![AUDI R8 COUPE 2020  Owners Manual Driving 
  
This message appears when you press the 
START ENGINE STOP] button while driving. 
  
      
Engine start system: malfunction! Please con- 
tact Service 
The engine automatic start system  AUDI R8 COUPE 2020  Owners Manual Driving 
  
This message appears when you press the 
START ENGINE STOP] button while driving. 
  
      
Engine start system: malfunction! Please con- 
tact Service 
The engine automatic start system](/manual-img/6/57639/w960_57639-63.png)
Driving 
  
This message appears when you press the 
START ENGINE STOP] button while driving. 
  
      
Engine start system: malfunction! Please con- 
tact Service 
The engine automatic start system has a mal- 
function. 
Drive immediately to an authorized Au- 
di dealer or authorized Audi Service Facility to 
have the malfunction repaired. To start the en- 
gine, press and hold the [START ENGINE STOP 
button. 
  
       
Remote control key: hold back of key 
against the designated area. See owner's man- 
ual 
This message appears if there is no convenience 
key inside the vehicle or if the system does not 
recognize the key. The convenience key may not 
be recognized, for example, if it is covered by an 
object that disrupts the signal (such as a brief- 
case), or if the key battery is weak. Electronic de- 
vices such as cell phones can also interfere with 
the signal. 
To still be able to start or stop the engine, see 
=> page 62, Starting the engine when there is a 
malfunction. 
B Remote control key: key  not detected. Is the 
key 
still in the vehicle? 
The B indicator light turns on and this message 
appears if the convenience key was removed from 
the vehicle when the engine was running. If the 
convenience key is no longer in the vehicle, you 
cannot switch the ignition on or start the engine 
once you stop it. You also cannot lock the vehicle 
from the outside. 
Please press the brake  pedal 
This message appears if you do not press the 
brake  pedal when starting the engine. 
Please select N or P 
This message appears when starting or stopping 
the engine if the selector lever is not in the "N" or 
"P" position. The engine will not start/stop. 
62 
  
Starting the engine when there is  a 
area d ea) 
It may not be possible to start the engine under 
certain circumstances, for example, if the bat- 
tery in the vehicle key is drained, if interference is 
affecting the key or if there is a system malfunc- 
tion. 
2  3 
9 
db + a 
Fig. 70 Steering column/remote control key: starting the 
engine if there is a malfunction 
As long as the message ?) Remote control key: 
hold back of key against the designated area. 
See owner's manual is displayed, you can emer- 
gency start your vehicle. 
> Press the brake pedal. 
> Press the [START ENGINE STOP] button. 
  
       
> Hold the master key in the location indicated in 
the illustration ?) © fig. 70. The engine will 
start. 
> If the engine does not automatically start, 
press the [START ENGINE STOP] button again. 
(i) Tips 
You can view the message again by pressing 
the [START ENGINE STOP] button. 
  
      
  
      
Start/Stop system 
Applies to: vehicles with Start/Stop system 
The Start/Stop system can help increase fuel 
economy and reduce CO2 emissions. 
In Start/Stop mode, the engine shuts off auto- 
matically when the vehicle is stopped, such as at 
a traffic light. The ignition remains switched on 
during this stop phase. The engine will restart 
automatically when needed.  

4S1012721BA 
Driving 
  
  
— Hill hold assist cannot hold the vehicle in 
place on all hills (for example, if the ground 
is slippery or icy). 
—To reduce the risk of an accident, always 
make sure the vehicle is situated safely 
while  stationary. 
      
