2010 Audi R8 GT
Schuco - 450722800 (resin)
Published 06/28/18
Audi R8 V10 Plus (04/29/18) :
The Audi R8 (Typ 42) was a mid-engine, 2-seater sports car. As a big plus, it uses Audi’s trademark quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. Design, development and manufacture was by Audi AG’s high performance subsidiary, Audi Sport GmbH. The development of the car started in 2004, and it went on sale in September 2006. The R8 was the first so-called “supercar” from the company at Ingolstadt. Initially equipped with a 4.2 liter V8 engine that delivered 414 hp, according to Audi it was an “everyday supercar”. At the time, the R8 was considered a “budget Gallardo”, and many say it was the better car.
In 2009 Audi replaced the V8 engine by the 5.2 FSI V10 engine coupled to a 6-speed manual or 7-speed S-Tronic gearbox . In fact, that’s the same 5204 cm³ V10 with DOHC and 40 valves used in the Gallardo LP560-4. The R8 GT was a special series for 2010, and in truth was a high-performance version of the R8 Coupé 5.2 FSI quattro.
The GT differs from the regular R8 by having a more powerful engine, producing 552 instead of 525 hp. That allows a 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds (0.3 seconds faster than the regular model) and a top speed of 320 km/h. The car is also 100 kg lighter, thanks to new manual seats, carbon body panels, thinner glass, a thinner exhaust and a magnesium engine sub-frame, and has a static carbon fiber wing instead of the retractable one. It comes with a 6-speed R-Tronic gearbox and launch control, and Audi produced only 333 cars.
In my mind the R8 GT is the “definitive” model of the first generation of the R8. In fact, it was supposed to be my first R8, but I ended getting a 2nd generation first. I know many will frown at the color, but I wanted to make a stealth pair with my TT Coupe. Model-wise Schuco did a very nice job on the car. And since you can also find the same car in much more loud colors, there’s something for every R8 fans.