Saar: The naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 engine is available in two states of tune – 570PS/550Nm and 620PS/580Nm.

For 2019, Audi has something really special in store for the rich. And no, it isn’t another electric car. It is, in fact, the refreshed Audi R8 which sticks to its conventional roots and comes with the same naturally aspirated power plant. The makeover also includes cosmetic changes as well as sharper mechanicals underneath. Audi claims that the refreshed R8 shares around 50 per cent parts with the R8 LMS GT3 racer and about 60 per cent with the R8 LMS GT4 motor racing model. If that’s true, we can easily deduce that the 2019 Audi R8 will be a tamed motor-racing vehicle.

Before we get to the numbers game, let’s unravel how the Audi R8 looks in its revamped avatar. At the front, the radiator grille now has a wider and flatter line, while thick bars dissect the large air intakes. The front splitter is now wider and the flat slits in the hood are reminiscent of the Audi Ur-quattro brand icon. As standard, the 2019 Audi R8 will come with 19-inch alloys. However, Audi will offer 20-inch, ultralight rims with sports tyres as optional extras. At the rear, the low-set air vent grille is now wider and the grille rounds off the diffuser. In the engine bay, the air filter is now hidden under a three-part cover, which can be had either in plastic or in carbon fibre.

As for the engine, it is still a 5.2-litre V10. As standard, it has 570PS/550Nm on tap. That’s an increase of 30PS/10Nm when compared to the corresponding previous version. The 0-100kmph sprint is completed in 3.4 seconds and 3.5 seconds in the Coupe and Spyder iterations respectively. The top speed, in the same order, is rated at 324kmph and 322kmph.

If you opt for the 2019 Audi R8 in its Performance Quattro form, the same engine pumps out 620PS/580Nm – an increase of 10PS/20Nm over the corresponding pre-facelift version. As far as sprint from nought to 100kmph is concerned, the hardtop and convertible can complete it in 3.1 seconds and 3.2 seconds respectively. The top speed for the duo, in the same order, is 331kmph and 329kmph.

In go-fast cars such as this one, the engineering behind deceleration is quite important. Depending on which engine output you choose, Audi will offer three additional drive modes – dry, wet and snow. And thanks to reworked ESC (electronic stabilisation control) on the refreshed R8, the range-topping version can come to a complete halt from 100kmph up to 1.5 metres earlier and, from 200kmph up to 5 metres earlier. The standard steel disc brakes can be replaced by optionally available ceramic brake discs.

The refreshed Audi R8 will start reaching German and other European dealerships in the first quarter of next year. Audi will put the car on sale in Europe in early 2019. India should get it during the second half of 2019.