Rear-drive 400kW Audi on the way

Audi's drift-ready rear-drive R8 RWS super car is set to arrive in Australia at under $300,000 (just).

Due Down Under in April as part of a limited 999-unit global production run, the new R8 RWS (rear-wheel series) will be offered in Coupe and Spyder (convertible) versions  from $299,500 (plus on-road costs.  The Coupe slides in under $300K while $321,000 (plus ORCs) buys you the convertible.

That price is a long way from the cheapest R8 to reach Australia – the $259,900 R8 back in 2007 – but lowers the entry price of the current range by more than $50,000.

The RWS shares 50 per cent of its components with the rear-drive R8 LMS that took out this month’s Bathurst 12 Hour Endurance event, according to Audi. The LMS race car is in turn based on the regular R8.

Power comes from a familiar Lamborghini-sourced 5.2-litre naturally-aspirated V10 producing 397kW and 540Nm – the same figures produced in the garden-variety R8.

But this time drive is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, delivering a 3.7-second 0-100km/h time and a speed ceiling of 320km/h.

The RWS’ pared-back underpinnings enable a weight loss of 50kg over all-wheel drive siblings and, according to Audi, a chassis tuned to facilitate tail-happy movements.

The RWS differentiates itself from the donor car with white paintwork and red stripes, a new exhaust and black detailing around the body.

LED lighting is standard front and rear, while inside, there is Audi’s Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster display, digital radio, heated sports seats, a reversing camera and parking sensors.

Audi Australia says the R8 RWS will be available in “limited numbers”, without specifying exactly how many cars are coming to local showrooms.