Audi R8 GT Gets Priced Near $200K

The deluge of Audi performance variants continues! Enthusiasts are the ones benefitting as new model after model arrives. We aren't ones to complain. The R8 is one of the upper end models in Audi's stable, likely out of our reach - at least for quite sometime.

It has been expanded beyond the original V-8 coupe model to include a V-10 Spyder variant. Recently, the V-8 was made available in Spyder variation as well. The hottest model of them all though is the R8 GT, and it just has gotten a price tag.

$198,000 - yes, that's almost $200,000, for an Audi. It is an Audi that competes in exotic territory though. It gets the aforementioned V-10 engine, but adds horsepower - up to 560 horsepower from the 525 hp figure of the standard car. It makes peak output at 8,000 rpm, mated to Audi's single-clutch R-Tronic semi-automatic transmission.

Couple that with a significant reduction in weight, to the tune of 220 pounds, and performance gets a significant enhancement.

The car arriving on our shores will not be equipped with the Race Pack of the European model. The Race pack of the Euro car includes a kill switch, roll cage, fire extinguisher and racing seats. The seats, according to Inside Line, didn't make it to our car as they don't have side airbags.

There are only 333 examples of the R8 GT slated to be built globally, with about 1/3 of them coming to the US in summer 2012. It's a good thing there isn't many being built - this is an exotic Audi, but it is also priced like an exotic Audi. This one is for the Audi die hards out there.