Audi R8 Decennium celebrates 10 years of V10 R8s

Audi Sport will have a relatively quiet Geneva motor show this year, with the fast four-ringed operation keeping its powder dry for the Frankfurt show in September.

Well, except for a limited-run of R8 Performance-based supercars called the Decennium.

Named for the Latin word for “decade”, the Decennium marks the 10th anniversary of the R8’s V10 engine, which made its debut in the first generation R8 back in 2009.

It will build 222 of the mid-engined supercars, using the 456kW R8 Performance version of the 10-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine. The original R8 V10 launched with 386kW of power.

Like all R8s, the Decennium will be sent down the production lines at Böllinger Höfe, near Neckarsulm in Germany.

Audi Sport claims that “right from the exterior design, the Audi R8 V10 Decennium makes its character abundantly clear”, and then sets about showing a car that doesn’t.

Instead, the coupe-only Decennium will have just one standard paint colour – the matte Daytona Grey – though customers can spend more for a choice of five other colours.

There is matte bronze for the 20-inch milled alloy wheels and engine’s intake manifold, gloss black for the diffuser, the front spoiler and the side sills and gloss carbon-fibre mirror housings and side blades.

The interior is also finished in black, with carbon-fibre inlays and there’s more matte bronze for the rhombus quilted stitching and the 12 O’clock marking on the Alcantara steering wheel.

There are even Decennium puddle lights on both sides of the car as well as logos throughout the car and a car cover with the Decennium logo.

The powertrain is unchanged, though, with 456kW of power and 580Nm of torque, capable of launching the all-wheel drive supercar to 100km/h in 3.1 seconds.

Its top speed is 331km/h, based on Audi Sport’s claims, and the car will be available in Europe within the next two months for €222,000 in Germany.