Audi R8 V10 Plus

Lore & Background

In the Forza world the R8 V10 Plus occupies a sweet spot that fans gravitate toward: it is not the outright top-end monster of a Bugatti or a Koenigsegg, but it is fast enough to embarrass them in a drag and nimble enough to dance through a hairpin. Audi's design language—sharp creases, the wide single-frame grille, the carbon-fibre side blades—reads as 'engineering first, styling second,' and the games lean into that by giving the car a balanced, neutral feel rather than a twitchy, oversteery one. In Forza Horizon 4 and 5 it slots into the S3 tier, where it competes with other V10s and twin-turbo V8s, and its Quattro system makes it feel planted even when you are pushing the limits on wet tarmac.

In Their Own Story

The rain had stopped, but the asphalt still shimmered under a low, amber sun. You dropped the S tronic into first, and the V10 caught like a held breath finally released—a bark, a growl, then a sustained scream as the revs climbed past six thousand. The Quattro system bit into the wet tarmac of the coastal road, and the R8 V10 Plus simply *went*, the rear end stepping out just enough to remind you it was alive, then hooking back in with a mechanical certainty that felt almost polite. You upshifted, the gearbox clicking through ratios with the precision of a Swiss watch, and the car flattened into a sweeping bend. For a few seconds the world was nothing but the howl of ten pistons, the smell of hot rubber, and the feeling that you were exactly where you were supposed to be.

Reader's Guide

Full model: 2016 Audi R8 V10 Plus. Class: S3 (Forza Horizon 4 / 5). Stock snapshot: 610 hp from a 5.2 L NA V10, Quattro AWD, 7-speed S tronic, 0–60 in roughly 3.1 seconds. Handling is neutral-to-slightly-rotary; the car is light enough to feel agile but the AWD grip means you rarely fight it. It is a balanced, honest supercar out of the box.

Tuning levers: You can swap the engine for alternative V10s or even a twin-turbo V8 if you want more peak power at the cost of the linear NA feel. Drivetrain can be changed to FWD or RWD, which dramatically alters the character—RWD makes it much more playful and prone to oversteer. Suspension, brakes, and aero are all adjustable; stiffer springs sharpen turn-in but sacrifice comfort on rough roads. Tires range from street to full race slicks, and the transmission can be swapped for a different gear-ratio spread.

Trade-offs: Pushing power without upgrading brakes and suspension creates a dangerous mismatch. Going RWD for fun means losing the AWD traction that makes the stock car so forgiving. Heavy aero helps top speed but adds drag in the low-to-mid range.

Build philosophy: Keep the V10, keep the Quattro, sharpen the chassis, and let the car be exactly what Audi intended—a precise, screaming, all-weather weapon.

Did You Know?

• The R8 V10 Plus's 5.2 L V10 is the last naturally aspirated engine Audi has built for a production car, making it a 'final V10' in real-world enthusiast circles.
• In Forza Horizon 4 the car is available as a reward or purchase in the S3 tier, and its neutral handling model makes it a popular choice for first-time supercar racers.
• The Quattro AWD system in the R8 routes power predominantly to the rear wheels, giving it a rear-drive feel while retaining front-axle traction for acceleration stability.
• The carbon-fibre monocoque and aluminium space-frame construction keep the car under 1,600 kg, which is why it feels so much lighter than its 610 hp figure suggests.