PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)
Audi R8 5.2 FSI
The R8 5.2 FSI wins the title for production supercars. The S5 Cabriolet, the RS 6, the S4 Avant, and the Q7 V12 TDI each placed in the top five in their respective classes. The prizes awarded by a jury from the Auto Bild SportsCars monthly were presented last evening at the Essen Motor Show.
With 650 invited guests looking on, Michael-Julius Renz, Head of Sales Germany at AUDI AG, accepted the prize for the Audi TT RS; Werner Frowein, Managing Director of quattro GmbH, accepted the award for the Audi R8 5.2 FSI.
The title “Sports Car of the Year” is one of the most sought-after prizes in the German automobile industry. 51,637 readers of the magazine took part in the voting this year. Sports cars that had previously proven their worth in more than 300 tests and road reports were nominated in eight classes, which were further broken down into Tuning and Production. Besides the two group winners, four other Audi models placed in the top five in their respective classes: the S5 Cabriolet in the class “Production Convertible/Roadster”; the RS 6 in “Production Sedan”; the S4 Avant in “Production Station Wagon”; and the Q7 V12 TDI in the category “Production SUV.”
The panel of experts at Auto Bild SportsCars only crowns pure-blooded sports cars as “Sports Car of the Year.” In conjunction with TÜV Rheinland (Rhineland Inspection Authority), the magazine’s jurors regularly conduct exacting road tests to thoroughly assess the latest sports cars.
The Audi TT RS Coupé is powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine with gasoline direct injection that generates a power output of 250 kW (340 hp) and a torque of 450 Nm (331.9 lb-ft). The five-cylinder engine enables the TT RS to perform extraordinary feats. In conjunction with quattro permanent all-wheel drive and a high-performance chassis, the engine makes the compact Audi TT RS an exceptional sports car.
Generating 386 kW (525 hp) and 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) of torque, the 5.2-liter, ten-cylinder engine delivers breathtaking performance. Superior Audi technologies such as quattro all-wheel drive, the lightweight aluminum chassis featuring Audi Space Frame construction, the innovative all-LED headlights and the distinctive design put the R8 5.2 FSI in the pole position in its competitive field.
