What is it?
The car R8 fans have been asking for. Based on the already mightily rapid R8 V10 the GT turns up the intensity level. A strict diet has shed 100kg from its weight, while some engine tweaks have increased power to 552bhp. More focused suspension settings, some aerodynamic revisions and the exclusivity of a limited number build run add even more appeal - just 33 R8 GTs will come to the UK. It's got bragging rights too, as it's Audi's fastest ever road-going car thanks to its 199mph top speed.
Is it any good?
The V10 upon which the GT is based is a fantastic car already and the GT revisions only enhance that further. It's incremental though, the differences not quite as marked as they are between a Porsche 911 GTS and a 911 GT3. The suspension sits 10mm lower and thanks to the use of some carbon-reinforced panels, a lighter battery, less sound deadening, a thinner windscreen, lighter seats, carpets and brakes the 5.2-litre V10's 552bhp has 100kg less bulk to shift. That results in a 0-62mph time of 3.6 seconds - some 0.3 seconds quicker than its regular V10 relative.
That additional speed isn't immediately apparent; what is though is the extra noise. No bad thing given the quality of the V10's soundtrack. The steering feels more alert thanks to an altered ratio on the steering rack, but there's still a lack of communication between the front wheels and the driver's hands. It remains four-wheel drive, and the majority of drive is directed to the rear through a limited slip differential. The ride is taut, though not uncompromisingly so - at least as much as can be ascertained on the tarmac at Blyton Park circuit.
It's useful being at a track as the engine's additional power only really manifests itself at higher revs, where the R8 GT feels like a slightly more feral, angry version of the standard V10. The added pace and the increased intensity of the soundtrack is exciting, but Audi's decision to only offer the GT with its R tronic gearbox does detract from the experience. Downshifts are undertaken with precision and speed, but upshifts remain frustratingly slow and sometimes horribly clumsy. The R tronic has always been the R8's weakest point and the GT's increased sharpness brings that into even greater focus. A manual transmission would transform its appeal.
Even so the GT's an exciting proposition. It'll move around underneath you with provocation, but it retains the V10's overall friendly demeanour with push on understeer if you're a bit too enthusiastic entering a bend. That's not to say it doesn't demand more from its driver - it does - but it's not quite as raw and focused a driver's car as its hardcore specification would have you believe. Not that it matters, as every single one of the 33 coming to the UK has already been sold.
Should I call the bank manager?
If you could get your hands on one you might need to. The GT comes with a sizeable premium over its V10 relative, costing £28,000 more before you start adding options. Specify it to the level of the car pictured here and you're looking at a £159,315 R8, which is near the list price of a Ferrari 458 Italia and nearly double that of a standard 911 GT3.
Summary
The level of detail Audi has gone to in its weight reduction process shows real commitment. It's reminiscent of Porsche's fastidious approach with its GT3 model, but the similarities run out there. While the GT3 feels like a track refugee the R8 GT feels like a faster, sharper version of a road car - which it is. Appealing enough, but given the specification, leap in price and tiny numbers being built it's a shame Audi didn't increase the intensity a notch more. With them all sold it matters little though, and every one of the 33 buyers is unlikely to be disappointed - likewise, you shouldn't be if you missed your chance to buy one and have to settle for a standard V10.
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