By Mike Goetz

When introduced to the press-day crowd at the Toronto auto show, the new Audi R8 5.2 at centre stage had its throttle blipped several times — and it was good.

The 5.2-litre V10 not only sounds good, it should go “real good” too, owing to the 525 horses on tap. Audi estimates the car will sprint to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, and top out at 316 km/h.

Photo: Isaac Adams-Hands

The 5.2 further distinguishes itself from its R8 sibling with bigger air intakes up front, wider side-pods, and a special rear end design. The R8 V10 was developed from Audi’s experience at Le Mans; it embodies racing technology, such as dry sump lubrication and FSI gasoline direct injection.

Audi is using this new engine in a new R8 racing car, which the automaker intends to sell to racing teams, for competition in the GT3 category of the American and European Le Mans racing series.