Lighter, faster & more efficient 2016 Audi R8 revealed [Video Update]

Audi has released a video showing the new Audi R8 lapping it a race track.

[Head to Youtube if you can't see the video above.]

Audi R8 e-tron has a range of over 450 km.

Ahead of its world premiere at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show next week, Audi has revealed the 2016 Audi R8, and announced details of the car.

First up, the engines. At the time of the launch, the second generation R8 will be available only with a V10 naturally-aspirated engine. The 5.2-liter unit, borrowed from the previous generation model, is available in power states of 540 hp and 610 hp.

A 7-speed S-Tronic gearbox and a newly-developed quattro system put this on to the road, and in extreme cases, Audi says that 100 percent of the torque can be transferred to the front or rear axle. The 610 hp R8 V10 Plus does 0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds and hits a top-speed of 330 km/h.

Later on, Audi will introduce the R8 e-tron with power and torque outputs of 455 hp and 920 Nm of torque. It will do 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds with a range of more than 450 km.

At 8.47 km/l average consumption, the R8 V10 is now 10 percent more efficient with CO2 emissions of 275 g/km.

The R8 V10 Plus has a dry weight of 1,454 kg, which is 50 kg lighter than its predecessor. The Audi Space Frame and a combination of aluminium and carbon fiber reinforced plastics have resulted in the weight loss, despite the new R8 coming with more equipment. At the same time, torsional rigidity has increased by 40 percent.

With an overall design resembling the first generation R8, the new model gets LED headlights and dynamic turn signals at the rear as standard. Inside, the supercar borrows the new Virtual Cockpit which was first seen on the new TT last year.

The new R8 will go on sale in Europe in the summer of 2015 at a price of 165,000 Euros (INR 1.15 crores) and 187,400 Euros (INR 1.31 crores) for the V10 Plus.

The second generation Audi R8 will be produced at a new Quattro GmbH production site that was specially built for the sports car - the “Böllinger Höfe” site in Heilbronn.

You can find more details in the press release section.

2016 Audi R8 - Press Release

[Head to Slideshare if you're unable to view the document above.]