Sporty driving 
When driving in a sporty style, for example ona 
driving track, the wear on all vehicle components 
is greatly increased, especially on the engine, 
transmission, tires, brakes, and suspension. This 
can result in increased wear. Also  note the fol- 
lowing points: 
— Make sure the vehicle is in good condition. 
Make sure to check the brake pads, tire tread, 
and tire pressure (when tires are warm). 
— Beforehand, warm up the engine by driving no 
higher than two-thirds of the maximum permit- 
ted engine RPM. The engine oil temperature 
must be brought to a minimum of 140 °F 
(60 °C). 
— Before stopping the vehicle, allow the engine 
and brakes to cool back down to a regular oper- 
ating temperature by driving normally. 
If necessary, use  the following functions: 
— Audi drive select* Dynamic mode > page 78 
— Launch Control > page 70 
— Limit ESC > page 87 
@) Tips 
Wear caused by load does not constitute a ve- 
hicle fault as defined by the terms of the war- 
ranty. 
Automatic transmission 
Introduction 
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronically- 
controlled DSG transmission called S tronic. Two 
independent clutches transfer the power be- 
tween the engine and transmission. It allows the 
vehicle to accelerate without a noticeable inter- 
ruption in traction. 
The transmission shifts up or down automatically 
depending on which drive program is selected. 
When a moderate driving style is used, the 
transmission selects the most economical driving 
mode. The transmission upshifts at a lower RPM 
and downshifts at a higher RPM to improve fuel 
efficiency. 
If desired, the driver can also select the gears 
manually (tiptronic mode) > page 71. 
  Selecting a selector lever position 
  
Fig. 73 Selector lever 
The current selector lever position is shown next 
to the selector lever > fig. 73. The current selec- 
tor lever position is also shown in the instrument 
cluster display. 
> You may need to release the selector lever lock 
depending on which selector lever position is 
selected and which one you would like to select. 
> To do this, press the release button @ on the 
selector lever > fig. 73. 
> To engage the nearest selector lever position, 
move the selector lever forward or back until 
you feel the first pressure point. The selector 
lever will return to its original position. 
> To shift beyond the nearest selector lever posi- 
tion, move the selector lever past the pressure 
point into the desired position. The selector lev- 
er will return to its original position. 
For example, you can skip over the "N" position if 
you would like to go directly from "D" into "R". 
Selector lever lock 
The selector lever lock reduces the risk of select- 
ing a position unintentionally, which can cause 
the vehicle to roll. When engaging some selector > 
67  

Driving 
  
lever positions, you must press the release but- 
ton @ on the selector lever and/or press the 
brake pedal > fig. 73. 
You must press the brake pedal to engage a se- 
lector lever position when the engine is running 
and the vehicle is stationary. 
You do not have to press the brake pedal if you 
shift from "D" to "R" within one second. This al- 
lows you to “rock” the vehicle to free it when it is 
stuck. 
P - Park 
The wheels are locked in this position. Only shift 
into park when the vehicle is stationary > A\. To 
select the "P" selector lever position, press the 
"P" button 2) on the selector lever > fig. 73. P 
appears next to the selector lever. 
You can only shift out of park when the engine is 
running and you are pressing the brake pedal. To 
release the parking lock, press the brake pedal, 
press the locking button @ on the selector lever 
and select the desired selector lever position 
> fig. 73. 
P engages automatically when you switch the en- 
gine off while D, S or R is engaged or in manual 
mode. 
If you switch the engine off when the N position 
is selected, the transmission remains in N for ap- 
proximately 20 minutes and then P is engaged. 
You must use  the parking lock emergency release 
before towing the vehicle > page 73. 
R - Reverse 
The  reverse gear is engaged in this position. Only 
select reverse gear when the vehicle is stationary 
and the engine is running at idle speed > A. To 
engage the "R" selector lever position, press the 
brake pedal, press the release button (@) on the 
selector lever, and select the "R" position 
> fig. 73. 
A tone will sound when the reverse gear is engag- 
ed. 
68 
N - Neutral (idle) 
The transmission is in idle in this position. To en- 
gage the N selector lever position, press the lock- 
ing button @ on the selector lever and select the 
N position > fig. 73 or pull both shift paddles at 
the same time > page 71, fig. 75. 
If you switch the engine off when the N position 
is selected, the transmission remains in N for ap- 
proximately 20 minutes and then P is engaged. 
You cannot select the "N" position when the igni- 
tion is switched off. When driving through an au- 
tomatic car wash, first select the "N" position and 
then turn the engine off. 
For safety reasons, the vehicle cannot be locked 
when the transmission is in the "N" position. 
D/S - Driving forward 
When the transmission is in the "D/S" position, it 
can be operated either in the normal "D" mode or 
in the "S" sport mode.  Move the selector lever 
back to engage the "S" sport mode. You can only 
select the S selector lever position when "D" is 
engaged. To select the "D" selector lever position 
again when "S" is engaged, move the selector lev- 
er back > A\. To shift from "N" to "D" when travel- 
ing at speeds below 1 mph (2 km/h), press the 
brake pedal and shift into the "D" position > A. 
In the normal mode "D", the transmission auto- 
matically selects the correct gear. It depends on 
engine load, vehicle speed and driving style. 
Select the sport mode "S" for sporty driving. The 
vehicle makes full use of the engine's power. 
Shifting may become noticeable when accelerat- 
ing. 
The "S" selector lever position engages automati- 
cally when you  select the dynamic mode in drive 
select. 
Additional driving programs are available when 
you select the performance mode* > page 79. 
  
