Friday 9th April 2010

560hp RWD Audi R8 By MTM

German tuner takes a leaf out of Audi's racing manual

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How many of you would rate the 911 GT3 as your ultimate fun car? Quite a few, we reckon, but would a rear-drive Audi R8 with 560hp change your tune?

German tuner MTM reckons it just might, so as Audi has yet to provide us with a road-going version of its own GT3 race car, they've come up with a conversion of their own.

The MTM R8 GT3-2 features a rear wheel drive set-up developed in-house, and apart from ripping out the standard car's quattro front drive components, they give you a new differential lock and other unspecified 'adjustments'.

Under the engine cover, you get a supercharged 4.2 FSI engine, producing 560hp at 7,755rpm and torque of 428lb ft at 5,500rpm. That's enough power to accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 3.9 seconds and take the speedometer needle up to 197mph, according to MTM's claims.

There's also a special exhaust system available for (ahem!) 'export' versions, without rear pipes and without throttle valves. The resultant sound is 'unmistakeable', they say, although we doubt if you'd get it past the noise police at your favourite track day in which case you wouldn't feel the benefit of MTM's adjustable suspension set-up and uprated brakes.

Visual/aero tweaks include a carbon spoiler, side skirts and wing, and MTM say they'll gladly convert your existing R8 or a brand new one.

[IanO]

That is gorgeous - how much?

[Jimbo_vx]

Is it? i think it look terrible.

[JumpinJack]

That's going straight on my winning lottery ticket wish list!! Probably without the red decals though.

[soad]

Hell, i like it - those wheels are gorgeous too. All imho, of course.

[550Hep]

The decals do it no favours but other than that stonking motor...

[BPD]

Looks fantastic!

[powerhungry]

love it looks fantastic really hope audi do a gt3 version themselves with the 5.2 v10 and then bi turbo it . tasty

[team RML]

I want alot, the whloe car just looks great and with 4.2 supercharged V8 all the power in the world
Perfect

[pagani1]

I too like it but minus decals. Let's hope Audi do their own version soon if only for the warranty protection.
I wonder what engines will find their way into the next Lambos- will they be audi in origin?
No sign of new Pagani or Murcielago replacements yet?

[topless_mx5]

Mmm does it come with a manual gearbox?

[Quattronaut]

pagani1 said:

I too like it but minus decals. Let's hope Audi do their own version soon if only for the warranty protection.
I wonder what engines will find their way into the next Lambos- will they be audi in origin?
No sign of new Pagani or Murcielago replacements yet?

This has been doing the rounds recently, although it's not what you would call detailed...

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Secret-new-cars/Searc...

[teen_cerbera]

I love that, I personally would have the wheels like this though:

[AdamLoewy]

I'm going out on a limb and saying that they should forget the supercharger, have a bit less power at around 480bhp and have a more responsive engine

[ScottishSamurai]

AdamLoewy said:

I'm going out on a limb and saying that they should forget the supercharger, have a bit less power at around 480bhp and have a more responsive engine

But surely a Supercharger is pretty much instantanious in its power delivery?

[Scott330ci]

ScottishSamurai said:

AdamLoewy said:

I'm going out on a limb and saying that they should forget the supercharger, have a bit less power at around 480bhp and have a more responsive engine

But surely a Supercharger is pretty much instantanious in its power delivery?

Thats what I thought?

[nadirv8]

I like that it says Supercharger under the bonnet... I guess just incase you forget

[CO2000]

Really looks like a TT - in that set of pics anyway (more narrow & high looking)

[Kazlet]

Looks horrid in black, especially with the decals but would probably look a lot better in a decent colour.

[ManOpener]

Absolutely cracking car looking. Personally I'd have got them to keep the AWD if I'd paid them £150k to build one..that or asked them to strip it completely and fit ITB's to the motor instead of a charger.

Edited by ManOpener on Friday 9th April 13:10

[Mermaid]

CO2000 said:

Really looks like a TT - in that set of pics anyway (more narrow & high looking)

there's somethng about the R8, always looks nice but never exciting.