Audi has announced pricing for the new R8 sports car. The mid-engine two-seater — which was unveiled on Wednesday at the Paris Motor Show — will sell for 104,400 euros with a standard manual transmission and 111,790 for the R-Tronic version. No other options exist in terms of performance or mechanical components. The carbon fiber "side blade" will 1,900 euros to the price tag. Upgrading to the stylish five-spoke wheels shown in the official photos will cost 1,540 euros. Carbon interior treatments will cost between 2,000 and 3,000 euros, depending on what the buyer select. Navigation is 2,270 euros, and Bang & Olufsen audio is 1,440.

Considering the Audi RS4 starts at 69,900 euros in Germany and $66,000 in America, we suspect there will be a similar relationship between the European and U.S. pricing for the R8. Accordingly, we suspect the six-speed version will cost $98,600 in America, while the R-Tronic variant will be $105,600. A BMW M6 costs $96,100 and a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S costs $88,400. The Aston Martin Vantage is around $110,000. A Porsche 911 Turbo is $122,000.

Also of note, word on the street is Audi is planning to release an R8 with V10 engine known as the "R10" approximately 8-10 months after the R8 has hit full production.

Keep a look out for any more information on the "R10," as this will be the car to give the Ferrari F430, Porsche 911 Turbo, Chevrolet Corvete Z06 and Lamborghini Gallardo a sure scare in terms of performance.

Audi has unveiled the 2008 R8 — its first ever mid-engine sports cars. Sales will begin in the first half of 2007 for the United States and Europe. The car has a 420 horsepower high-revving V8 engine and all-wheel-drive. It uses the mid-engine Lamborghini Gallardo platform, and will somewhere between $80,000 and $110,000 — positioning it squarely against the BMW M6, Porsche 911, and Aston Martin Vantage. It features a choice of LED or Xenon headlamps surrounded by LED running lights and indicators. LEDs are also used in the engine bay to make the impressive V8 visible even at night. Both a standard manual and an automated manual transmission will be offered. Claimed 0 to 62 mph time is 4.6 seconds, though this number is likely conservative. Gallery after the jump…

“We don’t want to add just another toy to the segment but a serious sports car that can be used every day,” Werner Frowein says about the Audi R8. He’s the managing director of Neckarsulm-based Quattro GmbH and is responsible for the development of Audi’s new mid-engined sports car. Frowein doesn’t want to create competition with the Lamborghini Gallardo. (VW owns both Audi and Lamborghini.) Accordingly, the interior of the R8 is not as breathtakingly aggressive as the exterior styling. The interior has design details shared with other Audis, for example, although the milled aluminum shift lever and the carbon-fiber trim in the cockpit are unique R8 pieces.

Thanks to a 104.3-inch-long wheelbase, the R8 passenger compartment has more leg-, shoulder-, and headroom than a Porsche 911 Carrera or Mercedes SL. The user-friendliness is highlighted by enough space behind the seats for two golf bags.

Continuing the civilized-sports-car theme, the engine is fired by turning a key rather than by pressing a race-car-style button. The 420-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 engine is smooth and quiet at low speeds, the steering is direct without being nervous, and wind noise is muted in everyday driving, although—as with most mid-engined sports cars— poor rear visibility makes parking a challenge.

The R8’s character changes at higher speeds on open roads, but it’s never raw, like a Porsche 911 GT3’s. Thanks to the modified air intake and exhaust system, the R8 engine delivers its maximum torque between 3500 and 7600 rpm, a higher figure than in the RS 4, which shares the same powerplant. At 5000 rpm, two valves in the intake manifold open and the engine note becomes more aggressive while the car surges forward impressively, despite a claimed curb weight of 3450 pounds.



The V-8 FSI engine sits 4.7 inches lower than in the RS 4, thanks to a dry-sump oil system. The engine is mated to a short-throw six-speed Graziano manual transmission. A hydraulic clutch system is optional, using paddles for manual shifting. Audi calls this R tronic, whereas Lamborghini names it e-gear in the Gallardo.

