Opening
The German luxury car manufacturer, Audi had allocated 15 Audi R8s for India. Surprisingly all R8 models have already been sold in the country. The car was officially unveiled at the lawns of German Embassy in New Delhi. Two other racing models from Audi were also unveiled along with Audi R8 - the Auto Union Type D and the Audi R8 Le Mans Prototype. These three cars are geared towards bringing the racing fever in India. Once these cars were unveiled to the public a convoy of eight Audi R8s moved to India Gate through the streets of New Delhi.
The Power
The Audi R8 4.2 V8 FSI is equipped with a 4163cc engine that generates 420bhp at 7800rpm and a maximum torque of 430Nm between 4500 and 6000 rpm. It has been built on the Lamborghini Gallardo platform and is currently available across the United States and Europe. The new Audi R8 is one of the best racing cars to be launched in India and its speed remains unbeatable. It can attain a top speed 301kph with a 0-100kph time of 4.6 seconds. If you want to choose between the six-speed manual or six-speed R-Tronic automatic gearbox, the new Audi R8 offers a smooth both to go perfectly with a Quattro permanent all-wheel drive. This car is the fastest racing car ever made by Audi and the success of this model in India will tell if Audi brings other successful models to India or not.
The Style and Design
The interiors of the cars are designed for maximum driver comfort and bespeak of total luxury inside. The instrument panel above the panel is slightly tilted towards the driver. Designers of Audi R8 have made sure that the driver and the passenger in the next seat are not only comfortable but experience the grandeur of the car as well. The luggage compartment in the front has a capacity of 100 litres with ample space inside. The long wheelbase and the low centre of gravity ensure maximum stability to the car when the driver crusades at the top speed.
The new Audi R8 adheres to all the norms of high-quality sports car. You can experience the difference in driving when you touch the direct, hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering that provides optimum feedback to assist the driver. Other features like an acoustic parking system, a rear-view camera and a unique navigation system completes all the features of luxury in a sports car.
The Market and the Price
The German car maker is extremely hopeful of the emerging luxury car segment in India. After facing tough times back home in Germany, it is hoping to expand its dealerships in India and launch more models to capture a larger market share. Audi R8 is available along with other Audi model range in India at twelve Audi dealerships across the country: Delhi, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Chennai, Kochi and Kolkata. The car is priced at Rs. 1.17 crore in India (ex-showroom, Delhi). The company expects to sell around 1000 models annually in India.
