There are two of the ’standard’ level R8s that park near me in my apartment building. One is white and the other is gray.

I like the gray one!

Umm, to say that you loose the benefit of AWD and the wing is now fixed (less weight), the decrease in weight is pretty negligible all in all. Pretty disappointing that they couldn’t do better, taking out all these differentials and electronic and motors.

I think that the normal R8 V10 with a suspension kit would be nicer than this.

somebody stole batman’s car!

aexcorp

-the benefit of AWD isn’t really there in a focused sports car. If it was, then you’d see an AWD Zonda, or even AWD LMP1 and F1 cars. When it comes to performance cars, it makes more sense to use RWD. As long as the Chassis well-balanced and the driver knows what they’re doing then RWD is actually a huge gain for them.

So they’re using some more carbon fiber for weight reduction, and rear-wheel drive to try to keep the interest in the R8 high. A couple of small changes to charge alot more money for being unique?

Plus taking out the mechanization of the spoiler will lose weight in total……

funny how everyone talks suspension,,, weight,,,,spoilers,, and AWD/RWD but how many of you can actually afford something like this? judging a car you can only have in your dreams now are we?

The Audi quattro system is pretty simple in its design, so taking it out wont give you huge gains in weight reduction. I’m also pretty sure that the powered rear spoiler doesnt weight more than 30lbs.

But its true, I’m guessing there are too many people on here that will ever see one on the road, let alone actually drive one!!

Umm, it depends on what you like, but a well balanced AWD car will let you put power down much earlier in a turn, and if the system is setup correctly with a large bias to the rear wheels, will lead to great, agile and stable handling. Sure, it might not let you do antiques like fishtailing which is fun and great to impress the ladies.

But ya, weight is definitely a problem, in particular in racing, and traditions have a hard time being broken. However, with the advent of electric cars, it wouldn’t be surprising if the race cars of the future would turn AWD with a motor for each wheel.

i don’t really agree that AWD isn’t for a focused sports car…there are plenty of examples to choose from…lambo has been using AWD since the mid/late ’90s, for one…other classics like the porsche 959…and the big daddy veyron needs AWD to get all that power to the ground…just because a zonda doesn’t have it, or the F1, doesn’t mean AWD isn’t serious business…

(aside from the fact you’re dismissing rally cars and the evo/wrx/audi genre entirely here)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9wbe2HNrAg

this is a pretty good example of where AWD helps out…altho the ZR1 catches up in the straights, the lambo clearly has more grunt coming out of the corners, and that’s the benefit of AWD…

if you’ve never seen that vid, pay close attention around 3:00 minutes in, there’s a pretty sweet shot there…

What about the Gallardo Balboni?
OldMan_Lucerne, such a stereotyped response…
Left, the video doesn’t say much… I think the Lambo would be lot faster than that if it was a clear battle. It seems that something’s wrong and it doesn’t leave the Vette behind.

OldMan_Lucerne: following on your rationale, you should probably cancel your Playboy mag subscription…

So this is Audi’s version of the Gallardo LP550 Balboni?

OldMan_Lucerne,
I hate stupid comments like this! The majority of all these cars posted on LLN are ones we don’t own!
it’s just so stupid!

I for one will welcome this, because the customers that I have come in contact with (morons) are upset at how refined the R8 is. (dumb)

i suppose people buy cars in this price range to impress their friends/co-workers/rivals and want to appear like they’re driving some edgy racing machine, as opposed to a great all around driver’s car that is comfortable on a highway and in the twistys…its all about ego and image, i’d guess…

aexcorp… you’re completely wrong. the AWD benefit is there to make [proportionally] inexperienced drivers feel secure, and to let them drive the car fast with little expertise. If AWD was better for hard-edged track cars, then you would see Ferrari sticking it in the Scuderia, Pagani sticking it in the Zonda, and Koenigseggegeggeggeg sticking it in their CCX and so on and so on. This car is likely going to be very similar to the Gallardo Balboni.

sorry dante… i just realized i rehashed most of what you said.

leftwingagenda
You bring up Lamborghinis, that Porsche, the Veyron to show the benefit of AWD but what you misss is none of these cars are as fast as RWD cars. AWD gives you out of turn power but RWD weighs less and lets you keep more speed through the turn. Also with the less weight you can accelerate faster, and brake harder. The benefits of RWD outweighs those of AWD.

