The Audi R8 was initially equipped with a 4.2 litre V8 engine

The Audi R8 was initially equipped with a 4.2 litre V8 engine. Specifically, it is an all-aluminium alloy 32-valve (four valves per cylinder) petrol engine, utilising Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI), and has a displacement of 4,163 cubic centimetres (254.0 cu in). It develops a motive power output of 420 metric horsepower (309 kW; 414 bhp) (Directive 80/1269/EEC),and generates 430 newton metres (317 lbf·ft) of torque,on 98 RON 'Super Unleaded' petrol. It is basically the same engine used in the Audi B7 RS4, but is modified to use dry sump lubrication system. This V8 is a highly reworked, high-revving variant of the existing 4.2 litre V8, but includes cylinder-direct fuel injection (Fuel Stratified Injection), and four valves per cylinder, instead of five (as used on the previous non-FSI variants). It also uses two chain-driven double overhead camshafts (DOHC) per cylinder bank, and utilises variable valve timing for both inlet and exhaust camshafts. The 4 wheel drive system is biased towards the rear; it only sends 30% of its power to the front wheels and the other 70% to the rear. The transmission options are either a Lamborghini sourced six-speed manual gearbox with metal gate for the shift lever, or an Audi-developed R tronic gearbox—which is a semi-automatic, without a traditional clutch pedal with automatic gears shifting mode. These options are the same as those available on the Lamborghini Gallardo. A double clutch direct-shift gearbox (DSG), now badged by Audi as S tronic, is not available (as of April 2010).