A RUMOURED rear-drive Audi R8 is now a reality, with the German manufacturer revealing the RWS-badged supercar.

The Audi R8 RWS has the same 397kW/540Nm mid-mounted 5.2-litre V10, but ditches the front wheel driveshafts to send all its power exclusively to the rear.

Audi is hoping to emulate the driving style of its rear-drive R8 GT3 racecar with the limited-edition RWS.

“A limited-edition special model for customers with an appreciation for essential driving enjoyment, the R8 V10 RWS is an absolutely exclusive offer.

Audi is touting the RWS as a “purist” driving vehicle compared with its all-paw siblings, where the “chassis and handling tuning specially adapted for rear-wheel drive provide for incredibly fun driving”.

It does ditch some weight though, tipping the scales at 1509 kilograms, 50kg less than the standard R8. The rear-drive spyder weighs 1680kg, 40kg down on its equivalent.

Audi says the RWS will come to Australia in “very limited numbers” with the first examples arriving on our shores from March next year.