Pretty much every single track record (race or production) is set by RWD. The top 10 spots a Nurburgring, ranging from 6:48 to 7:26.4, are held by RWD cars. The first AWD car is ranked 11th at 7:26.7(a time I dont trust), then 18th at 7:38, and the mighty Veyron at 7:40.

About Rally cars, that should be left out. The R8 is a street car and rally is on dirt. Dirt acts completely different. And besides, look at desert racing. What always comes first on 4 wheels? RWD Trophy Trucks and RWD Class 1 Buggies.

While I agree with most of what has been said in regards to the purity and light weight making RWD cars better, it doesn’t explain the real reason it is not at the highest levels of motorsports. It has been banned as an unfair advantage.

This is JUST like the Balboni. They are offering OPTIONS. People who buy cars in this price range want something different. Granted, owning any R8 will fit the bill, they may want something else. They may not need AWD because they live in Phoenix or Tucson (no rain or snow).
This is going to be a direct response to the F430 Scuderia. That is a stripped down F430 that costs more than the base. It has extensive use of carbon fiber, is RWD (like all Ferraris) and doesnt even have a radio or windows that go down. It has diamond plated floors too. It is a race car for the streets. That’s where this car falls in. You have the R8 V8 as the normal super car, the V10 as the super supercar, and the Clubsport as the track ready super card. I see a market for this.

As for the discussions on weight reduction. Even though Quattro is a pretty simple system, it still weighs a few hundred pounds. I think the weight savings will be noticable to say the least. I just hope that the RWD system can still put down the power. I, myself, like AWD in a sports car. It is easier to drive and has higher “real-life” limits. I think the 911 Turbo and any Lambo are good evidence of this. They have been using AWD for years. Audi does AWD. Take the RS4 for instance. That car is sick. We’ll just have to wait and see.
At least now you can choose which set-up you want. I think they should make this in V8 AND v10 guise so everyone has options.

@ BIG KC – The Nissan GT-R is AWD and in the Top 10.
Also, if I am looking at the same list. (Wikipedia) Of those cars in the Top 10, 3 aren’t even legit. 2 are by Radical (SINGLE SEAT race car for the street) and the other is Gumpert, not street legal in the states. Those happen to be numbers 1,2,and 3. Then you have the other 7, Viper ACR, Maser MC12, Zonda F Clubsport, Enzo, ZR1, GT-R, Carerra GT.
Then, the 911 Turbo is in the Top 20 and so is the LP640.

I see your point that TYPICALLY RWD is better than AWD. I think that is subjective because that depends on who is driving. For ALL of us here, AWD would be better. For the professionals, RWD may be better. Since this car, and all the others on that list, are made for the street that ANYONE from Pam Anderson to Jay Leno can drive, AWD is better for THIS CAR.

and the Radical is street legal in Europe…where the Ring is located

AWD was banned from racing other than rally.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNdZk86tfEQ

Audi Quattro had no competition and then it got banned. a good AWD system will kill a RWD car with the same performance.

Aside from all these comments about how RWD is quicker than AWD (which is true) and ” I really surely hope that the R8 can get the power down just as well now…..OMG!!” This “clubsport” model is all about the spirited drive, paticularlly around a racetrack. The lack of an impedeing AWD system, and the weight properties it drags in as well, is going to compliment car, driver, and track. When you take in the account of the fact that clubsporting itself involves sticking your car in its rightfull class, This allows Audi, and it’s R8, to compete with much more interesting driving machines they havent before. If my memory is correct Audi can now compete class to class with Scuderia and Porsche’s GT3 for the first time. Someone tell me if I’m wrong, but outside of Lemans Audi always competes using Quattro.

AWD gets rid of some steering feel with the added weight of the drivegear up front. Also, one major reason race cars are RWD is that they less complex to repair and (usually) have a more simple transmission layout.

That being said, for me RWD-biased AWD is a better choice—more secure and harder to get into trouble with

To scratchy: I’m sorry but maybe I’m way off here but it looks like you are stating that AWD systems are banned from racing except “rally” type racing events. If true, thats like an extremely uneducated statement but just in case I’m just gonna let you know that AWD makes an appearence in all kinds of road racing events including cup racing, Koni World Challenge, world famous events such as Goodwood venues, and especially more local events such as SCCA run-offs, NASA, Autocross, and Drift racing just from the top of my head. I myself have a AWD eclipse I race as a member of SCCA, NASA, and the Champaigne County Sports Car Club (ccsporstcarclub.org) of autocrossing umong a 325is race car and a 96 Camaro SS drag car. I drag race the Camaro @ Cordova Drag park in Cordova Ill. Anyone familiar hit me up.

