Audi R8 Tuning
By Shenron on Jan 14, 2009 with Comments 0
When Audi surprised the world with the unveiling in 2006 of their R8 mid-engined all wheel drive supercar, the motoring industry took notice, a new contender for Porsche killer had arrived. Adopting the moniker made famous by Audi’s race bred vehicles, the R8 is already proving a hit with thousands of vehicles produced and sold already.
Audi’s track record on the race circuit with it’s touring cars and recent successes at Le Mans, and the commercial success of the S and RS class of vehicles prove they are capable of designing a winning street car as well, the Audi R8 being just the latest in a long line of impressive performers.
Since then an Audi R8 has in fact beaten a Porsche 997, proving Audi’s credentials in the fast car stakes and pushing the R8 into the limelight. Borrowing components from the Lamborghini Gallardo, the Audi R8 sports a 4.2 liter v8 rated at 309kw and 430 N-m, or for the more adventurous driver, a 5.2 liter v10 which entered production late 2008.
Tuning an Audi R8 to perfection might seem like a waste of effort for a car that eats Porsches for lunch, yet serious owners of Germany’s latest addition to the supercar world disagree. Like all serious lovers of fine automobiles, we can appreciate the stock model for the excellent canvas it already provides, however further tuning is possible and produces a superb vehicle guaranteed to attract attention, certainly not out of place parked next to Porsches, Ferraris, Aston-Martins and their pedigree.
Tuning and modifying the Audi R8 primarily involves complete conversions of stock cars by race workshops and custom tuning outfits, usually including remapping the ECU, enhanced brakes and suspension, new exhausts, replacement of components with carbon fiber parts, and more aerodynamic body kits that work to push the vehicle down onto the road surface under acceleration and at top speed.
Several enhanced Audi R8s have been produced by tuning workshops that have gained a lot of press for substantially increasing power output whilst also redesigning the look of the base vehicle thru modifications to body panels. Workshops such as Wheelsandmore, MTM, PPI, ABT, O.CT are actively producing modified R8s some of which appear in race trim on the Grand Prix circuit in Germany.
To date, custom Audi R8s have all have all been modified adopting a holistic approach to tuning that is more than a simple remap, or part replacement, most choosing instead to redesign components under their own brand for resale, making it easier for owners of the Audi R8 to benefit from their expertise without purchasing a complete tuning kit.
Components currently available for the Audi R8 include body kits in carbon fiber, bigger turbos, silicone air hoses, race spec clutches, new exhaust systems, race brake components, carbon fiber wheel rims, kits for lowering an R8, and internal trim such as new seats, steering wheels, and dashes.
Tuning components and parts from these workshops are available through most reputable performance workshops and some Audi authorized service centers.
Learn more about Audi R8 Tuning.
Further Readings:
Filed Under: General
