Audi R8 V-12 TDI // Diesel Supercar?

This is a one of a kind thing. Only one R8 Diesel has been produced thus far and Audi cut it loose to a group of journalist in Miami a mere week ago. Having been offered three million pounds for the concept at the New York Auto Show, and having turned the offer down, Audi was generous enough to let the media throw gear changes and throttle up the turbo charged oil burner, all in the name of publicity. Making 500bhp and 738lb/ft of torque, this is no gentle giant, no mild mannered fuel saver. The Audi team knows this, and when they cut it loose to journalist, they did so with a chaperone. Dual turbocharger’s feed twelve cylinders, redline is reached at 4,500rpm, low by sport car standard, but rattle your teeth out in the diesel world. With the boost levels tuned down by half, a somewhat limiting test was available. Clearly capable, it appears the diesel supercar has arrived, sort of. The fact of the matter is, Audi is not production ready as of yet, and we are unsure if stateside buyers are ready for a supercar absent of sparkplugs. Audi is convinced they are, hell, the rest of the world is.