The Audi R8 is getting help from an old friend to kick off sales for the new 2014 model.
A new ad (below) featuring Tony Stark, played by actor Robert Downey Jr., showcases some of the sports car’s performance capabilities as it gears up for its next appearance with the tech genius in Iron Man 3, which opens in theaters May 3.
More advanced than the previous model, the new Audi R8 features a number of improved performance elements including an available new seven-speed S tronic transmission that improves the 0-60 mph time by 0.3 seconds on the R8 V10 Plus. Other enhancements on the sports cars, which first made its debut in 2008, include a new full-LED headlamp design.
Now featured with three engine options, the R8 Plus Coupe generates 550 horsepower and 398 lb.-ft. of torque. Equipped with the available S tronic, Audi says the new top-of-the-line model will do zero to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds with a top speed of 196 mph.
To help achieve those performance numbers, the R8 has shed nearly 130 lbs from the previous model by using ceramic brakes, carbon fiber side blades, front splitter, rear diffuser, and spoiler; a smaller fuel tank; manual Alcantara seats and reduced sound insulation in the engine bay.
Inside, the 2014 R8, which is priced from $114,900 for the manual coupe to $179,645 for the top-of-the-line R8 V10 Plus with S tronic, features a new diamond-stitch leather seats and an available flat-bottom multi-function steering wheel among other improvements.
“The launch of the R8 represented the turning point of the Audi brand and placed luxury on notice,” said Scott Keogh, President Audi of America, in an official press release statement. “The 2014 R8 will continue to build upon that success for our halo sports car and for the Audi brand as a whole.”
