Audi has finally pulled the wraps of its more muscular R8, the petrol-powered V10. It's part two of the four-pronged R8 family which is set to include an R8 Spider and a V12 R8 diesel.

It uses a direct-injection 5.2-litre engine, which screams all the way to 8700rpm and boasts 518bhp at 8000rpm and 391lb ft at 6500rpm. That's a rise of 104bhp and 74lb ft over the R8 4.2 V8, enough to cut the 0-62mph dash to 3.9sec and boost the top speed to just shy of the big two zero zero at 196mph. 0-124 takes just 8.1sec.

It also means the car reaches the elusive 100bhp per litre figure, while power to weight ranks at an impressive 320bhp per ton, despite the car's mass rising 60kg over the 1560kg V8. The mid-mounted engine allows a 44:56 front/rear weight distribution, and it gains a wide 90-degree cylinder angle allowing a lower centre of gravity.

Cooling to the bigger naturally aspirated engine is increased via new air intakes, neatly disguised by the gloss-black rear styling. It follows reports of several problems during development when V10 R8s suffered overheating problems. The engine is barely changed from the one used in the race-ready R8 LMS.

Standard equipment on the road car includes Audi's trademark quattro all-wheel-drive system and its magnetic ride and suspension kit, while ceramic disc brakes are among the options, where you'll also find the brand's R Tronic sequential gearbox. A six-speed manual comes as standard kit.

The styling evolves quite subtly over the V8 coupe, with all-LED front lights, carbon mirrors (and bigger carbon side blades), new 19in 10-spoke wheels (exclusive to the V10) and additional black detailing the big tell-tales. The car's underbody is fully enclosed while there's an aerodynamics-boosting rear diffuser, as well as a spoiler which rises above 62mph.

The car is set to perk up the Detroit show, taking its world unveil to the motor show that has been losing high-profile support of late with the likes of Ferrari, Mitsubishi and Nissan all dropping out of the North American shindig.

Despite having exactly the same displacement as the V10 in the Audi S6, S8, and Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, the engine in this car is based on the R8 and RS4's V8. The R8 5.2 FSI’s price in Germany is set at 142,400 euros with deliveries starting in the second quarter of 2009. That converts to around £123k at current exchange rates, but Audi has set the UK price at £99,575 for the manual and £104,665 for the R Tronic - putting it at two-thirds of the price of its Lamborghini LP560-4 cousin.

It also helps it combat the crisis, with the £120k price point one that has suffered more than others of late, the Bentley GT and Aston DB9 two cars facing big sales drops. Conversely, however, Audi has just announced a 0.4 per cent sales rise for November compared to the same month in 2007.