Lamborghini owners beware, the Audi RS8 will give you a run for your money in 2009.
We're still a little disappointed Audi hasn't got a transmission that can handle the power of the R8 TDI Le Mans concept, but the confirmation of a production RS8 is making life a little bit better. Audi's head of powertrain development, Wolfgang Hatz, confirmed to Autocar that the RS8 has been approved and will hit the market in the second quarter of 2009.
A twin-turbo V-10 engine will power the RS8 to speeds over 200 mph, and should make a 0-to-60-mph sprint possible in under 4.0 seconds. You may remember the charred remains of an RS8 mule that burned during testing last year, but that shouldn't happen to the production cars. Audi told Autocar that the cooling work done for the R8 TDI concepts will be used to keep the V-10 from catching fire in production RS8 models. The roof air intake from the R8 TDI Le Mans concept could also make production on the RS8.
Autocar also reports that the TTRS should bring 340 hp to a TT chassis in 2010, but the name will have to change. Only Porsche can use the RS designation at the end of a model's name. Audi is allowed to use RS at the beginning of a name only. Let us know what you think the high-performance TT should be called in the comments.
Source: Autocar