Tornado GTi : Speek for yourself boy.

big-kc, tornadogti already said it, but i’ll repeat it…nissan gt-r…

remember, the question was not “which cars hold lap time records”, the question was whether awd was used in “a focused sports car” (see dante_josecuervo’s comment towards the top)…clearly, awd is used in focused sports cars, without a doubt…

http://www.cartype.com/pics/5823/full/2008-audi-r8-gt3-new-race-version-with-500hp-ac-full-full.jpeg

this one is rwd too, i think i’d rather have it than the “boring r8 clubsport”!

comp.mode, rear wheel drive is better on a track and during a race. A profesional driver doesn’t need the 4wd in a track that he knows very well. The examples you’re giving are race events that i’ve never heard about, which might mean nothing to you, but it can’t change the fact that are rare exemptions. Moreover the rules on a certain event might favor the use of a 2wd or 4wd trasmition so we cannot be certain weather it is the best option or it just happened.

Never heard about KONI? The SCCA? How about GT racing? Touring cars? Le Mans? What kind of racing do you watch Mr. Greek? NASCAR?

And though I won’t take a position on whether or not AWD is better or not for racing, I will repeat what I think someone said earlier… AWD has been BANNED from many road racing series (Though not all), so the reason you don’t see too many AWD vehicles out there on the track is not because they can’t compete (In many cases, it’s because they did too well).

one example of proof for the 4wd is better argument is the audi rs6 in dtm, i belive. It won 2 championships , then the rules changed and it was banned.

Huh, what! REAR WHEEL DRIVE? Audi, wadupwidat?

Why are there so many mixed positions on this AWD RWD concept??? I myself earlier stated that RWD is quicker but with no explination. It’s totally dependant on the car and the environment it’s racing within, right?? Not if the driver knows the track or anything else. C’mon guys, If you go on a canyon raid what car do you trailer up with???? Your STI Suburu or your blown 572 68 Camaro??? When I race at the local autocross I’ll usually trailer up in my BMW 328is. If it rains I might take my AWD eclipse. Depending on which of my buddies is coming with. Just because ruling racing commities change the rules after a certain car and it’s team win some races does’nt mean a thing. Rules are often foreclosed way before the season that they are enforced within. It’s just that they are allowed public whenever that committie deems fit. Usually close too the season they are enforced. The rules can be altered for many reasons from safety to world economy. The Compuware Corvette Team has dominated the GT-1 class for almost 10 years in Lemans suffering no rule enforcements against them. Now they are in GT-2 and thats going to be a different story thanks to BMW.

When you talk about the differences between AWD and RWD on the race track car and environment dependencies remain the principal. However, I dont care which you prefer AWD or RWD, if you take the smartest most reliable AWD system and stick it in an F1 car you will lose a ton on your lap times. Whenever you use the front wheels to provide torque for moving the car forward the greater your cars slip angle will be. In hardcore racing venues such as F1 or Lemans that front wheel grip has to be maximized. You need the slip angle at it’s most minimum. And I havn’t even gotten into the unsprung weight properties let alone the intrusions upon your steering and steering feel.

Many people have brought up Nissan’s GTR as if it’s raced class to class with everything out there. The primary reason Audi is altering it’s R8 to this RWD clubsport model is just that. It will race in a wider class value than the AWD model can when clubsporting. When I autocross there are 13 different classes each day. This clubsport R8 will have a wider class value now. The GTR doesn’t. The GTR may very well round the Norcheleife faster than a clubsport R8 but the driver will suffer for it the whole way. That car can posses a race track but to a race car driver it is totally withdrawn. There is almost no “oneness” with car, driver, and track with that thing. It does alot of the cornering by itself and leaves you feeling empty. I dont mean to hate on this car (I have credited its abilities) but i’m just trying to provide all of you with information. For example, I race modified my neice’s Miata MX-5 for autocross events. That car provided so much fun i still smile just watching it round the track knowing how much feel the thing has. You just cant get that from these new intellegent AWD systems. even though you can still score pretty good laptimes with them!

2WheeledSpeed, i’m not american. I watch F1 and sometimes WRC. I also take a look at Wtcc, Dtm and even less Les Man and Paris Dakar.