Let’s take it back to 2018 to the special edition Audi R8 Performance Parts created by Audi-Sport, a special edition that wasn’t backed with mass promotion by Audi which could be the very reason why some people don’t know of its existence.
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Right now in 2024 is a fitting time to shine some light on what is arguable the ultimate iteration of the Audi R8. With the recent announcement from Audi ending production of their combustion engined supercar, their answer was to produce a limit run special edition known as the Audi R8 GT, only 333 will be built, 15 of which are UK-bound, and this swan song to their iconic supercar takes great inspiration from the most exclusive road going supercar that Audi has ever created, that’s the Audi R8 Performance Parts with only 44 built worldwide, 5 of which are in the UK.
The Audi R8 Performance Parts was created to be the most hardcore road-going Audi R8 ever made. The recipe involved Audi throwing the Audi Sport Performance Parts catalogue at a standard all-wheel-drive R8 V10+ to improve the cars aerodynamics, toughen up the suspension and reduce the weight by 100KG. It’s 5.2L V10 FSI engine producing 610ps and 560nm of torque was left untouched as Audi Sport deemed this was sufficient.
As you can see, the Audi R8 Performance Parts wears a carbon-fibre swan-neck rear wing, a carbon-fibre front splitter, with carbon-fibre front bumper canards, side blades, rear diffuser. It is dripping in lightweight carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) aerodynamic additions which is the bulk of the ‘Performance Parts’ upgrade. Audi claims this kit produces 52KG of downforce at 93mph, doubling the downforce of a standard R8 V10+, and 250kg of downforce at 205mph, which is 100KG up on the standard R8 V10+.
The weight saving extends to the exhaust with some upgraded titanium components, and the suspension features custom lightweight 3-way manually adjustable coilovers that’s a collaboration between the suspension gurus at KW Suspension and Eibach springs. Moving to the shoes, the motorsport inspired fully-milled 20-inch wheels that save 8KG in weight over the standard R8 V10+ alloys to significantly reduce the spring mass.
Inside, the interior has been left untouched, it’s completely standard with the acceptation of the R8 bucket seats in perforated Fine Nappa leather and the exclusive Sport contour steering wheel is trimmed in Alcantara with a red 12 o’clock marker. Audi has kept the spec to be as minimalistic as possible to help towards their weight-saving tactics.
The 5 UK examples were all finished in Audi Exclusive Misano Red and offered strictly on a first come, first served basis. The likelihood of finding one of the 5 UK used examples is extremely slim, and as exclusivity costs, expect to used prices to be around the original on-the-road (OTR) retail price of £176,560. There is no way possible you can replicate these Audi R8 Performance Part’s. Everything equipped to these cars cannot be purchased individually. The keen Audi enthusiasts may be aware of Audi Sport offering the TT-RS Performance Parts upgrades as individual standalone upgrades which can be added to any TT-RS, but Audi Sport never offered that for the Audi R8.
