OT - Saw an Audi R8...
09-11-2007, 11:08 PM
#16
Race Car
I saw one in person, and it looks super cool in pictures but in real life, its a lot smaller than what the pictures would suggest. To me it looks like the second to last Toyota MR2, just jazzed up to look contemporary. Oh and the side blades look silly in contrasting colors.
09-12-2007, 01:58 AM
#17
Rennlist Member
I saw one in person, and it looks super cool in pictures but in real life, its a lot smaller than what the pictures would suggest. To me it looks like the second to last Toyota MR2, just jazzed up to look contemporary. Oh and the side blades look silly in contrasting colors.
09-12-2007, 03:37 AM
#18
Shark Slayer
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THIS ONE CAUGHT MY EYE...
Out of a line-up of R8's at the ALMS race at Detroit's Belle Isle nearly two weeks ago, this little number caught my eye, as I was passing by.
Unfortunately the carbon fiber panels did not photograph as well as they appeared in real life...'Sporty Class'...
Kim
Unfortunately the carbon fiber panels did not photograph as well as they appeared in real life...'Sporty Class'...
Kim
09-12-2007, 07:15 AM
#20
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In the UK we have a TV motoring programme called Fifth Gear. Among the presenters are Tiff Needell and Jason Plato - both of these guys are former racing drivers, so they know how to drive cars.
They compared the R8 and a 997 4S:-
Straight line sprint - 997 won.
Ability to hold a sideways drift in a corner - R8 won.
Race around the track - no real difference.
I have seen an R8 on the road, and it does look really nice but I didn't like one of the LED light clusters (can't remember whether it was front or rear).
They compared the R8 and a 997 4S:-
Straight line sprint - 997 won.
Ability to hold a sideways drift in a corner - R8 won.
Race around the track - no real difference.
I have seen an R8 on the road, and it does look really nice but I didn't like one of the LED light clusters (can't remember whether it was front or rear).
09-12-2007, 08:40 AM
#22
Rennlist Member
not for me-
09-12-2007, 10:51 AM
#23
Rennlist Member
It was only a faint blip on my radar when I ordered the TT. Too much bling, too few seats, no real performance benefit, likely dealer markup premium, possible first year production problems, V10 around the corner impacting resale .... I just really like Porsches.
09-12-2007, 12:15 PM
#25
Rennlist Member
Interesting story....
My uncle does quite a bit of business with Seal (the singer) and he has one. He stopped by my uncle's house the other day in his R8...which is 5 minutes from my place. Seal is quite the car aficianado (Audi gives him cars to use) and was more than gracious in showing off the car. It is very impressive (as was Seal...very down to Earth). I would love to have one but not at the premiums that the dealers are asking.
Dave
My uncle does quite a bit of business with Seal (the singer) and he has one. He stopped by my uncle's house the other day in his R8...which is 5 minutes from my place. Seal is quite the car aficianado (Audi gives him cars to use) and was more than gracious in showing off the car. It is very impressive (as was Seal...very down to Earth). I would love to have one but not at the premiums that the dealers are asking.
Dave
09-12-2007, 12:27 PM
#26
Rennlist Member
I saw 5 of them at the Autobahn track in IL a month ago. Audi was doing a driver experience. They had 5 car haulers full of different audi's. I think they were selling the ultimate experience for $500 bucks and you got to drive the R8, but I don't think it was on the track, just autocross in the parking lot.
Here's me with a sleek black R8 at the event (the free one):
Last edited by Arrwin; 06-14-2009 at 11:48 PM.
09-12-2007, 01:55 PM
#28
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I actually had one of the first press cars in LA at the beginning of August for a week. Straight up its an amazing car.
First off in the looks department--its definitely very different to everything on the street right now and quite simply a traffic stopper. I had people sticking camera phones out the window everywhere I went and questions like "Is that a concept car?" constantly. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but to me it looks amazing. Though there are some great photos out there, in the flesh it has incredible presence. Its much smaller than you'd think. In black it answers the question "What would Darth Vader drive?"
