2014 Audi R8 Lands at Dealerships as 'Iron Man 3' Readies Launch

The "Iron Man" movies have an uncanny ability to make you wish you could walk in another man's shoes — or fly in the super suit of "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist" Tony Stark. While it's unlikely Iron Man suits will be available at Men's Wearhouse anytime soon, you can at least drive the same car as Robert Downey Jr.'s Stark. The all-new 2014 Audi R8 went on sale April 11 and will be prominently featured in the upcoming "Iron Man 3."

You don't have to have billions to get your hands on this high-performance luxury sports car, but you will have to have an abundance of disposable income. With Audi's seven-speed optional S tronic transmission, the V-8 coupe starts at $125,250, the V-10 at $161,550 and the V-10 Plus at $180,895. The Audi R8 Spyder roadster with the V-8 and S tronic transmission starts at $138,750 and the V-10 at $175,050. All prices include a $1,250 destination fee but exclude a $3,000 gas guzzler tax.

Audi To Debut 2014 R8, RS 5 Cabriolet at 2013 Detroit Auto Show

Audi has announced plans to unveil a pair of new cars for 2014 — the R8 and the RS 5 Cabriolet — this month at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, with more likely to come.

The automaker promises that improvements to the 2014 R8 will make the high-performance sports car "more dynamic and powerful than ever before." That's thanks to the newly developed seven-speed automated manual transmission; Audi credits it with shaving 0.3 seconds off the R8's zero-to-60-mph time when paired with the top-tier R8 V10 Plus model's 5.2-liter V-10.

The direct-injection R8 V10 Plus creates 550 horsepower and is good for a zero-to-60-mph time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 196 mph. The other available engines are the 5.2-liter V-10 and the 4.2-liter V-8, both of which are also direct injection. The eight-cylinder and 10-cylinder engines are available on both the R8 Spyder and coupe while the V10 Plus is only available on the coupe.

Exterior updates include newly structured LED headlights, a hexagonal grille, new side mirrors and large, round tailpipe trims.

Audi Unplugs Electric R8

If the idea of an electric supercar sounds crazy to you, it probably is. Audi has just come to the same conclusion. Wired is reporting that the automaker has canceled plans to mass-market an electric version of the R8.

The R8 e-tron debuted three years ago at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and continued to appear on the auto-show circuit over the last few years. A limited-production version was set to hit the streets at the end of this year.

2013 Audi R8 Video

As Audi prepares to unveil its updated 2013 Audi R8 at the 2012 Moscow International Motor Show, the carmaker released a video detailing what’s new. We've already shown what the model will look like — it gets new headlights, front bumper and front grille designs — and there's a new transmission, too. The new double-clutch seven-speed S-Tronic automatic transmission will help the R8 accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds, which is a smidge faster than the 2012 Audi R8 GT coupe. Check out the video below. We should have more information on the 2013 R8 early next week.

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2013 Audi R8: Photo Gallery 
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Audi To Put Rearview Screen Into Production

Sure, a digital display teamed with a rear-mounted camera seems like a logical thing to do, but for the most part a rearview mirror is a better — and much cheaper — option.

Well, when you drive a car with no rear window at all like Audi's upcoming R8 e-tron electric sports car, it's time to go high-tech.

What do you think? Would you be willing to opt for a digital rearview screen if it meant car designs could become more radical?

More pictures below.

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2013 Audi R8: Photo Gallery

It's been more than four model years since the Audi R8 debuted in the U.S. and for 2013, the ultra-luxury sports car will undergo a mid-cycle refresh. While it might not look like it, the front end has been redesigned with new headlights, front bumper and front grille designs. The R8 also comes standard with a new seven-speed S-Tronic transmission and LED headlights. Continue below for more photos.

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What Car Would You Buy if You Won Mega Millions?

The Mega Millions lottery jackpot has hit a record $500 million and it's still growing. With just one more day before Friday's drawing, plenty of people are standing in line to buy a ticket and dream a little about what they'd do if they won all that money.

The odds of winning the lottery are slim — 1 in 176 million, according to lottery officials — but it's fun to think of what you'd buy if money were no object. We asked Cars.com's editorial department what car or cars they'd buy if they won the Mega Millions jackpot.

Patrick Olsen, Editor-in-Chief: Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet

"While I'd have plenty of money left over, I have never found another car that has made me feel giddy when I get behind the wheel, or so awed by the power it produces. But even with that, it's not uncomfortable for someone of my size, and it's feasible as a daily driver, even if it costs around $120,000."

2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder Starts at $210,000

Save your pennies, R8 fans. Audi just announced a base price of $210,000 for the limited-edition GT Spyder version of its R8 supercar. Tack on an extra $1,200 for the destination fee and anywhere from $2,000-$3,000 for the gas-guzzler tax.

Recall Alert: 2011-12 Audi R8 Spyder

Volkswagen is recalling 920 2011-12 Audi R8 Spyders because fuel may leak from the sports cars, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In the affected vehicles, which were built between May 18, 2010, and June 21, 2011, the fuel supply line may rub against the heat shield in the engine compartment. This could lead to a small fuel leak. Leaking fuel could cause a vehicle fire if an ignition source is present. You can find when your car was assembled on a label affixed to the driver's side doorjamb.

The recall is expected to begin on or around Aug. 22. Dealers will inspect the fuel line and replace it for free if necessary. Owners can call Audi at 800-822-2834 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

2011 Audi R8 Spyder Video

The Audi R8 has been out for a couple of years, but still, when it comes into our test garage, it’s a mad dash by all the Cars.com editors for the key fob. Senior editor David Thomas was the lucky victor — sort of. The 2011 Audi R8 Spyder is a convertible that David got to test in subfreezing Chicago weather. Despite that inconvenience, there’s no stopping the R8 from putting a smile on your face. Watch the video to find out how this super sports car is a surprisingly civilized beast for your everyday driver.

2011|Audi|R8