Pure And Simple

Audi Goes Back to Basics, Literally. There's No Quattro in This R8 V10 — Does That Turn the German Supercar Into a Purist’s Dream? 

- Imran Malik

This is the R8 V10 RWS and no, that doesn’t stand for ‘rear-wheel steering’, smart alec. Audi has ditched Quattro in favour of rear-wheel drive for this variant and you can wipe that surprised look from your face. You saw this coming the day they changed the legendary Quattro GmbH name to Audi Sport. It’s been a little over a year since but Audi’s fabled private subsidiary, fueled by an 80-year legacy of motorsport milestones, is already doing things very differently. Change is good, they say — but should you really alter a formula that’s been thrilling enthusiasts since 2006? The mid-engine, two-seat supercar was born with the trademark Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system but as it transpires, it was holding it back...