The Audi R8 V10 Will Be Missed. Is This A Goodbye To V10-Powered Supercars?

• The R8 GT is the most powerful RWD Audi ever.

• 5.2-litre NA V10 now produces 620PS/565Nm.

• It pays homage to the original R8 GT from 2010. 

• The R8 successor is touted to be all-electric.

Think supercars and a V8 is the go-to choice for propulsion for the majority. But once in a blue moon, we get a V10-powered supercar, which is so unhinged that it makes the V8 look meek. The howling Lexus LFA, Lamborghini Gallardo/Huracan, Dodge Viper and the Audi R8 V10 were the last of the breed. The increasing pressure for cleaner combustion has made sure the V10’s days are numbered.

Audi’s new R8 GT is sort of like a post-credits scene from a Marvel movie, but sadly, you don’t get a sequel. The GT is Audi’s swansong to the naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 TFSI engine. Limited to 333 units, the RWD mid-engined supercar gains more power, aero and sheds some weight in an attempt to become the most-focussed iteration of the road-going R8. Do these ring any bells? Audi pulled off the same with the first-generation R8 in 2010.

More power is never a sin and Audi is offering 620PS/565Nm from the V10 engine, a bump from the 570PS in the standard R8 V10. The engine revs up to 8700rpm and develops the peak torque between 6400 and 7000 rpm. All this gibberish translates to a 0-100kmph sprint time of 3.4 seconds with a top whack of 320kmph. The seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission also gets some updates in the form of faster shift times and revised gear ratios for better acceleration. Audi wants the lucky few owners to have the most fun in the R8 GT; and for that, it is offering a new Torque Rear drive mode, which lets you play around with controlled oversteer of varying levels.

Helping the R8 GT further with performance is the 20kg drop in kerb weight, thanks to new bits and pieces. There are new 20-inch, lightweight, forged wheels from Audi’s motorsports shelf paired with Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires. Other bits include ceramic brakes as standard, new bucket seats, carbon-fibre anti-roll bars, and optional coilover suspension with compression and rebound adjustment via special tools.

On the styling front, the most important addition is the big gooseneck wing along with the matte Suzuka Gray paint option. Other wind tunnel bits include a front splitter, canards, side skirt covers, and a new diffuser. Harking back to the 12-year-old R8 GT, the cabin gets a red and black treatment with red seatbelts and highlights. The cabin also sports a plaque, which denotes the exact production number of the car out of 333.  

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Everything comes at a price as it is how this world works. You can get one of the 333 units for € 225,000 euros (approx Rs 1.8 crore) next year. Considering the V10 is almost extinct today, with the Huracan also nearing the end of its life cycle, we strongly recommend picking one up. Something tells us in a few years when silence takes over the supercar space, the V10’s scream will remain the finest echo of the past.