By Mike Torpey on 2012-07-31 - Driving Force news editor and responsible for organising our daily output. He was staff motoring editor of the Liverpool Echo for 20 years.
Audi raises super
coupe tempo
A NEW S tronic twin-clutch sports transmission delivering rapid-fire gear shifts is a key feature of a restyled and better equipped Audi R8 supercar range.
Facelifted models, which boast styling tweaks both in the cabin and to the car's exterior, also include a new 550PS V10 plus coupe version.
The seven-speed S tronic transmission replaces the R tronic automated manual option in the latest R8 range, and is available as an alternative to the six-speed manual gearbox with its open stainless steel gate, which continues to be offered for all versions in the UK.
It shifts via the selector lever or steering wheel paddles and offers a sports mode that adjusts the shift pattern to extract the best from the R8's V8 and V10 engines.
There's also a launch control function that manages engine speed and permits the right degree of tyre slip for the quickest possible take-off when accelerating.
Audi says that the S tronic not only cuts CO emissions by up to 22g/km, but in V8 and V10 coupe and V10 Spyder versions has also boosted acceleration time to 62mph by three-tenths of a second to 4.3 seconds in the entry level car and 3.6 in the V10.
Flagship of the new line-up is the 550PS coupe-only V10 plus model, capable of 0-62 in 3.5 seconds, a top speed of 197mph and fuel economy of a Combined 21.9mpg.
All-LED headlights are now standard on all variants of the Audi R8 and are complemented by new strip-shaped daytime running lights that form a clasp around the lens and there's also a new badge with Audi Sport red diamond plus a repositioned diffuser.
Prices are from £91,575 to £127,575 and the order book opens next month with deliveries due early next year.
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