Like the Gallardo, the R8 has all-wheel drive. A minimum of 60 percent of the engine’s torque is delivered to the rear wheels. The upshot is safe, balanced handling: Initial understeer can be countered with the throttle, and it’s possible to break the tail loose if the driver is brave on corner exit. The R8 uses adaptive damping, as in the TT, and it’s precise and easy to drive fast, if a little bland. It’s also stable at speed, thanks to careful aerodynamic management—a rear spoiler deploys at speeds above 75 mph, and there’s a flat underbody.

Audi claims a top speed of 185 mph, which means the R8 is faster in a straight line than a 911 Carrera S. Yet it’s not as sporty as the Porsche and is likely to cost a lot more money in the U.S.—we estimate about $110,000. That’s still way cheaper than a Gallardo or Ferrari F430, its closest mid-engined rivals, and will make the R8 an alternative for prospective 911 Turbo and Aston V-8 Vantage buyers when it goes on sale in the fall of 2007 in the U.S.

VEHICLE TYPE: mid-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe

ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: $110,000

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 254 cu in, 4163cc
Power (SAE net): 420 bhp @ 7800 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 317 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm

TRANSMISSIONS: 6-speed manual, 6-speed manual with automated shifting and clutch

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 104.3 in
Length: 174.4 in
Width: 74.8 in
Height: 49.2 in
Curb weight: 3450 lb

PERFORMANCE (MFR’S EST):
Zero to 62 mph: 4.6 sec
Top speed (drag limited): 185 mph

PROJECTED FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city driving: 14 mpg
EPA highway driving: 20 mpg

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Audi of America, LLC announced today pricing for the all-new 2008 R8 sports car. The R8 with a six- speed manual transmission will have a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $109,000 when it launches this fall in the United States. Models equipped with the six-speed R tronic automatic gearbox will start at $118,000.

The R8 is the first mid-engine sports car Audi has ever produced. With a 420 hp V8 4.2L FSI engine and rear-biased quattro(R) all-wheel drive system, the R8 has the performance capabilities unlike any Audi before it. With a zero to 60 mph time of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 187 mph, the R8 is the fastest Audi ever produced. The lightweight aluminum frame and body and 44:56 front-to-rear weight distribution give the R8 tremendous handling capabilities, with the balance expected of a mid-engine sports car.

Standard luxury features include Audi magnetic ride, automatic bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, LED taillights and LED engine compartment lighting. 19-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, power and heated leather/Alcantara sport seats, cruise control, Sirius(R) satellite radio, and nine-speaker audio system. An optional Convenience Package includes Audi parking system advanced with rearview camera, Audi hill hold assist, a six-disc CD changer, HomeLink(R), Bluetooth(R) phone prep, auto dimming exterior mirrors, and a storage package.

Stand alone options on the R8 include a 12-speaker, 465-watt Bang &
Olufsen(R) sound system, Alcantara headliner, Audi navigation plus, an upgraded Leather Package, and Enhanced Leather Package which includes a leather covered dash and interior trim pieces, metallic/pearl effect paint, carbon fiber sideblades, body color sideblades, and the previously mentioned R tronic automatic gearbox. These options allow R8 owners to personalize their sports car to make it an even more exclusive vehicle than it is right from the hand-assembly plant in Neckarsulm, Germany.

Audi's history in America dates to 1969, when the brand was first
introduced to the U.S. market. Today, a network of over 260 Audi dealers currently offers a line of premium vehicles that include the Audi A3 compact; the sporty A4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high performance S4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high-revving RS 4 sports sedan; the design-leading A6 sedan and Avant; the all-new Audi Q7 performance SUV; and the all-aluminum Audi A8; and the new V10-powered S6 and S8 performance sedans.
"quattro" is a registered trademark of AUDI AG. All other trademarks
are property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Audi of America, LLC