In September of last year, Audi unveiled the R8 V10 RWS at the Frankfurt Motor Show, marking the first model of the brand’s iconic car that lacks the quattro all-wheel drive system. At the time, Stephan Winkelmann, who was the head of Audi Sport, described the RWS as a supercar tailored for enthusiasts. Now, the pricing details for this rear-wheel-drive beast have been revealed.
According to MotorTrend, the 2018 R8 V10 RWS will retail for $139,950 (including destination fees), which represents a significant savings when compared to the standard all-wheel drive R8 V10 priced at $164,900. While Audi has not announced a specific release date for this more affordable model, it is expected to debut sometime this year.
Matching the price of a Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS, the Audi R8 V10 RWS boasts a 5.2-liter V10 engine generating 540 horsepower, paired with a seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch transmission. It can accelerate to 62 mph in just 3.7 seconds, only a fraction slower than its all-wheel drive counterpart. Weighing in at 3,505 pounds, the R8 RWS is also 110 pounds lighter than the standard R8 and features stiffer front anti-roll bars.
You might be wondering why this car, aimed at purists, comes equipped with a dual-clutch gearbox instead of the sought-after gated manual transmission that older R8 models featured. Audi explained that market demand is a key factor, noting that the R8 RWS shares as many components as possible with the regular R8 V10.
“The RWS is the closest representation of a race car for the road, utilizing nearly 60 percent of its parts from the GT4 race car,” Amelia Fine-Morrison, Product Communications Manager for Audi of America, explained. “While it serves as the entry-level model for this series, it is nearly identical to the V10 in every aspect aside from the quattro system, including the dual-clutch transmission.”
Audi plans to produce only 999 units of this rear-drive supercar, with 320 allocated for the U.S. market. As the inaugural rear-wheel drive vehicle from Audi Sport, Fine-Morrison noted that this limited production run presents an excellent opportunity to gauge consumer interest in more two-wheel drive options in Audi’s performance lineup.
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