The Lemon Index
Audi's 4.2 L naturally aspirated 90° V8 in the R8 / R8 Spyder, model years 2010–2015. YouTube likes the 2011 best.
A safer bet: YouTube owner tone 54/100, #35 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the top third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below.
Reliability by year
Not enough complaints to chart. We found no government complaints we can tie to this engine's cars. Supercars sell in small numbers, so we show YouTube, recalls and the automaker's repair notes instead.
Why the car page shows more: the RS 5 page counts 14 complaints and 0 recall campaigns for 2013–2015, everything NHTSA files as "Rs5", other engines included. This page counts only the 0 complaints and 0 recalls we can tie to the Audi 4.2 FSI V8 by model name or the owner's own words.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2011 (55) and least about the 2014 (52); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | R8 / R8 Spyder | 0 | 54 (50 videos) | 0 |
| 2011 | R8 / R8 Spyder | 0 | 55 (52 videos) | 0 |
| 2012 | R8 / R8 Spyder | 0 | 55 (53 videos) | 0 |
| 2014 | R8 / R8 Spyder | 0 | 52 (56 videos) | 0 |
| 2015 | R8 / R8 Spyder | 0 | 55 (51 videos) | 0 |
Recalls on cars with this engine
No NHTSA recalls we can tie to this engine's cars.
Known issues on record
- Carbon buildup on intake valves (Parts seller). Direct injection means fuel never washes the intake valves, so carbon builds up. Signs are weak acceleration, misfires and higher fuel use. Fix: Pull the intake manifold and clean the valves; one shop lists $1,295 and up for an RS 5.
- Injector failure (Owner-reported). An owner FAQ reports injectors that fail suddenly and can flood a cylinder; one car threw a cylinder 3 misfire at about 62,000 miles. Fix: Replace the injectors; that owner replaced all eight.
- PCV valve diaphragms (Owner-reported). The two PCV valves use rubber diaphragms that can tear, per an owner FAQ.
Sources: 034Motorsport: carbon cleaning for direct-injected Audi/VW engines, Audi Revolution forum: RS5 maintenance and reliability FAQ (B8, 2019–2020). The same list as on the RS 5 page.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Audi R8 R8, R8 Spyder | 2010–15 |
Engine code: code not confirmed. Power: 414 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Audi R8 (Type 42).
Quick answers
What cars have the Audi 4.2 FSI V8 engine?
In the US: the Audi R8 / R8 Spyder, model years 2010–2015. See the version table for each one.
Is the Audi 4.2 FSI V8 reliable?
Mostly yes. YouTube owner tone 54/100, #35 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the top third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below. Not enough owner complaints to judge it per car: supercars sell in small numbers. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Audi 4.2 FSI V8 make?
414 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.