Mumbai: German luxury car manufacturer, Audi, today launched its Audi R8, complementing the Audi model range in India - the new Audi A4, Audi A6, Audi A8, Audi Q7 and Audi TT at 12 dealerships across the country: in Delhi, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Chennai, Kochi and Kolkata.

The exclusive, mid-engine super sports car  has been priced at Rs11,700,000 (ex-showroom Delhi without CST, transportation, etc).

The Audi R8 4.2 V8-FSI is equipped with an engine displacement of 4,163 cc, a power output of 309 kW (420 hp) at 7,800 rpm and a maximum torque 430 Nm between 4,500 and 6,000 rpm.  The Audi R8 can attain a top speed of 301 km/h with 0-100 km/h in impressive 4.6 seconds. 

The super sports Audi R8 was officially unveiled at the lawns of the German Embassy in New Delhi along with two Audi racing legends: Auto Union Type D and the Audi R8 Le Mans Prototype, both chosen for their link to ground-breaking technologies of their time. These cars were introduced to the public in a rare display, after which in a stunning presentation eight Audi R8's moved in a convoy to the historic India Gate through streets of New Delhi.

''The Audi R8 is not only a strong statement about the brand, but also about Audi's direction for the future – to be the most successful premium brand by 2015," said Benoit Tiers, managing director, Audi India. "It embodies the philosophy of ''Vorsprung durch Technik''. It will revolutionise the Indian automobile space and will offer an experience of a lifetime to discerning customers in the country.''

''We decided to launch the Audi R8 in the Indian market, based on the enthusiastic response received from our select customers. India is a very crucial market for Audi and we are very keen to expand our presence in the country through expansion of the dealership network and bringing in our international range of models,'' added Tiers.

With its technical precision and superior performance, the Audi R8 took the lead in the most demanding automotive sports car segment from the moment it was launched.

The super sports car is has a drivetrain combination of quattro permanent all-wheel drive with manual six-speed transmission or six-speed R tronic and an all-aluminum Audi Space Frame body. Its perfection in quality and finish, only to be expected of an Audi product, place the Audi R8 in a formidable position worldwide.
 
The Audi R8 has distinctive exterior and interior styling that offers the feel of a luxurious sports car with exclusive equipment coupled with a wide variety of customized interior options.

The Audi R8 has won several awards in Germany and Europe, along with the double victory at the famous 2008 World Car of the Year awards, winning both the 'World Performance Car'' and ''World Design Car of the Year' awards. 

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