Fantastic cars, those Audi S- and RS-models,
and I haven't even mentioned the R8 yet.
Brutal power, huge amounts of traction,
but a kind of dull...
A relative interpretation of dull that is, don't get me wrong.
What I actually mean, is that Audi's, when compared with the M-models...
from BMW and the AMG's from Mercedes, are a tad well-behaved.
They don't have that sharp edge, that sense of danger.
Audi wants to do something about that with the introduction of RWS, which doesn't stand for Rear Wheel Steering,
but for Rear Wheel Series.
While it starts to rain again, let me help you distinguish an RWS-model from a normal R8.
It's very simple actually. You get an additional badge in the grille,
the grille is now matte black, just like these parts...
The red stripe is optional, but it's plastered onto this demonstration model.
Then you've got these side blades. Normally, they're in one color,
but on here, they're painted in the body color.
Only this piece is black. So much for the first-sight-differences between the RWS and normal R8.
Of course, quattro is inseparable from Audi,
and throughout the years, the brand has built an entire imperium around it.
The pinnacles of that imperium are the S-, and RS-models.
In 2006, the R8 was added to the range to underline the sporty image.
They were all incredibly impressive cars, with one big feature in common:
four-wheel drive. That offers the enormous advantage of having more grip...
when circumstances become slippier and trickier. For the sporty driver however,
let's call him the purist, the challenges aren't as big.
It's just not as exciting to drive a four-wheel drive car in a quick fashion,
as it is with a front-wheel drive car, or even better; a rear-wheel drive car.
Four-wheel drive is just too safe, so it isn't exciting enough.
In critical situations, the front wheels kick in to solve your problems.
That caused problems for Audi, because their entire sports label was called quattro GmbH.
Quattro means four-wheel drive, and that's when it becomes difficult,
because how do you introduce a rear-wheel drive car under that label?
Anyway, they found a solution in Germany. A solution in the form of renaming the sports branch to Audi Sport,
and they've introduced the RWS, the rear wheel series.
And it's pretty obvious isn't it? Rear wheel series.
That implicates that multiple models will be fitted...
with rear-wheel drive in the future. Audi hasn't introduced RWS just to show us an action model of the R8,
they plan to actually have multiple rear-wheel drive cars in their range.
That was the theoretical part, so let's talk about how it holds up in the real world.
The first R8 had quite an oversteering kind of personality.
When you threw that around the corner, it went sideways quite a lot before the front wheels straightened it out again.
That was because of the viscous-clutch, which processes the amount of torque sent to the front wheels.
It was quite slow.
The current R8 is fitted with multiple clutch plates for the quattro-system. It's better, but it's not very exciting.
But this is just rear-wheel drive, this RWS.
You should see it like an Audi-version of the Lamborghini Huracan LP580-2. That's a rear-wheel drive car as well, producing 580 horsepower.
We only get 540 horsepower and 540 Nm of torque, but I think we'll be just fine, if I'm honest...
We're near Madrid at the moment, and I think this mountain road would be epic if it was dry.
You could go all the way here, but it's wet now unfortunately.
The guard rail is close to me, just like the ravine,
so I have to behave. In the meantime, I have a 5.2-litre V10 breathing down my neck,
with that amazing soundtrack...
It just gets me all excited. The crazy thing is,
this is the first time in an Audi when I feel I have to be careful, because the front wheels won't be helping me.
That makes the front of the car more playful. The front wheels just have to steer.
The rear wheels will keep pushing in a corner, when you put your foot down.
It wants to move to the outside. Of course, it's mid-engined,
so it's right behind me, and the balance could flip just like that.
Then I would be the wrong way around, and I'm not going to risk that in these circumstances.
It doesn't compromise the fact that you can have lots of fun with this.
I'm changing gear with a 7-speed S-Tronic automatic gearbox, which I've put in Sport-mode.
That way the exhaust emits more rumble when I release the throttle.
It's just... It's incredible fun.
So, if you've always wanted a R8...
but you were always doubtful because you always thought; 'Quattro is nice and safe and all, but it feels too dull...'
If that's the reason you got a rear-wheel drive, you now have this RWS to worry about.
If you've always wanted a R8, you should get this.
It's so much more fun than the quattro. It's more exciting, it's more challenging,
and that's what you want in a sports car. The other good news is that it's €25.000 cheaper than the quattro.
On a total of €240.000, it doesn't seem to be incredibly relevant,
but still, it's cheaper.
Unfortunately, there's bad news as well. Only 999 R8 RWS's will be produced,
those are coupés and Spyders. If you want a originally Dutch one,
you'll have to be really quick. Only four of them will be sold here.