Audi isn't known form making groundbreaking designs, but the company does deliver some amazing performance vehicles, especially the ones from the land of quattro. This latest video shows their next big project car, the second generation R8 sportscar, which we think could be faster than a Gallardo.
A black prototype with a lot less camouflage than before has been seen on the Nurburgring track in Germany, where engineers are really giving it the beans. This is quite clearly an R8 V10 prototype with an S tronic double-clutch transmission producing somewhere just short of the Huracan's 610 hp output figure.
Initially, the R8 will be offered with the same naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 as in the current model, although some time in the model's future forced induction should be adopted.
The new R8 appears to be wider and longer than its predecessor, though though the clever use of materials it will be lighter by around 60 kg (130 kg). A great many things could be adopted from the recently launched third-generation TT coupe. We expect the cool new multi-functional TFT that replaces the speedo and rev counter, the permanently-on taillights and some design cues to borrowed from the smaller MQB-based car.
The new R8 could be distinguished from the old one from a more pronounced hexagonal grille, side grilles that aren't connected to the headlights, trapezoidal exhaust pipes and a pronounced diffuser.
Sportcar development is never easy, so we expect the new R8 to debut in the spring of 2015 at the earliest.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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