German automaker Audi unveiled the Audi R8 V10 Spyder as a Middle East premiere at the ongoing Qatar Motor Show and also updated visitors on its new showroom and service development plans in Doha.

The high-performance sports car features a new S-tronic transmission and new features on the exterior, in the cabin and for the brakes. Also on the stand were the customer favourites Audi Q3, Q5 and Q7 - Audi’s SUV range – as well as the sports sedans Audi S6 and S8.

Benny Lim, general manager of Q-Auto, the official Audi dealer for Qatar, said: “Our new service center in the Industrial Area and new Audi Showroom on Salwa Road will open in the second half of this year and we have further plans to expand our infrastructure in the future. It is imperative for us to deliver on and exceed our customers’ expectations of an Audi ownership experience.”

The R8 is the sporty spearhead of the Audi model lineup. The reshuffled R8 range comprises two body styles – Coupé and Spyder – and three engines. The standard sprint times for both models equipped with the new seven-speed S-tronic have improved by 0.3 seconds while fuel consumption has been reduced by as much as 0.9 liters per 100 km.

The eight-cylinder engine powering the Audi R8 V8 delivers 430 hp and 430 Nm of torque. In combination with the seven-speed S-tronic, it accelerates the R8 Coupé from zero to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds on its way to a top speed of 300 km/h. The Audi R8 V10 with the S tronic completes the standard sprint in 3.6 seconds and has a top speed of 314 km/h.

The ten-cylinder engine produces 525 hp and delivers 530 Nm of torque to the crankshaft. At the top of the model range is the new R8 V10 plus with 550 hp and 540 Nm of torque. Equipped with the S tronic, it accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 317 km/h. The new top model is only available as a Coupé.

The updated Audi R8, which is built in Neckarsulm, Germany, is scheduled to launch in the Middle East in the second quarter of 2013.

The base price in the GCC is $110,236 for the R8 V8 with manual transmission, a statement said.

The 2013 Qatar Motor Show, taking place from January 29 to February 2 at the Doha Exhibition Centre. – TradeArabia News Service