2015 Audi R8 Teased with Laser Headlights
Article from WorldCarFans: "Audi has released the first teaser image for its highly anticipated second generation R8. Promising to "set new standards among high-performance sports cars", the new R8 has made its debut in a teaser campaign which will end close to the supercar's official reveal early next month at the Geneva Motor Show. The attached teaser pic only shows a small portion of the car's front end which by the looks of it seems to match the spy shot from the beginning of the month. However, the vents seem to have carbon fiber gills which weren't fitted onto the white car but that R8 probably didn't have all the production body parts.
Aside from publishing this teaser shot, Audi has announced the new R8 will come as standard with LED headlights featuring 37 LEDs per headlight. At an additional cost, customers will be able to configure the model with an optional laser high-beam headlight using high-intensity laser diodes which compared to LED high-beam headlights have an almost double lighting range.
Audi says each headlight boasts one laser module operating with four high-intensity laser diodes while a phosphor convert transforms the blue light into pure white light. The laser headlights will come with a blue light signature as a method to make them visually distinguishable from the regular LED headlights.
Other confirmed details are not available at this point but according to the latest gossip, the naturally aspirated V8 4.2-liter engine will be dropped which means that at least initially, the Audi R8 will be available only with an upgraded V10 5.2-liter engine outputting about 578 HP (425 kW). A smaller downsized (and likely turbocharged) gasoline engine is set to join the range later on while a turbodiesel engine could also be planned.
The 2015 Audi R8 will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month where it will be showcased alongside a fully electric e-tron derivative which will go on sale together with the conventional-powered model. A plug-in hybrid model will probably see the light of production day in the years to come with an electric motor working together with a V6 or a four-cylinder turbo."
