Audi R8 Performance

Subtle update makes V10 hero even more appealing.

- Matt Prior

IF IT AIN’T BROKE... We all know the saying. Hence revisions to the Audi R8 supercar are minimal. Few mechanical changes have occurred beyond a mild reskin inspired, Audi says, by its GT3 customer racing car, which easily rolls down the very same production line as regular R8 road cars.

Visually, then, for the road car there has been a de-chroming of the grille surround at the front, because “chrome and motorsport don’t go together”, according to Audi designers – and they should know. The front end gets some more angular treatment, including a new splitter whose profile continues onto the car’s sides, where painted black it reduces the visual height of the body.

It extends from there to the rear where it melds into a big old diffuser. That, like the oval tailpipes and a wide rear grille for removing heat from the engine bay, are all reminiscent of the racecar. Which is all very cool.