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Audi’s pricing for the new R8 sports car is about in line with what we at AutoPacific and VehicleVoice have been expecting. The humorous side to their pricing announcement, however, are the option packages and free standing options. These guys must have taken a page from Porsche’s book of optioning their cars. First, their “Convenience Package” including a 6-disc CD changer, Homelink, Bluetooth, auto dimming mirrors should be standard. The other free standing options are OK as options with the exception of the navigation system. Should be standard. Oh, well.

Audi’s Slightly Edited Press Release
Audi of America has announced pricing for the all-new 2008 R8 sports car. The R8 with a six-speed manual transmission will have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $109,000 when it launches this fall in the United States. Models equipped with the six-speed R tronic automatic gearbox will start at $118,000. (That’s $9,000 for an automatic transmission – possibly a new record!)

The R8 is the first mid-engine sports car Audi has ever produced. With a 420 hp V8 4.2L FSI engine and rear-biased quattro® all-wheel drive system, the R8 has the performance capabilities unlike any Audi before it. With a zero to 60 mph time of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 187 mph, the R8 is the fastest Audi ever produced. The lightweight aluminum frame and body and 44:56 front-to-rear weight distribution give the R8 tremendous handling capabilities, with the balance expected of a mid-engine sports car.

Standard luxury features include Audi magnetic ride, automatic bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, LED taillights and LED engine compartment lighting. 19-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, power and heated leather/Alcantara sport seats, cruise control, Sirius® satellite radio, and nine-speaker audio system.
Optional Equipment That Should be Standard on a Car in this Price Range:
An optional Convenience Package includes Audi parking system advanced with rearview camera, Audi hill hold assist, a six-disc CD changer, HomeLink®, Bluetooth® phone prep, auto dimming exterior mirrors, and a storage package.
Stand alone options on the R8 include a 12-speaker, 465-watt Bang & Olufsen® sound system, Alcantara headliner, Audi navigation plus, an upgraded Leather Package, and Enhanced Leather Package which includes a leather covered dash and interior trim pieces, metallic/pearl effect paint, carbon fiber sideblades, body color sideblades, and the previously mentioned R tronic automatic gearbox. These options allow R8 owners to personalize their sports car to make it an even more exclusive vehicle than it is right from the hand-assembly plant in Neckarsulm, Germany.
Audi Has Been in the USA since 1969
Audi’s history in America dates to 1969, when the brand was first introduced to the U.S. market. Today, a network of over 260 Audi dealers currently offers a line of premium vehicles that include the Audi A3 compact; the sporty A4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high performance S4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high-revving RS 4 sports sedan; the design-leading A6 sedan and Avant; the all-new Audi Q7 performance SUV; and the all-aluminum Audi A8; and the new V10-powered S6 and S8 performance sedans.