Auto

Audi R8 Coupé V10 RWS Driving demo on the track

Audi R8 Coupe V10 RWS is certainly the most purist-oriented second-generation R8. Planned for a run of just 999 units, it packs 540 horsepower. That power—which matches that of the base R8 V10 Quattro but is shy of the 610 horsepower of the R8 V10 Plus—is churned out by the awesome, naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V-10. No all-wheel drive means both less weight and less mechanical drag in the powertrain. Compared with the regular all-wheel-drive R8, its curb weight is down by 110 pounds to 3505 pounds, according to Audi, while the company’s claimed weight for the Spyder version is 3704 pounds, down 88 from the Quattro model. Visually, the R8 RWS is signified by a matte-black grille, matte-black front and rear airflow openings, and a gloss-black upper side blade on the coupe. A red vinyl trim stripe that stretches from the front left to the right rear is optional on the coupe. Sport seats are standard, as are black 19-inch wheels wrapped in 35-series rubber. Audi says the sprint to 62 mph takes 3.7 seconds (3.8 in the Spyder), and top speed is claimed to be 199 mph on the coupe and 198 mph on the Spyder. That acceleration time lags behind Audi’s claims for the Quattro-equipped R8 by 0.2 second in both cases; top speed is unchanged.