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2018 Audi R8 V10 RWS is a rear-wheel drive drift machine

Audi's mid-engined hero leans out and gets a little more hardcore for less money.

Chris Paukert
Following stints in TV news production and as a record company publicist, Chris spent most of his career in automotive publishing. Mentored by Automobile Magazine founder David E. Davis Jr., Paukert succeeded Davis as editor-in-chief of Winding Road, a pioneering e-mag, before serving as Autoblog's executive editor from 2008 to 2015. Chris is a Webby and Telly award-winning video producer and has served on the jury of the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. He joined the CNET team in 2015, bringing a small cache of odd, underappreciated cars with him.
Chris Paukert
2018 Audi R8 RWS
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RWS stands for "Rear Wheel Series."

2018 Audi R8 RWS
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Like its Lamborghini Huracan sibling, the Audi R8 V10 is finally getting a rear-wheel drive model.

2018 Audi R8 RWS
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The RWS is lighter than the standard AWD model by 88 to 110 pounds.

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The R8's charismatic V10 produces 540 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque.

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Just 999 RWS models are planned per model year, with about 300 expected to arrive in the US next year.

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A unique side-swapping overhead stripe package is optional.

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The RWS has been tuned for maximum driftability.

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The RWS receives standard sport seats and optional buckets, along with a serialized plaque so everyone knows your ride is one of 999 cars.

2018 Audi R8 RWS
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The RWS is expected to be the least expensive model in the R8 V10 family when it bows.

2018 Audi R8 RWS
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Click or swipe to continue looking at photos of the 2018 Audi R8 V10 RWS.

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2018 Audi R8 RWS
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2018 Audi R8 RWS
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