SPORTY & PURE
Audi and Porsche have revealed special models of the R8 and 911 claimed to feature a more engaging driving experience
IS THERE A TREND FORMING?
Probably, if we’re talking about the Volkswagen Group and its numerous brand members. What Audi and Porsche have done is “purify” their R8 and 911 sports cars.
Standing for rear-wheel drive, the R8 RWS is the third model in the line-up after the V10 and V10 Plus, both with Quattro all-wheel-drive. The R8 RWS has been designed for purists and reflects that of the R8 LMS racer.
Likewise, Porsche has fettled the 911 Carrera with a more driver-focused cabin, less suppression of the engine noise and a more engaging driving experience, thanks to some tweaks in the chassis and gearing of the drive system. The so-called Carrera T has also shed around 20kg over the regular 911.
But while the R8 has a mid-engine layout, the Carrera T has its motor placed behind the rear axle. No four-wheel-drive in either car enables for a more entertaining driving experience for purists.
DO THEY GET A MANUAL GEARBOX?
The RWS maintains the same seven-speed dual-clutch automatic of the other R8s but comes with a driving mode called Dynamic to allow the driver to undertake controlled drifts. There’s no manual option.
The 540hp of power in the RWS is the same as in the regular V10 (the V10 Plus has 610hp). But despite being 50kg lighter overall, the RWS is still 0.2sec slower, at 3.7sec, from 0-100kph.
The Carrera T, meanwhile, sports a 370hp 3.0-litre petrol-turbo flatsix mated to either a manual gearbox or the brand’s PDK twin-clutch automatic. Adaptive suspension also helps lower the car by 20mm and is a standard fitment for a more dynamic drive.
The manual version has shorter transmission ratios allowing for a 0.1sec quicker 0-100kph acceleration time, at 4.5sec, than the stock model. But if you specify for the two-pedal version, the Carrera T clocks a quicker 4.2sec.
SO THE CARRERA T IS CHEAPER IN PRICE…
Yes it is, as performance and pricing usually go parallel in the game of sports cars. While the Carrera T would have prices starting north of 12 million baht in Thailand, the R8 RWS should cost around 4 million more.
First deliveries of both cars are slated in the first quarter of this year. But the R8 RWS might be the more special one because only 999 units (which also includes the open-top Spyder model) will be made globally.