Employing Le Mans legends Jacky Ickx and Tom Kristensen to do the unveiling, Audi showed off the car to the world at a special premiere the evening before the Paris show.What we got was an R8 powered by a 4.2-litre V8 with 420bhp based on the RS4's that will push the R8 from 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds.
Audi has shown its intended targets by not fitting a speed limiter at 155mph, but instead quotes a top speed of 187mph.
The main target is the Porsche Carrera S, which the four-wheel-drive R8 is set to challenge directly on price with a cost of £76,000.
UK cars will come with 19in alloy wheels and a choice of eight metallic colours, with a broad 'blade' of alternate colour just behind the rear doors.
A new R-Tronic gearbox will be offered with the R8, which is a development of the Lamborghini Gallardo's e-gear system. This is likely to cost around £5,000 as an option.
Audi says it's already sold out its UK allocation for 2007, and that's before it has even announced the V10 model with Gallardo-based engine due in 2008.
Details on the V10 remain a guarded secret, although insiders tell us it won't be as powerful as the Le Mans concept and is more likely to produce 550bhp.
© Source: original article on topgear
