The 2010 Audi R8 will likely have an available V10 engine. Shown here is the 2008 R8.

Consumer Guide's Impressions of the 2010 Audi R8

There's little time for rest when you're reaching for the top, so this new "everyday supercar" is getting an injection of vitamin V10--and going topless. It's part of Audi's plan to be the world's top-selling luxury-vehicle brand.

What We Know About the 2010 Audi R8

Audi wants to be world's leading luxury nameplate by 2015, which is no small task. Volkswagen Group's mainstream upscale division has been on a roll lately, and has now worked its way to near 900,000 global sales per year. Trouble is, the kings of the premium hill--BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz--each draw some 1.4 million annual sales. That's a big gap to close over seven years, especially since Audi's foes aren't known for making mistakes. That's why Audi is racing to redesign existing models while entering market sectors where it has never competed before, and may the best brand win.

Prime among the first-time offerings--and a symbol of Audi's drive to the top--is the new-for-2008 R8 coupe, a two-seat mid-engine cruise missile based on the wedgy-edgy Gallardo by Lamborghini, the legendary Italian marque that Audi took over about a decade ago. Widely hailed for its striking looks, top-notch engineering and sizzling performance, the V8-powered all-wheel-drive R8 became a fast first-year sellout. But Audi knows the car can't rest on these laurels for long. After all, the "exoticar" market is notoriously fickle, and nothing hurts an automaker's image more than a performance flagship that's soon left in the dust. No surprise, then, that sources expect the 2010 Audi R8 to offer more power and an open-air option too.

The added muscle comes from the obvious source: the potent 5.0-liter V10 that motivates the Gallardo. Though an easy fit in the slightly larger R8, it's likely to be detuned a bit in deference to Lamborghini's higher brand status. Nevertheless, horsepower should be ample, with most sources expecting a nice round 500, some 20-30 less than the Gallardo V10. Torque should be lower too, but not by much. We estimate a stout 370 pound-feet versus 376. Because of its all-aluminum construction, the V10 transplant shouldn't add much weight, so R8 performance should go from thrilling to OMG! We reckon the Audi won't be quite as fast as the lighter Gallardo, but look for a 0-60 mph time well below the V8 version's four-second mark, with similar improvements all across the speed band. Transmissions will doubtless be beefed up, but choices will remain six-speed manual and Audi's R-tronic six-speed automated manual with steering-wheel shift paddles.

Also to handle the extra power, the new V10 model--rumored for the R8 RS badge--is likely to adopt the Gallardo's carbon-ceramic brakes, as on recent prototypes spied testing at the famed Nurburgring track in Germany. Other upgrades from the V8 version--which will continue, by the way--should include a retuned suspension with standard and wider, stickier tires on 20-inch wheels instead of 19s. Body modifications are said to be subtle but functional, with a wider bodyside engine-air duct the most conspicuous. The cabin may be dressed up a bit, but it won't be stripped down for action. Audi wants the R8 to remain a high-power sports car that's easy to drive in the daily grind. Too bad the V10 is almost guaranteed to guzzle more gas than the none-too-thrifty V8.

It's unclear whether the V10 will be available in the 2010 Audi R8 Spider, but the upcoming convertible--which was planned all along--should be plenty exciting even with "just" the 420-horsepower 4.2-liter V8. Sketches smuggled out of Audi's design studios confirm a classic "speedster" look with a lower, more steeply raked windshield; headrests faired into rear-deck humps adorned with engine cooling louvers; and a removable roof panel--maybe two--for when raindrops start falling on your head. The last makes more sense for a tight mid-engine package than a folding cloth top, let alone a power-folding hard top. Rear flanks are reshaped to suit the changed superstructure, matched by reduced-height bodyside air ducts. With all this, the 2010 Audi R8 Spider should be a real head-turner, at least in sunshine mode, but don't ask where the roof panel(s) stow, assuming it (they) can even be carried onboard. And you thought glamour was easy.

A Notable Feature of the 2010 Audi R8

Besides the Spider and V10, the 2010 Audi R8 could offer a high-performance "clean diesel" engine, or so some sources think. Though "sports car" and "diesel" seem mutually exclusive, Audi's diesel-powered R10 racer has proved otherwise by winning two consecutive championships in the American LeMans series. If the R8 does get an "oil burner," it would likely be the turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 engine that's coming onstream in Europe as an option for Audi's big Q7 SUV. With 493 horsepower and a massive 739 pound-feet of torque, it could make the R8 even faster off the line than the gas V10 version, and would trump it soundly for fuel economy, given the inherent greater efficiency of compression ignition. The one problem would be convincing consumers, especially diesel-averse Americans, to buy such a car. Still, it could happen. Like other European manufacturers, Audi is high on diesels as eco-friendly, and marketers can always draw a direct link between a diesel R8 and the winning R10 to allay any concerns from status-seekers. We'll see what develops.

Buying Advice for the 2010 Audi R8

As noted, the R8 was a fast first-year sellout--in fact, the waiting list now runs into 2009--so there's bound to be a scramble for the convertible and V10 models too. As usual with rare objects, you'll need to heed the old maxim about hesitation and loss.

2010 Audi R8 Release Date: One source expects the V10 coupe to start sale in Europe at the end of 2008, with the Spider following in summer 2009. U.S. arrivals should be a month or two later in each case.

2010 Audi R8 Test Drive : There's nothing on the calendar yet, but media previews would likely occur in fall 2008 for the V10 coupe and spring 2009 for the R8 Spider.

2010 Audi R8 Prices: They're tough to predict, what with the dollar sliding against the euro like a loose toboggan in January. But with the V8 coupe already starting at $110,000, we'll guesstimate a minimum $150,000 for a V10 coupe and $180,000 for a V8 Spider.

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