By Samuel Ee

DEVASTATING yet docile - few cars can feel this way but the Audi R8 is one of them.

This two-seater high- performance car from the German premium manufacturer can be absolutely devastating on the track, thanks to the perfect balance from its mid-engine layout and superb traction of its quattro all-wheel-drive.

But drive it in city traffic and the R8 can be as docile as any luxury coupe.

Now there is an even more desirable version - the R8 V10. When the R8 was first launched, it came with a 4.2-litre V8 engine. This had 420hp of power, 430Nm of torque and sprinted from zero to 100 kmh in 4.6 seconds.

Now, there is a 5.2-litre V10 direct injection engine, the same dry-sumped monster found in the Lamborghini Gallardo (both Audi and Lamborghini are part of the Volkswagen Group). The only difference is that the Audi's 10-cylinder unit has a slightly lower output.

But with 525 horses and maximum torque of 530 Newton- metres, no one is likely to complain.

Floor the gas pedal and there is a deeper growl from the exhaust. The take-off from stationary also feels more enthusiastic than the V8 variant.

The power-to-weight ratio is good - the R8 has a lightweight aluminium bodyshell that is just 210kg and the V10 car tips the scales at slightly over 1,700kg.

The engine is mated to the familiar six-speed R tronic sequential transmission, which can be driven in manual or automatic mode.

The R tronic is a robotised manual gearbox with exactly the same gear ratios as the six-speed manual transmission except that a superfast electro-hydraulic system has done away with the clutch pedal.

In fact, the R tronic is so swift that it lets the R8 V10 touch 200 kmh 0.3 seconds faster than with the manual box.

Driving fast in auto can be a little jerky though, but in keeping with the overall sporty nature of the R8. The steering is well-weighted and perfect for fast and accurate progress around a slalom course.

With the V10 behind the driver, the R8 has good handling that is made even better with quattro. The all-wheel-drive system splits the torque 44:56 between the front and rear axles for excellent balance and the R8 V10's massive brake power ensures perfect control all the time.

Visually, there are a few subtle cosmetic differences between the V8 and V10 models. The V10 has full LED headlamps, flared sideblades and a pronounced rear diffuser between a pair of oval tailpipes. It also has a $150,000 premium over the V8.

The R8 V8 works well in the city or on the circuit. But an R8 with the rare V10 engine is sexier. There is no doubt that it scores a perfect 10.

samuelee@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Business Times.