When Audi dropped the otherworldly looking e-tron concept car on the public at the Frankfurt Auto Show back in the fall of 2009, illustrious board member and development boss Michael Dick promised that journalists would be behind the wheel of a running example in about a year. He went on to say that series production would follow by 2011. And though Audi has shown itself as credible when it comes to transforming cars from concept to reality, the claim still seemed a bit far-fetched.
Now, here we are, 14 months after the e-tron concept’s launch and an Audi engineer ushers this journalist through an entranceway to an awaiting matte grey R8. The driver’s door is ajar and I can see the familiar R8 cabin inside, albeit slightly modified with a Recaro racing seat. The gearshift lever has been swapped for one of the shift-by-wire leather grab handles from the latest A8 and it’s been paired with an alloy base that fits the R8’s center console.
2010 LA Auto Show Photo Gallery
2011 Chrysler Group Photo Gallery
2010 LA Auto Show Preview Photo Gallery
2010 SEMA Auto Show Photo Gallery
SEMA Auto Show Preview Photo Gallery
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