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Remember, last year, when Lamborghini turned the Gallardo rear-wheel drive and called it the Balboni?
Now German tuning firm MTM has done the same to the Audi R8. Well, not the calling-it-the-Balboni bit. That’d be silly. But MTM has indeed created a RWD R8, and it sounds gloriously loopy.
Not only have the Teutonic spannermeisters ripped out the R8’s front driveshaft – saving a helpful few kilos – it has also treated the R8’s 4.2-litre V8 to a supercharger, boosting power to 552bhp and torque to 428lb ft. If you can get that power down on the road, instead of atomising the R8’s rear tyres, you’ll hit 62mph in just under four seconds and top out at 196mph.
From time to time, we have been guilty of moaning about the dubious products foisted upon us by European tuning houses. But here we must slap MTM heartily on the back. This is the sort of ubertuning of which we approve most heartily: innovative, unique and deeply, deeply dangerous.
Now where’s the V10 version, guys?
R8 goes RWD
German tuning house turns Audi’s four-wheel-drive supercar into supercharged drift-monster. Rear tyres scream in anguish
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What do you think?
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Lamborgboy commented on this article
at 02:26 pm on 09 April 2010
When will tuning company's stop ruining nice cars like this
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VeyronGlen commented on this article
at 02:51 pm on 09 April 2010
I don't think it's ruined, it looks different but yes, cars that have been tuned usually look different, but it would look good looking like the standard V8 or V10, but it still is a great car nethertheless!
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BrowntheRockCat commented on this article
at 04:12 pm on 09 April 2010
Ladies and Gentleman I present to you the Audi R8 Balboni Copy!
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XakaB commented on this article
at 04:23 pm on 09 April 2010
its actually quite nice....mental performance in a car with no sense of humor.. like the car it would be really cool if they ditched that livery and put black rims and muffled the exaust it would become quite a stealthy car but it would be all ruined since it would be squilling all the time from constantly drifting!
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XakaB commented on this article
at 04:25 pm on 09 April 2010
ps: if they did that why not make a mental v12 version instead of a v10....what do you think guys????
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