Z\ WARNING 
— Before starting to drive, check if the desired 
selector lever position is displayed next to 
the selector lever. 
       

Assist systems 
  
Audi drive select (drive 
settings) 
Drive select makes it possible to experience dif- 
ferent types of vehicle characteristics in one vehi- 
cle. The driver can select from four modes: Com- 
fort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual using the 
ssa button on the steering wheel or through the 
Infotainment system to switch between a sporty 
and a comfortable driving mode, for example. In 
the Individual mode, the settings can be adjust- 
ed to your personal preferences. This makes it 
possible to combine settings such as a sporty en- 
gine setting with light steering. 
  
Z\ WARNING 
Using Audi drive select incorrectly can lead to 
collisions, other accidents and  serious inju- 
ries. 
The vehicle setup in each mode depends on the 
vehicle's features. 
      
Engine and automatic transmission 
Depending on the mode, the engine and auto- 
matic transmission respond more quickly or in  a 
more balanced manner to accelerator pedal 
movements. 
Suspension control (Audi magnetic ride)* 
The suspension control uses sensors to record in- 
formation regarding steering movements, brak- 
ing and acceleration operations by the driver, as 
well as information about the road surface, driv- 
ing speed, and load. With drive  select, you can 
adjust the suspension control to sporty (dynam- 
ic), comfortable (comfort) or balanced (auto). 
Steering 
The power steering adapts. Indirect steering that 
moves easily as in comfort mode is especially 
suited to long drives on a highway. The dynamic 
mode provides sporty, direct steering. 
78 
  
Torque distribution* 
The all wheel drive distributes the  drive power to 
the rear  axle based on the situation. The distribu- 
tion of power varies depending on the selected 
mode from moderate (Comfort) to sporty (Dy- 
namic). The goal is a high level of agility and abil- 
ity to accelerate on curves. The vehicle is very re- 
sponsive to steering. 
Engine sound 
The engine sound adapts to the current mode 
and can be subtle to sporty. 
@ Tips 
In some models, the maximum vehicle speed 
can only be reached in the auto and dynamic 
modes. 
  Selecting the driving mode 
You  can choose between comfort, auto, dynamic 
and individual. 
io 
): 
Fig. 82 Steering wheel: drive select button and perform- 
ance mode* 
> Press the button > fig. 82 @ or 
> Select in the Infotainment system: [MENU] but- 
ton > Vehicle > left control button > Audi drive 
select. 
> Select and confirm the desired setting. 
  
      
You can change the driving mode when the  vehi- 
cle is stationary or while driving. If traffic per- 
mits, after changing  modes, briefly remove your 
foot from the accelerator pedal so that the re- 
cently selected mode is also activated for the en- 
gine. 
Comfort - Results in a comfort-oriented vehicle 
calibration  

Intelligent Technology 
  
  
— There is no vehicle stabilization when 
ESC/ASR are switched off. 
      
