Audi R8 V10 – What to do when the performance isn’t enough? | ESS Tuning

A naturally aspirated V10 revving to nearly 8,500 rpm, paired with a timeless and stylish body. While the stock car already has plenty of performance, the temptation to add forced induction became impossible to resist.

More power was the goal, but the character of the engine needed to be preserved as much as possible. A turbocharger was not an option in this case, so attention turned to superchargers. The biggest advantage of a supercharger is that it maintains the naturally aspirated character of the engine. And of course, one shouldn't forget the unique sound of a supercharger.

The chosen setup was the ESS Tuning VT760 kit, featuring a Whipple supercharger.

Since the installation work is demanding and labor-intensive, there are numerous factors that must be taken into account. ESS Tuning carefully screens the companies they allow to purchase their supercharger kits.

Because the installation requires, among other things, removing the engine, the process takes several dozen hours. In the end, however, it's all worth it when the car fires up for the first time. Double-checking the coolant lines, bringing everything up to temperature, and then moving on to the calibration work.

ESS is known for specifying the maximum output of their superchargers very precisely — including the expected horsepower and torque figures. The final result exceeded the target by exactly one horsepower.

A brutal machine with an exceptionally clean dyno sheet. And to top it all off, the stunning sound of the supercharger, which certainly won't leave anyone cold.