The Audi R8 isn’t the first car that comes to mind when considering a winter vehicle. It has a lot of power and a low ride height, which are not great attributes for navigating snow-covered roads, especially with summer tires. That calculus changes with winter tires, and a new video from Carwow shows the difference the right tires can make.
The channel pits the Audi R8 V10 RWD against the Audi R8 V10 Spyder with Quattro all-wheel drive. The Spyder has the big advantage of moving all four wheels, which can help push and pull the car on slippery snow.
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Both Audis pack a naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 engine. However, they have different outputs. On the heavier Spyder with Quattro all-wheel drive, the engine produces 620 horsepower (462 kilowatts) and 427 pound-feet (580 Newton-meters) of torque. It weighs 3,736 pounds (1,695 kilograms).
The V10 RWD Coupe has an engine that produces 570 hp (425 kW) and 405 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque. It’s lighter at 3,505 lb (1,590 kg), but that won’t be much of a problem in this race.
The first few races went as expected. No R8 can hit the slopes that far, wearing summer tires in situations that cost the best winter money can buy. Turning off the stability control didn’t help much, with the two-door Audi not going any further than before, with summer tires unable to find traction in the snow.
Things changed when the car switched to winter tires. The two of them were much more capable than before, easily reaching the peak of the first peak. The all-wheel-drive Spyder is uphill faster, but the coupe doesn’t lag behind. The first race between the two with winter installed saw the RWD Audi get a better start than the AWD Spyder, but the Quattro system was dug in, allowing the Audi AWD to go ahead and win.
The video shows once again that winter tires do make a difference in the real world. They are designed for gripping in cold weather, and the results compared to summer tires are striking.