@) Tips 
— When the cruise control system* is switched 
on, ESC/ASR cannot be switched off or sport 
mode cannot be switched on. 
— Malfunctions in the rear spoiler, in the Audi 
magnetic ride or in the all wheel drive sys- 
tem* may make it impossible to switch the 
ESC/ASR off or  to switch sport mode on. 
— Some driving tracks (such as ones with 
steep curves) can influence the ESC per- 
formance. 
Brakes 
You can apply the vehicle's brakes using the brake 
pedal. 
Operating noise 
Noises may occur when braking depending on the 
speed, braking force, and outside conditions such 
as temperature and humidity. 
Braking effect 
The response time from the brakes depends on 
the weather and environmental conditions. To 
ensure the optimal braking effect, the brake sys- 
tem is cleaned at regular intervals. This is done 
by applying the brake pads to the brake rotors for 
a short period of time when driving at high 
speeds when the windshield wipers are switched 
on. 
If the brake system becomes damp, for example 
after driving in heavy rain, the braking effect may 
be delayed. Other factors that could temporarily 
increase the response time of the brakes include: 
— Wet conditions 
— Low temperatures, ice, and snow 
— Roads covered in salt 
— Dirty brake pads 
Corrosion 
Corrosion may form on the brake rotors if there is 
no heavy braking, if the vehicle is not driven for 
long periods of time, or if the vehicle is not driv- 
838 
en frequently or for long distances. In this case, 
braking heavily several times while driving at 
high speeds can clean the brake rotors > A\. 
Brake pads 
New brake pads do not achieve their full braking 
effect during the first 250 miles (400 km). They 
must be “broken in” first. However, you can com- 
pensate for the slightly reduced braking force by 
pressing firmly on the brake pedal. Avoid heavy 
braking during the break-in period. 
Brake pad wear depends largely on the way the 
vehicle is driven and on operating conditions. 
Brake pad wear increases when driving frequently 
in the city or short distances or when using a very 
sporty driving style. 
Ceramic brakes 
Applies to: vehicles with ceramic brakes 
Ceramic brakes provide excellent deceleration 
rates. 
The break-in period for new ceramic brakes may 
be significantly longer than for standard brake 
rotors. Due to the properties of the material, 
they may cause noises at lower speeds. Ceramic 
brakes also absorb more moisture in wet condi- 
tions. Therefore, there will temporarily be less 
braking force than when the brakes are dry. You 
can compensate for this by pressing the brake 
pedal harder. 
  
ZA WARNING 
— Only apply the brakes for the purpose of 
cleaning the brake system when road and 
traffic conditions permit. You must not en- 
danger other road users and increase the 
risk  of an accident. 
— Due to the risk  of injury, only have an au- 
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi 
Service Facility work on the brake system. 
Incorrect repairs could impair the function. 
— Never let the vehicle roll while the engine is 
stopped because this increases the risk of an 
accident. 
— Depending on vehicle equipment, the brake 
pedal 
may move downward automatically 
  
during autonomous braking maneuvers. To 
     

Intelligent Technology 
  
snow and ice. Always read and follow safety pre- 
cautions > A\. 
Winter tires 
By using all wheel drive, your vehicle has good 
forward motion with standard tires in winter con- 
ditions. However, in winter we recommend using 
winter or all season tires on all four wheels, be- 
cause this will improve the braking effect. 
Snow chains 
If there are snow chain laws, snow chains must 
also be used on vehicles with all wheel drive 
= page 259, Snow chains. 
  
ZA WARNING 
— Also, in vehicles with all wheel drive, adapt 
your driving style to the current road and 
traffic conditions. Do not let the increased 
safety provided tempt you into taking risks, 
because this increases the risk of an acci- 
dent. 
— The braking ability of your vehicle is limited 
to the traction of the wheels. In this way, it 
is not different from a two wheel drive  vehi- 
cle. Do not be tempted to accelerate  toa 
high speed when the road is slippery, be- 
cause this increases the risk of an accident. 
— Note that on wet streets, the front wheels 
can “hydroplane” if driving at speeds that 
are too high. Unlike front wheel drive vehi- 
cles, the engine RPM does not increase sud- 
denly when the vehicle begins hydroplaning. 
For this reason, adapt your speed to the 
road conditions to reduce the risk of an acci- 
dent. 
      
