Audi R8 42 V10: enhancing the naturally aspirated V10, the complete exhaust system guide
The first-generation V10 R8 has gone down in history: the 5.2 derived from the Gallardo, the body that redefined Audi, and values that are already climbing. Its factory exhaust dates from a less restrictive era, but it is still far from what the V10 can deliver. You can hear the difference from the very first start-up. Here you will find everything that matters before configuring the exhaust for your Audi R8 42 V10: catalytic converter, material, valves, tips and the French MOT.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the Audi R8 42 V10
From €3,990 in stainless steel, €4,990 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- Audi R8 42 5.2 V10 (2010-2013)
- Engine
- 525 hp · 530 Nm
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Front section
- Optional: catted manifolds with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
- Valves
- ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
- Lead time
- 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship
Closely related versions have their own guide: Audi R8 42 4.2 V8, Audi R8 4S 5.2 V10.
The naturally aspirated V10: one of the last great engines in history
The 5.2 FSI V10 in your R8 42 V10 is already a legend: derived from the one in the Lamborghini Gallardo and later the Huracán, naturally aspirated, screaming beyond 8,000 rpm. It is one of the very last engines of its kind ever built, and its value will only keep rising. The factory exhaust does a decent job, but it is still designed around type approval: part of the V10's character remains locked away.
On a car like this, the exhaust is not an accessory, it is the instrument. The ROG exhaust reduces back pressure and frees the V10's high-frequency harmonics, with valves to keep it civilised when needed. The transformation is exactly what you would expect from a supercar.
How the exhaust on your Audi R8 42 V10 is put together
An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.
The cat-back is the complete exhaust system
It is everything you can see under your Audi R8 42 V10, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencer, valves. This is the part where most of our research and development goes: it is what shapes the sound, and it is enough on its own to transform the car.
The front section, where the catalytic converter sits
On your Audi R8 42 V10, these are the manifolds, which collect the gases as they leave the cylinders. The factory catalytic converter is built into it: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Replacing it is optional: it frees up the flow, and it is the ECU remap that turns that into horsepower.
Your Audi R8 42 V10 in figures
An exhaust system is judged first by ear and on the scales. The extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap.
Power
Torque
Published factory and Stage 2 figures.
The ROG exhaust works with or without an ECU remap. To get the full potential out of your Audi R8 42 V10, we recommend taking it to an approved tuning centre afterwards.
Let's be honest: on a naturally aspirated V10, the measurable gains from an exhaust remain modest, and anyone who promises you otherwise is lying. What changes is the breathing, the response and, above all, an entirely new dimension of sound. An ECU remap then fine-tunes the engine management to make the most of the exhaust. The driving experience, however, moves up a class.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
3 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
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Step 1 of 3: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your Audi R8 42 V10, the exhaust costs €3,990 in stainless steel and €4,990 in titanium.
304 stainless steel
3 990 €
- Weight
- Baseline
- Sound
- Full and rounded
The safe bet: strong, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The best value for money.
Titanium
4 990 €
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
It makes the exhaust around 40% lighter for the same design. Its note is more metallic and clearer higher up the rev range, and its finish ranges from brushed to blued.
No worries on durability: 304 stainless steel shrugs off winter road salt and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
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Step 2 of 3: Front section: manifolds and catalytic converter
Optional: the manifolds on your Audi R8 42 V10, with their catalytic converter. Each option is placed on our sound scale of 0 to 10, valves open, with the factory exhaust at 3.
Cat-back only
Included
7/10Factory emissions control
The factory front section stays in place. It is already a complete transformation, and the choice of many of our customers.
200-cell sports catalytic converter
+2 280 €
8/10Road use and French MOT
More flow, emissions control retained: the right option for road use.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+2 280 €
9/10French MOT pass not guaranteed
More open than the 200-cell: the sound hardens at high revs and emissions control is reduced.
