The new Audi R8 Coupe has won the 2016 World Performance car award.
The new Audi R8 Coupe has won the 2016 World Performance car award. The R8 was chosen from a list of 10 cars that was brought down to top 3 finalists. The finalists included the Audi R8, Honda Civic Type R and the Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe.
“We are delighted that the Audi R8 has been voted as the 2016 World Performance Car,” said Dietmar Voggenreiter, Board Member for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG. “With its distinctive design, its driving dynamics and its closeness to racing, the R8 is one of the strongest calling cards for the four rings and is the flagship car from Audi Sport. The first generation of the R8 paved our way toward becoming a premium brand and raised the aura of Audi to a new level. The new R8 will continue this success story and further accelerate the growth strategy of Audi Sport.”
The World Car Awards jurors observed: “Arguably, Audi’s Le Mans-inspired R8 has been the most desirable, head-turning supercar of the decade. And now the latest Coupe version has won the World Performance Car 2016 title, successfully claiming the crown after seeing off stiff competition from America, Asia and Europe. Yet despite its racing car heritage and cutting edge technology it’s a surprisingly easy and manageable car to drive – fast or slow.”
Audi launched the R8 in India during the Auto Expo held last month in Delhi. It is available wth a 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 engine in two states of tune. In the base car, it produces 533 bhp at 6,500 rpm. In the top-end car, it produces 602 bhp at 8,250 rpm and 560 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 7-speed S-tronic automatic gearbox with paddle shifters and power is sent to all four wheels via the Quattro all-wheel drive system. The coupe accelerates from a standstill to a 100 kmph in 3.2 seconds and goes on to a top speed of 330 kmph. The supercar starts at INR 2 crores (ex-showroom, New Delhi) and goes up to INR 2.48 crores (ex-showroom, New Delhi). It competes with the Ferrari 488, Lamborghini Huracan, Mercedes-AMG GT and the Porsche 911 Turbo.