Audi R8 GT hands on

More powerful, lighter and aggressive, we get our hands on an Audi R8 GT that Tony Stark would surely approve of.

We'd never accuse regular V8 and V10 R8s of being slow, but, like entrepreneurs, enough is never enough. To cope with the extra performance, as well as to mark it out from run-of-the-mill R8s, the GT has plenty of exterior mods fitted to it.

The front headlights consist entirely of LED elements — 24 on each side, if you're curious.

The GT rides on unique 19-inch alloy wheels, while the diffuser and rear wing help keep the car planted to the road at high speeds.

Mounted in the middle of the car, and hiding under a tinted window, the Lamborghini-derived 5.2-litre V10 has been given even more venom. It now features 412kW of power and 540Nm of torque.

Okay, so it's not blue in hue, but the GT features Alcantara — a synthetic suede-like material — on the steering wheel, ceiling, seats, windscreen frame, handbrake and several other places.

Just 333 GTs are being made in coupe form, and all of those that are bound for Australia already have names against them. The price, if you were curious, is AU$470,700 prior to on-road costs.

High performance doesn't necessarily mean sub-Yaris equipment levels. The GT comes with climate control, and an MMI entertainment and navigation system. Mind you, the positioning of the MMI controls isn't ideal.

The GT will hit 100km/h in 3.6 seconds, 200km/h in 10.8 and, should the track permit, a top speed of 320km/h.

An automated sequential transmission — R-tronic in Audi-speak — with six forward gears and a four-wheel drive system are responsible for sending all of the engine's power and torque to the road.

A 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system is standard on the GT. Not a bad way of keeping entertained when the roads are dull or the traffic is heavy.

The doors don't swing up or anything fancy like that, but they do have lovely carbon fibre-lined door pulls.

The racing-style seats not only grip tightly, but the Alcantara skin hides a glass fibre-reinforced plastic frame that helps save 31.5kg from the car's weight. Carbon fibre seats are an optional weight-saving extra.

The many visible carbon fibre elements aren't there just for aesthetics; they help the GT weigh 195kg less than a regular V10 R8.

Like other R8s, the GT has an aluminium body. Many external panels, though, such as the air intakes, rear hatch and wings, are made from carbon fibre.