By the numbers: Audi R8’s V10 engine

Picture of Chris Teague

Chris Teague

Audi's V10 engine is a powerhouse.

The Audi R8’s V10 engine is a robust power plant that delivers the acceleration that super car enthusiasts crave. Here’s a closer look at the engine by the numbers.

5.2

undefined

undefined

The engine has 5.2 liters of displacement. According to Wikipedia, “Engine displacement is the measure of the cylinder volume swept by all of the pistons of a piston engine, excluding the combustion chambers.”

10

undefined

undefined

The engine has 10 cylinders in a v-shape layout. That’s how it gets its “V10” designation. Traditionally, modern passenger cars have four, six, or eight cylinders.

15

undefined

undefined

All Audi R8s are built on an assembly line at Böllinger Höfe, near Neckarsulm, Germany. The line assembles approximately 15 R8s per day.

2020 Audi R8 engine V10

Photo courtesy of Audi AG

88.3

undefined

undefined

Each of the 10 cylinders has a piston. Each piston travels approximately 88.3 feet every second. Altogether, the pistons cover more than 600 miles in an hour. That’s about as fast as a domestic commercial aircraft can fly and faster than the pistons in Formula One cars.

1 – 6 – 5 – 10 – 2 – 7 – 3 – 8 – 4 – 9

undefined

undefined

This is the firing sequence of the cylinders of the R8’s engine. This is what gives the car, “a hissing tenor exhaust note that builds to a crescendo,” according to Audi.

50

undefined

undefined

According to Audi, “The Audi R8 race cars share more than 50 percent of their parts content with the road-going models (60 percent comparing the GT4 to the road car), including their Audi Space Frames and V10 engines. The only structural difference between the road car and racecar is a mounting point on the frame for hydraulic lift struts to simplify pit stops.”

undefined

Photo courtesy of Audi AG

90

undefined

undefined

The 5.2-liter V10 engine is situated in a 90-degree position. This means that its pistons are 90 degrees apart. The position traditionally results in good balance.

413

undefined

undefined

The U.S. spec of the engine delivers 413 pound-feet of torque at 6,700 rpm.

602

undefined

undefined

Pressing the R8 to its limit, in the U.S. version of the car, the engine will achieve a maximum 602 horsepower at 8,100 rpm.

6,213

undefined

undefined

In many of the R8 race car models, Audi recommends servicing the V10 every 10,000 km (6,213 miles) and completely rebuilding it every 20,000 km (12,427 miles).

33,000

undefined

undefined

More than 33,000 R8s have been sold throughout the world since going on sale in 2005.

1.97 million

undefined

undefined

The engine is assembled in Győr, Hungary, Audi’s largest engine plant. In 2019, the plant produced approximately 1.97 million engines and electric motors. Those engines and motors found their way into vehicles around the world.

Audi R8 race car side by side

Photo courtesy of Audi AG

No. 1

undefined

undefined

Audi’s R8 race cars have laid claim to five overall wins at the Nürburgring 24, four overall wins at Spa and class wins at Daytona, the Bathurst 12 Hours, Macau, and many other tracks across the globe. According to a release, “From its first race through April 2020, globally, racers in the R8 LMS GT3 have achieved 75 driver championships, 13 overall wins in 24-hour races and numerous other podium finishes.”

Share this on your community

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Reddit
WhatsApp
Telegram
Email

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top