90 
Rear spoiler 
Applies to: vehicles with retractable rear spoiler 
The extendable rear spoiler increases driving sta- 
bility. 
5  = 
S $ 
db + a 
  
Fig. 92 Center console: button for the rear spoiler 
The rear spoiler retracts and extends. It can be 
activated in various operating modes (manual 
mode or automatic mode). 
Automatic mode (normal operation) 
— Automatic extension: this occurs when driving 
faster than approximately 75 mph (120 km/h) 
or at a certain engine compartment tempera- 
ture. 
— Automatic retraction: this occurs when driving 
slower than approximately 22 mph (35 km/h) 
or at a certain engine compartment tempera- 
ture. 
Manual mode 
— Extending manually: briefly tap  the > fig. 92 
button to fully extend the rear spoiler. 
— Retracting manually: when driving at speeds 
below approximately 10 mph (20 km/h), press 
and hold the button to retract the rear spoiler. 
At speeds between 10 mph (20 km/h) and 62 
mph (100 km/h), the rear spoiler will com- 
pletely retract when you tap the button. You 
cannot retract the rear spoiler if it extended 
due to the engine compartment temperature. 
Indicator lights 
|  / S Rear spoiler: malfunction! Please con- 
tact Service 
The rear spoiler may not have extended due toa 
malfunction. This could change the vehicle's driv- 
ing characteristics at high speeds. Do not drive >  

Telephone 
  
The following options may be possible during a 
call depending on the mobile device being used 
and the type of connection: 
— Making an additional call: select: Find contact 
> Call list/Directory/Favorites > an entry from 
the list. 
— Accepting an incoming call when there is an 
active call and a call on hold:  select Replace. 
The active call is replaced with the incoming 
call. 
— Answering another call: if there is an incoming 
call while another call is active, you can select 
Answer to put  the existing call on hold and an- 
swer the incoming call. If you select Decline, 
the incoming call will be declined. 
Additional functions include: 
Mute: if you select and confirm this function, the 
other person on the phone cannot hear you. You 
will still be able to hear the other person. 
Hold call/Resume: you can place the existing call 
on hold and resume it again. To resume the call, 
select and confirm the call you would like to re- 
sume. 
Transfer call to mobile device*: select and con- 
firm 
Transfer call to mobile device to transfer 
the existing call from the MMI to your cell phone. 
Switch to hands-free mode*: Requirement: you 
must have a phone call in progress on your cell 
phone. Select and confirm Switch to hands-free 
mode to transfer the call from your cell phone to 
the MMI. 
Swap call: alternate between two phone calls 
while  one of the calls is on hold. Selecting End 
call  will end the active phone call. A phone call 
on hold can be resumed using the right control 
button > Resume. 
Add to conference: a party on hold and up to five 
active parties (depending on the network) can be 
added to a conference call. To make an additional 
call, put all participants in the current conference 
call on hold using the  right control button > Hold 
conference. Press the left control button. Select 
and confirm Call list/Directory/Favorites > an 
entry from the list. You can add called contacts 
to the conference using the  right control button 
116 
> Add to conference. Resume takes all parties off 
hold. 
Multi-party calling: select the  right control but- 
ton > Tel. settings > Call options. When the func- 
tion is switched on [M, you can accept an addi- 
tional call using Answer or decline a call using 
Decline. When the function is switched off, you 
can Replace or Decline a call. 
Connection manager: see > page 168. 
Telephone settings: see  > page 122. 
(i) Tips 
—To be notified of an incoming call during a 
phone call, the call waiting function in your 
cell phone  must be switched on when using 
the hands-free profile (Handsfree). 
— You can obtain more information from your 
mobile device service provider or from your 
mobile device user guide. 
— When leaving the vehicle, the Bluetooth 
connection to the mobile device will auto- 
matically disconnect. Depending on your 
mobile device, phone calls in progress may 
be automatically redirected from the MMI 
to your mobile device so that you can con- 
tinue the call on your phone. 
— The display of an incoming  phone callin the 
Infotainment system display may still be 
visible for a few seconds depending on the 
cell phone in use. Using the Replace or De- 
cline functions may then end the active 
phone call. 
Favorites 
Up to 50 contacts, in addition to the voicemail 
number, can be stored in any order in the favor- 
ites list: 
  
