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Next-gen Audi R8 E-Tron could have 280-mile range

Will the next hypermiling contest take place between the latest iteration of the Audi R8 E-Tron and a Tesla Model S. On paper, the single-charge range between the high- and higher-end EVs are nearly identical, so it's possible. But what fun would that be, using light pedal foot and all? Audi has released the latest specs for the R8 E-Tron, and they are just beastly. The EV will deliver 456 horsepower, have 679 pound-feet of torque and will be able to jet from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds. More stunningly, the car will have a single-charge range of 280 miles, which is about 15 miles longer than the Model S's range. Audi says the new, long-distance pack is due to " new battery cells," but declined to go into detail. Despite the excellent numbers, not everyone thinks a new R8 E-Tron poses any threat to Tesla. Prices for the "base" version of the R8 with a gas-powered V10 engine start at 165,000 euros ($185,000), and there's no guessing yet what an EV version will cost. Whatever it is, the car's been markedly improved compared to the earlier iterations. We reported on progress of the new R8 E-Tron about a year ago that the single-charge range would climb to about 250 miles, and that the mill would deliver about 376 horsepower. Audi first showed off a concept version of the car at 2009's Frankfurt Auto Show, saying at the time that the model had a single-charge range of about 150 miles. So this is good progress. Check out Audi's rather lengthy press release below. Audi presents the new R8: The sporty spearhead just got even sharper The second generation of the high-performance sports car makes its debut in Geneva 5.2 FSI engine with up to 449 kW (610 hp), 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 3.2 seconds New multimaterial Audi Space Frame with high proportions of aluminum and CFRP No model with the four rings is closer to motorsport, none is more striking and more dynamic: at the Geneva Motor Show, Audi is presenting the second generation of its high-performance R8 sports car. The V10 mid-engine and a newly developed quattro drive ensure breathtaking driving performance, especially in the top-of-the-range version with 449 kW (610 hp): achieving 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in just 3.2 seconds, its top speed is 330 km/h (205.1 mph).

Audi and FAW to launch A6 E-Tron in China

Audi and its Chinese joint-venture partner FAW have announced that they'll be building a production version of the Audi A6 E-Tron Concept, shown at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show. Based on the China-only long-wheelbase A6, the plug-in-hybrid model is being targeted specifically at the People's Republic.
Audi is promising a 50-kilometer (31-mile) electric range for the fuel-sipping sedan, although there are precious few details beyond that. We do know, though, that this will be a Chinese-built vehicle, with assembly slated for the FAW-Volkswagen joint-venture factory in Changchun. We presume we'll find out more when the Beijing Motor Show kicks off a few weeks from today.
"We are the market leader in China's premium segment and will continue systematically with the application of efficiency technologies. Audi is thus supporting the Chinese government's targets for the reduction of fuel consumption," said Dr. Dietmar Voggenreiter, the president of Audi China.

Audi R8 lines up as safety car for Rolex 24 at Daytona

This weekend a new era begins in American sports car racing with the Rolex 24 at Daytona to kick off the new United SportsCar Championship, the freshly inked union between the Grand Am and American Le Mans Series. There'll be a wide variety of machinery lining up on the grid at the Florida speedway, including race-ready versions of the sports cars you can drive on the road, plus Daytona Prototypes, Le Mans Prototypes and even the DeltaWing. But at the front of the pack will be the Audi R8 5.2 FSI.
That's because Ingolstadt's flagship has been named as the official safety car for this, the 52nd annual Rolex 24 at Daytona. And so the R8 becomes the first pace car pressed into service for the United SportsCar Championship, although the model also paced last year's race (pictured above) when it was under the auspices of the Grand Am series.
The car in question appears to bear little in the way of modifications over the showroom version, save for some requisite graphics and maybe some emergency lighting to make it more visible - because while you wouldn't miss an R8 slicing its way through ordinary traffic on the road, it's another story entirely in a field full of competition machinery. Audi points out that the road-going R8 shares a good 50 percent of its components with the R8 LMS competing in the race, including its 5.2-liter V10 engine that's available this year with a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.