2010 Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro high-performance Sports Car

2010 Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro

Audi announced that the price for the highly anticipated 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro V10 sports car will be rolled out in Germany in the second quarter of 2009 at a basic price of EUR 142,400. The Audi R8 V10 is the result of cumulative know-how from Audi's string of Le Mans victories. Its naturally aspirated engine combines racing technology such as dry sump lubrication with FSI gasoline direct injection. The ten-cylinder design is the perfect synthesis for impressive top performance, mighty pulling power, and low weight. Starting in 2009, this engine will also prove its potential on the world's racetracks - in the new Audi R8 GT3 racing car Audi is developing for customer teams in conformance with the GT3 rules.

2010 Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro

Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro is the next variant of its top-of-the-line model. With the Audi R8, the brand has established itself at the forefront of high-end sports cars from the very start - and now comes the Audi R8 V10. Its 5.2-liter, ten-cylinder engine churns out 386 kW (525 hp) and 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) of torque, which makes for breathtaking performance. With superior Audi technologies such as quattro all-wheel drive, the lightweight aluminum body, the innovative all-LED headlights, and its striking design, the Audi R8 V10 takes pole position against the competition.

2010 Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro

The V10 engine in the production sports car will be almost identical in construction to the one in the racing version. Its displacement is 5,204 cc, at 6,500 rpm it delivers 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) of torque, at 8,000 rpm its power tops out at 386 kW (525 hp). The specific power output is 100.9 hp per liter of displacement - and each hp has to propel only 3.09 kilograms (6.91 lb) of weight, because the Audi R8 V10 in the version with the six-speed manual gearshift weighs only 1,620 kilograms (3571 lb). The engine accounts for 258 of these kilograms (569 lb) - that's only 31 kilos (68 lb) more than the V8.

2010 Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro

The 5.2-liter powerplant uses direct injection according to the FSI principle developed by Audi. The Audi R8 V10 with R tronic gets by on an average of 13.7 liters per 100 km (17.17 US mpg). The Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro rockets from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 3.9 seconds. In the version with the sequentially shifting R tronic it reaches 200 km/h (124.27 mph) in another 8.1 seconds. Even then its propulsive power hardly lessens: it's sufficient to reach a top speed of 316 km/h (196.35 mph). The immense force, the spontaneity and the thrust of the acceleration, plus the sound of the engine - all these impressions coalesce into a breathtaking sports car experience. The V10 plays a concert with growling bass tones and powerful high notes, which grows into a grandiose fortissimo as the engine revs up. This sonorous acceleration doesn't reach its limit until 8,700 rpm.

2010 Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro

A contributing factor to the wide lead in traction and driving safety of the Audi R8 V10 over the competition is quattro all-wheel drive - it's the superior technology especially for a high-performance sports car. Four powered wheels get more grip than two. They enable the driver to step on the gas sooner when coming out of a curve. It's not only the traction that benefits, but also the transverse dynamics and the stability.

 2010 Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro

2011 Lotus Esprit Sports Car will be a wholly different Beast powered by a 4.4 liter V8 engine

2011 Lotus Esprit Sports Car

The guys over at AutoCar have caught the upcoming Lotus Esprit testing in cold-snowy weather of Sweden. After running some DVLA records and matching the license plate, AutoCar has learned that the prototype is powered by a 4.4 liter V8 engine. Lotus sources have previously said that BMW may be the supplier for Lotus’ 2011 Esprit.It’s possible that the new Lotus Esprit will carry the 4.4 liter twin-turbo V8 engine from the new BMW X6, but will most likely be tuned to develop 500 horsepower.Currently the 4.4 liter twin-turbo from V8 produces 400 horsepower. The engine is also expected to be used in other BMW models including the X5 and the 7-Series. Lotus engineers will most probably re-work the engine management to reach numbers closer the Nissan GT-R and the Porsche 911 Turbo.

According to Lotus insiders, the next-gen Elise will arrive sometime in early 2011 followed by an all-new V8-powered Esprit in 2012...............................2011 Lotus Esprit Sports Car

The 2011 Elise will likely be built upon an evolved version of the current model’s extruded-aluminium underpinnings and continue the same formula that’s made the pint-sized sportscar a track day fave, but the Esprit will be a wholly different beast.
While the new Elise is all but locked in, the Esprit project is very much dependent on whether Lotus can sell enough Evoras to fund it. The timeline for the Esprit is also at the mercy of the global economic situation, with Lotus likely to delay the Esprit and forge ahead with a far less costly drop-top Evora if the recession persists much longer.
If it launches on time, the Esprit could be Lotus’ best hope of gaining a much larger share of the sports car market.

There are speculations stating that the 500bhp V10 powerplant can be the source of power for the Lotus Esprit, which will be released in 2012...............................2011 Lotus Esprit Sports Car

The engine is currently being used in the Lexus LF-A, a car that has not yet been launched itself. Being connected with the Japanese carmaker Toyota, Lotus has access to its entire range of parts and components, as well as powerplants from the Lexus line. This points to the likelihood of an Esprit flagship, costing more than ?100,000, equipped with the compact 8500rpm V10 unit (to rival the Lamborghini Gallardo), including a less expensive variant equipped with the 5-liter, 417bhp V8 from the Lexus IS-F and an entry-level model coming with a Lotus-tuned direct-injection Toyota V6 unit that can come up with 300bhp.

Although a V8 or a V10 unit would definitely boost the profile of Lotus, there is also a possibility of an Eco Esprit. Lotus is moving forwards with more efficient products with lightweight engineering and its keen interest in alternative fuels and hybrid solutions. This is also underline by its partnership with the electric car manufacturer Tesla...............................2011 Lotus Esprit Sports Car

The Esprit was inspired by the larger bonded and extruded aluminum chassis of the recently launched Evora, the rear section of which have been developed to accommodate both transversely and longitudinally fitted engines. Although the Lotus has shown that it can develop a new model in a short time (the Evora, for example, was developed in 27 months), the work on the Esprit will only reach its maximum when the Evora is being swept out of showrooms in the UK, Europe and US. It is the Malaysians who are funding the Evora project, with the persuasion of Lotus CEO Mike Kimberley.