Yahoo Autos The Audi R8 Adds a Hard-Core and Highly Exclusive Competition Package
The performance-oriented Audi Sport division has ginned up a very special version of the R8 sports car just for the U.S. market by adding a Competition package. This new creation is based on the R8 V10 Plus coupe, and it comes equipped with all manner of performance-enhancing extras and visual tweaks. Only 10 examples will be made, making it a highly exclusive proposition.
The modifications begin with a few components meant to reduce weight, such as titanium backing plates for the brake pads, which shed 2.2 pounds, and 20-inch milled wheels that save another 26.4 pounds. A carbon-fiber aerodynamics kit includes a fixed rear wing, a front spoiler, a rear diffuser, and side sills, and Audi claims it will increase downforce by 220.5 pounds when the car is at its 196-mph top speed. Racing seats, an adjustable coil-over suspension, and upgraded brake pads are also on the menu.
It's not all hard-core track components, though: the Competition package also comes with a few creature comforts, including a Bang & Olufsen sound system and leather upholstery. The 602-hp 5.2-liter V10, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and Quattro all-wheel-drive system are unchanged, but the R8 V10 Plus with Competition package may be slightly quicker than its regularly equipped stablemate-which went from zero to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds in our testing-thanks to the weight saving.
The price for all this exclusivity and performance is steep compared to the standard R8 V10 Plus coupe, which starts at $196,950. Add a whole $42,950 to that for the Competition package, plus the $1300 gas-guzzler tax (both R8 models are subject to it), and you reach an all-in price of $241,200. All 10 units will come in Suzuka Gray. If you're interested, start talking to your dealership now: Audi says the R8 Competition package arrives in November, and there's sure to be a rush on the extremely limited number of cars that are coming here.
('You Might Also Like',)
