Audi R8 V10 GT Limited Edition is the V10’s Swan Song
Just like it did a dozen years ago, Audi Sport GmbH is introducing a limited-edition R8 GT, and this one comes with a variety of exterior and interior touches paying tribute to the original, such as light-alloy wheels and a black/red interior.
Only 333 units will be available globally, each one featuring a numbered plaque on the centre console. Deliveries in North America will start next year, but allocations for the U.S. and Canada have yet to be announced. Same thing for pricing.
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A Farewell to the V10
The new Audi R8 V10 GT comes in RWD configuration only, except that the naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 engine is cranked up to 602 horsepower to match the AWD-equipped R8 V10 quattro.
A new seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission delivers faster shifts, while the new Torque Rear drive mode allows drivers to choose their own level of ESC support (from 1 to 7) via the control knob on the steering wheel. This enables controlled and simultaneously precise oversteering, Audi says.
Peak torque is increased to 413 pound-feet. Consequently, the R8 V10 GT sprints to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and 200 km/h in just 10.1 seconds before reaching a top track speed of up to 320 km/h.
Catch it while you can, because this is the end of the line for the thrilling 10-cylinder powerplant. It’s been confirmed that the successor to the Audi R8 will be purely electric.
Lighter and More Distinctive
The GT recipe also involves a weight reduction of around 20 kilograms (44 pounds) from the standard R8 V10 performance RWD. Besides the aforementioned light-alloy wheels, which are wrapped in Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires designed for the road and the track, the car benefits from powerful ceramic brakes and a front anti-roll bar made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic. The bucket seats also use CFRP.
Apart from that, there is an exclusive design feature for the R8 GT only: the intake manifold is painted in black. Oh, and the “R8 GT” badge on the rear. For good measure, Audi designers added a Carbon Aerokit that consists of a front splitter, flics, side skirt covers, cW-elements on the sides of the rear bumper, a diffuser and a unique rear wing with gooseneck suspension.
The interior is crafted in a combination of black and red. This includes red seatbelts which were only available in the R8 GT from 12 years ago. The floor mats and seatbacks feature the lettering of the special model in black and red.
If you can’t get your hands on one, you can still order a 2023 Audi R8 coupe starting at $176,000 with RWD and $233,100 with quattro AWD. Add an extra $13,000 or so for the R8 Spyder convertible.