Audi reveals big plans at Qatar Motor Show 2013

High-performance Audi R8 V10 Spyder unveiled at Qatar Motor Show The five-day 2013 Qatar Motor Show, which ended on Saturday at the Doha Exhibition Centre in West Bay, once again served as a stage for Audi’s latest innovations. Representative of an entire new R8 model lineup, Audi revealed the Audi R8 V10 Spyder as a Middle East premiere.
The high-performance sports car is now more dynamic than ever, with a new S tronic transmission and new features on the exterior, in the cabin and for the brakes. Also on the stand were the Audi Q3, Q5 and Q7 — Audi’s SUV range — as well as the sports sedans Audi S6 and S8.
Having appointed a new dealer for Qatar only recently, Audi also took the opportunity to update visitors on its new showroom and service development plans. During the official press conference Benny Lim, GM of Q-Auto, the official Audi dealer for Qatar, told Trevor Hill, Audi Middle East’s newly appointed MD: “Our new service centre in the industrial area and new Audi showroom on Salwa Road will open in the second half of this year and we have further plans to expand our infrastructure in the future.”
The R8 is the sporty spearhead of the Audi model lineup. The reshuffled R8 range comprises two body styles — Coupé and Spyder — and three engines. The standard sprint times for both models equipped with the new seven-speed S tronic have improved by 0.3 seconds while fuel consumption has been reduced by as much as 0.9 litres per 100 km.
The eight-cylinder engine powering the Audi R8 V8 delivers 430 hp and 430 Nm of torque. In combination with the seven-speed S tronic, it accelerates the R8 Coupé from zero to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds on its way to a top speed of 300 km/h. The Audi R8 V10 with the S tronic completes the standard sprint in 3.6 seconds and has a top speed of 314 km/h. The 10-cylinder engine produces 525 hp and delivers 530 Nm of torque to the crankshaft. At the top of the model range is the new R8 V10 plus with 550 hp and 540 Nm of torque. Equipped with the S tronic, it accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 317 km/h. The new top model is only available as a coupé.
The new seven-speed S tronic replaces the previously used R tronic as a standard in all V10 models (option for V8 models). The fast-shifting dual-clutch transmission features a launch control function that provides optimal traction when starting.
Power is delivered to the road via the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system with a rear-axle bias.
The updated Audi R8, which is built in in Neckarsulm, Germany, is scheduled to launch in the Middle East in the second quarter of 2013. The base price in the GCC is $110,236 for the R8 V8 with manual transmission.