market automotive attributable to Europe’s extra stringent laws. Further commonplace gear contains laser headlights; carbon-fiber mirrors, facet blades, and door sills; dynamic steering; a Bang & Olufsen sound system; and a diamond-stitched headliner.
2023 Audi R8 GT: Worth and Verdict
The R8 has all the time been some of the usable vehicles in its class. It’s one of many few supercars you could possibly each day drive with out sacrifice. The GT version might be a rarity irrespective of the place you might be on this planet, and at a shade over $250,000, it’s greater than $90,000 dearer than a base-model rear-drive R8.
However the magic is within the particulars. The R8 GT takes the efficiency up a number of notches, however by no means loses the approachability and value which have all the time been this automotive’s signature. It’s the alpha canine of Audi’s lineup, and it’s bought a giant bark, however it by no means needs to chew. It’s a really becoming sendoff for the R8 line, and the fortunate few who to get to personal one will hopefully take the time to expertise this automotive doing what it does greatest.