     > Select: [MENU] button > Telephone > left con- 
trol button. 
  
Storing an existing phone number as a 
favorite: 
— Select and confirm Call list/Directory. 
— Select and confirm a contact or phone number 
from the list.  

Audi connect 
  
Audi connect 
General information 
Applies to: vehicles with Audi connect 
Depending on the country and the vehicle equip- 
ment, the following  functions may be available: 
— Audi connect Infotainment 
You can also find more information on Audi con- 
nect online at www.audiusa.com. 
  
ZA WARNING 
—To reduce the risk of an accident, only use 
Audi connect services when road and traffic 
conditions permit. Always read and follow 
the notes in > page 93, Traffic safety infor- 
mation. 
— It is only safe to use tablets, laptops, mobile 
devices and other similar devices when the 
vehicle is stationary because, like all loose 
objects, they could be thrown around the in- 
side of the vehicle in a crash and cause seri- 
ous injuries. Store these types of devices se- 
curely while driving. 
— As the driver, do not allow usage of the Wi- 
Fi hotspot to distract you from driving, as 
this could increase the risk of an accident. 
— Do not use any Wi-Fi devices within range of 
the airbags while driving. Also read the 
warnings in the chapter > page 187. 
—To reduce the risk of an accident, only use 
Audi connect Infotainment services  using a 
Wi-Fi hotspot when the vehicle is stationary. 
      
@) Note 
— Applies to: usage of personal SIM card in 
the SIM card reader or SIM card in the Wi-Fi 
device through a personal hotspot: If you 
use your personal SIM card, all data connec- 
tions for all Audi connect Infotainment 
services will run through your SIM card. This 
could result in additional costs, depending 
on your cell phone service provider and es- 
pecially when using in other countries. A flat 
rate data plan is strongly recommended. 
You can obtain more information from your 
cell phone service provider. 
124 
—Incertain situations, the Wi-Fi hotspot data 
connection may be established as a replace- 
ment for the SIM card on your Wi-Fi device. 
This feature depends on the configuration 
of your Wi-Fi device and operating system. 
This could result in fees depending on your 
cell phone service provider, especially if you 
are using this feature while abroad. A flat 
rate data plan is strongly recommended. For 
more information, contact your cell phone 
service provider or refer to the owner's man- 
ual for your Wi-Fi device. 
— You are responsible for all precautions taken 
for data protection, anti-virus protection, 
and protection against loss of data on mo- 
bile devices that are used, for example, to 
access the Internet through the Wi-Fi hot- 
spot. 
G@) Tips 
— The availability of services depends on the 
subscription. 
— AUDI AG  provides access to services from 
third party providers. Permanent availability 
cannot be guaranteed, because that de- 
pends on the third party provider. 
— Use of the most up-to-date mobile network 
standard is not available in every country. 
Contact an authorized Audi dealer or au- 
thorized Audi Service Facility or your cell 
phone service provider for additional infor- 
mation. 
— Audi connect Infotainment services are only 
available within the cell phone network cov- 
erage from your cell phone service provider. 
— Availability, scope, providers, screen display, 
and costs of services may vary depending on 
the country, model, model year, end device 
and rates. 
Audi connect 
Infotainment 
Applies to: vehicles with Audi connect Infotainment 
With Audi connect Infotainment services, online 
information is transmitted directly to the vehicle. >