Decat
+1 640 €
10/10Track use only
Flow with no filter at all: the rawest sound and the sharpest response.
Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10
- 10/10Decat manifolds + ROG cat-back
- 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
- 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison
Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.
What about the engine warning light? With a sports catalytic converter it can come on, because the rear oxygen sensor reads less cleaning. Nothing mechanical is wrong: an ECU remap or a session with a diagnostic tool sorts it out. Without a catalytic converter, you will need an ECU remap. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing the French MOT with a sports exhaust.
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Step 3 of 3: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your Audi R8 42 V10.
ROG remote
A discreet control unit in the boot and a two-button remote: you open and close whenever you like, independently of the drive modes. For fitting, we support you by phone or by email.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
For vehicles fitted with factory valves: the exhaust connects to their control and the drive modes stay in charge, with no extra control unit.
At 130 km/h, many sports exhausts drone. Here, with the valves closed, the exhaust flows through the silencer and stays composed when cruising; open, it makes itself heard when you choose. More about exhaust drone.
The ROG sound signature on the V10
The V10 revs with a unique sound progression: deep and menacing below 4,000 rpm, then rising higher and higher to a scream at the redline. Our exhaust frees the high-frequency harmonics the factory system holds back, and the valves let you choose between an unapologetic supercar and a discreet GT. On a naturally aspirated V10, it is the most transformative modification there is.
From order to fitting
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Configuration
You configure the exhaust and enter the VIN from box E of your registration certificate.
-
Check
Your VIN is checked before any manufacturing begins.
-
Manufacturing
The exhaust is produced to order, for your vehicle.
-
Delivery
Free in Europe, insured parcel, tracking number from dispatch.
-
Fitting
Around two hours in the workshop, with no welding or cutting.
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
- Payment
- In instalments with Klarna
- Installation
- At the garage of your choice
Is your Audi R8 42 V10 still under the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, the manufacturer cannot refuse it simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it is up to them to prove the fault comes from it. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your Audi R8 42 V10
-
Daily driving
3 990 €
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your Audi R8 42 V10 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves when you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
7 270 €
- Titanium
- 200-cell manifolds
- ECU remap
The best of both worlds: character and breathing, with emissions control retained.
View this configuration -
Track
6 630 €
- Titanium
- Decat manifolds
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
Every Audi R8 42 V10 has its own history and use: if none of these profiles fits you, let's talk.
Audi R8 42 V10: your questions
How much power does an exhaust add on the Audi R8 42 V10?
As standard, the Audi R8 42 V10 produces 525 hp and 530 Nm. The exhaust alone acts first on sound, breathing and weight; the extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures reach 604 hp and 588 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Audi R8 42 V10?
For the Audi R8 42 V10, the ROG exhaust costs €3,990 in stainless steel and €4,990 in titanium. Stainless steel is the safe bet, with a full sound; titanium makes the exhaust around 40% lighter and gives a more metallic note higher up the rev range.
Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the Audi R8 42 V10?
It is not compulsory. The cat-back alone is enough to change the character of the Audi R8 42 V10. Replacing the manifolds is how you go further, together with an ECU remap: 200 cells for the road, 100 cells or decat for more radical use.
Does the Audi R8 42 V10 pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?
The cat-back only and the 200-cell converter keep emissions control: present the Audi R8 42 V10 with the valves closed. With the 100-cell converter, a pass is no longer guaranteed; the decat fails the emissions test.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted on the Audi R8 42 V10?
With clamps and gaskets, no welding or cutting: around two hours in the workshop for a well-equipped mechanic. The exhaust is built to the VIN of your Audi R8 42 V10.
What price and lead time for a ROG exhaust on the Audi R8 42 V10?
From €3,990 to €7,270 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Delivery is free and the exhaust comes with a 3-year warranty.
Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.
Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you use your Audi R8 42 V10. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.
ROG is a French brand, and the way we work comes down to one idea: an exhaust system should be sold with advice, not just a product page. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
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