Audi to Give Green Light to New Supercar

Another possibility is for a detuned and re-worked variant of the Gallardo's 5.0-liter V10. VAG has been getting decent

Audi might go the whole nine yards and fit the RS9 with their best powerplant, the almighty 444-hp W12. (Photo: Audi of America)

mileage out of this engine, in both the Gallardo and indirectly through the North American VW Jetta 2.5 which uses one bank of the engine's cylinders. In the R9, the motor would be tweaked to generate more torque, but less power (insiders say 450, instead of 500 hp) giving the Audi a different character. We're confident that this engine will most likely end up on the list, as it has been slated to appear in the upcoming RS6 and S8, albeit without the turbos (wait for the RS9 - but that's another story).

There's also a slim chance that Audi might go the whole nine yards and fit the RS9 with their best powerplant, the almighty 444-hp W12. This engine, said to be a favorite of Dr. Winterkorn, is also in the running because it showcases effortless power and refinement wrapped in a truly unique package.

Audi's original Avus supercar concept shown in the early 1990's featured a mock W12 motor, so fitting the accomplished 6.0L W12 into the R9 would be a worthy tribute to

As with the Le Mans concept, the R9 will feature all-wheel drive, most likely borrowed from the Gallardo. (Photo: Audi of America)

Audi's earlier prototype. Let's also not rule out the 553-horsepower twin-turbo version that can be found in the Bentley Continental GT, should Audi decide to chase after the likes of the Mercedes-McLaren SLR.

As with the Le Mans concept, the R9 will feature all-wheel drive, most likely borrowed from the Gallardo, set to a predominantly rear-biased power split of 20:80. Transmissions are said to include a traditional six-speed manual gearbox and a DSG sequential manual (for the V8-powered version), while the V10 would feature Lamborghini's e-Gear sequential-shift gearbox.