If you’re worried that your 600hp, V10 supercar isn’t quite as conspicuous as you were hoping, Audi has the solution for you. The marque is soon to release a selection of retrofit goodies for its R8 and TT ranges, under the “Audi Sports Performance Parts” brand.
The emphasis is firmly on extracting even more performance and some race car looks, by bringing some of its track know-how to the road cars. The Audi Sports Performance Parts range centers on four key areas: suspension, exhaust, interior and exterior.
It’s the external parts that first catch the eye. There’s an additional wing for both cars, as well as a splitter and canards. For the TT there’s also a special hood with a large air vent.
Thanks to wind tunnel testing, these carbon-fiber reinforced parts combine to double the downforce on the R8 at 90mph. At a flat-out 205mph, the downforce increases to more then 2500N – equivalent to over 550lb.
The front air inlets, the side sills and the diffuser sport clear-cut highlights, and the wings bear the Audi Sport logo.
A suite of suspension and braking upgrades help to make the most of the extra aero grip.
Two or three-way coilover suspension is available, while motorsport-derived wheels shave some weight off. Milled 20-inch wheels save around 16lb on the TT and nearly 18lb on the R8. These wheels come with specialist sports tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, in 255/30 all round on the TT, and 245/30 on the R8’s nose to huge 305/30 at the back.
Audi Sport also upgrades the brake lines, enhancing fade resistance on both steel and ceramic disc options. Fluorescent red titanium brake carriers on the R8 also reduce weight, by 2lb, while you can also specify the TT with a brake cooling kit.
An exhaust system supplied by Akrapovic will improve the already impressive soundtrack. This consists of a titanium muffler, with trims specifically for the TTS and TT RS models.
Audi hasn’t neglected the cars’ interiors in all of this. The Performance Parts portfolio includes a sports contoured steering wheel, with multifunction buttons, for both models. This Alcantara-trimmed unit features a bright red mark at the 12 ‘o’clock position. The upgrades include carbon-fiber shift paddles for vehicles with the 7-speed S-tronic auto gearbox.
There’s also a meaty strut brace available for the TT. This huge carbon-fiber cross brace replaces the back seats and improves the torsional rigidity of the TT. It also reduces the overall weight by 44lb, thanks to dispensing with the rear pews.
The catalogue of Audi Sport Performance Parts will become available in Germany ‘and other markets’ later in the summer.
