The Audi Sport Edition Is An Extra-Special R8

In case you didn’t know, quattro GmbH is no longer a thing. The Audi subsidiary responsible for the R8 and RS models has been given a cheeky re-brand, and is now Audi Sport GmbH. And to celebrate the re-brand, the ladies and gents of Neckarsulm have cooked up a limited-run version of the R8.

It’s called the Audi Sport Edition, and the alterations it’s been subjected to go only skin deep. But the results are pretty striking: it’s been given ‘brilliant red’ side blades and mirrors, further splashes of red in the cabin, a ‘titanium black’ singleframe grille, splitter and rear diffuser, plus a set of 20-inch gloss black/silver forged wheels.

It’s available in silver, red, or black - “the colors of Audi Sport” - and just 200 will be made. Available to order from May onwards, it’ll cost €181,900 for the standard V10 version in Germany, or €205,800 for the V10 Plus.

It’s on display now at the New York Auto Show, sharing a stand with the newly revealed R8 GT4 (below), which also looks rather splendid.

So, that’s the car, but let’s briefly take things back to the rebrand - what’s the point of it? Well, it seems to be all about giving Audi a performance sub-brand as well known as the likes of Mercedes-AMG and BMW’s M Division, and the brand’s CEO - Stephan Winkelmann - told us as much last month, admitting that awareness of Quattro GmbH’s was reserved “just maybe for insiders”.

Time will tell if the brand’s re-jig has the desired effect.