Tuning any vehicle, especially a supercar,
will likely affect the value, not to mention that often due to poor choices, it
can ruin the driving dynamics too, which is why finding the sweet spot is a
must. Hennessey claims to have found the perfect balance between providing more
power to the second generation Audi R8 while not affecting the drivability. In
fact, the tuner went as far as stating that despite the twin-turbo conversion,
the German model still drives exactly like stock, but with the added grunt –
take that as you will.
The 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10
engine has welcomed new internals and peripherals that are part of the HPE900
package. Dual turbos, blow-off valves, air induction system, stainless steel
downpipes, oil pump, tanks and hoses, air-to-water intercooler and others were
added, bumping the output to 912 horsepower at 7,400 rpm.
That’s around 750 HP at the wheels,
according to the tuner, for a 0-96 km/h of only 2.6 seconds. With
the HPE900 kit, the R8 is a true 10-second car, as running the quarter mile
takes only 9.8 seconds, at 233 km/h. In latest R8 V10 Performance,
the engine produces 611 HP and 580 Nm of torque, which helps it hit
the 100 km/h mark in 3.1 seconds, and a 331 km/h top speed.
Now, depending on the budget and how
extreme one wants their R8, the sky is pretty much the limit. Underground
Racing, for one, has already tuned the ten-pot to the extreme, giving the car
over 2,200 horsepower at the wheels in the ultimate tuning stage.
