Audi decided to give its R8 model range a bit of a refresh as we’re probably heading into the last few years of production for the iconic supercar. Seeing a rear-wheel drive version on sale is not necessarily a surprise, as such an offering was on the table in the past as well. However, for 2022 models, the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer decided to give us a power bump.
Therefore, if you check the Audi R8 model list you’ll notice that the range now kicks off with the rear-wheel drive version (RWD) in Performance guise. What does that mean? The power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels in this guise, leaving the legendary quattro system behind. Furthermore, since this is a Performance model, the power output of the naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 sitting behind the seats was raised by 30 HP to a total of 562, along with 550 Nm of torque or 406 lb-ft (an increase of 10 Nm/7 lb-ft).
The gear changes are still handled by the S-Tronic transmission with its 7-speed dual-clutch setup. Since we’re talking about a rear-wheel drive model, the added power doesn’t really bring about a drastic change in the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint. The official figures claim the same 3.7 seconds or 3.8 for the drop top, Spyder, version, compared to the old model.
Nevertheless, there is a change in the top speed category, where the added oomph allows the 562 HP monster to reach 204 and 203 mph respectively (328-327 km/h) compared to the old versions that tapped out at 199 and 198 mph (320-318 km/h). Not that anyone would notice such a small increment but it does help in the ‘bragging rights’ department.
Pricing for the new version kicks off at €149,000 ($172,251) for the Coupe and €162,000 ($187,280) for the Spyder in Germany where it will start being available later this year. US customers already had the more powerful versions available for purchase since late last year.