Driving it is a dream. Turn the wheel and while there's not quite the same feedback you'll get from Porsche its not far off. Grip is off the scale and the more you crank the wheel the harder it turns in.
The motor is spectacular. Its one of my favorite motors in the RS4 and with almost 500 pounds less to move around, its just stunning. Doesn't have the punch of say a 996 or 997 Turbo, but from 2k it just pulls and does so all the way to a wailing 8200rpm. At which point the sound will make any gearhead wet his pants. Its amazingly flexible and can left in third gear in traffic. But I usually kept it a gear or two lower just to hear it rev.
Dynamically it is superb. Completely neutral but can be coaxed to oversteer at the limit--something though any mortal cannot do on the street. I ran it up on Highway 33 north of here and it was an experience. Ride is amazingly well damped--firm but not choppy and liveable if not actually comfortable on even the worst surface streets here in Hollywood. The chassis feels like its carved from billet.
Interior is typically high quality Audi. Not super lux but definitely in line w/ the price tag. The car is absolutely useable as a daily driver--easy clutch, no bad habits, you can see out of it everywhere. The shifter has a gate like a Ferrari and snicking from gear to gear is rifle bolt like.
I personally didn't get to track it but I believe EVO Mag in the UK places it 1.3 seconds a lap faster than a 997 GT3 on their test track--so its properly capable. Its not the fastest car in a straight line, but it certainly ain't slow.
I had a guy fly out from Denver who has one on order to check it out. He owned a Gallardo which he'd just sold. He also owns an RS6, Andial 550hp 993 TT and BMW M5. He too was having second thoughts about taking delivery because of the rumored V10 which is now a rumored twin turbo V10. He's selling off a couple of those cars above to take delivery in a couple of months.
Yes the dealers are gouging on them. The top dealers in LA are getting 5 this year and most other dealers actually getting them will only have 2. I know a certain Audi shop in the valley that has their first 5 sold for $100k per car over.
For the sticker price of $120k--well optioned C4S money, even being the big Porsche nut I am, I'd take the R8 in a minute. Audi is on a roll at the moment and this car is the pinnacle. And one with the rumored 600+hp twin turbo from the forthcoming RS6 will be a monster. But to be honest the car is so well balanced as it is with the RS4 motor I'm not sure it needs it.
If you get a chance drive one. I'm saving my money as my Denver buddy has given me first option on his when he sells it for the twin turbo V10 version!
First off in the looks department--its definitely very different to everything on the street right now and quite simply a traffic stopper. I had people sticking camera phones out the window everywhere I went and questions like "Is that a concept car?" constantly. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but to me it looks amazing. Though there are some great photos out there, in the flesh it has incredible presence. Its much smaller than you'd think. In black it answers the question "What would Darth Vader drive?"
Driving it is a dream. Turn the wheel and while there's not quite the same feedback you'll get from Porsche its not far off. Grip is off the scale and the more you crank the wheel the harder it turns in.
The motor is spectacular. Its one of my favorite motors in the RS4 and with almost 500 pounds less to move around, its just stunning. Doesn't have the punch of say a 996 or 997 Turbo, but from 2k it just pulls and does so all the way to a wailing 8200rpm. At which point the sound will make any gearhead wet his pants. Its amazingly flexible and can left in third gear in traffic. But I usually kept it a gear or two lower just to hear it rev.
Dynamically it is superb. Completely neutral but can be coaxed to oversteer at the limit--something though any mortal cannot do on the street. I ran it up on Highway 33 north of here and it was an experience. Ride is amazingly well damped--firm but not choppy and liveable if not actually comfortable on even the worst surface streets here in Hollywood. The chassis feels like its carved from billet.
Interior is typically high quality Audi. Not super lux but definitely in line w/ the price tag. The car is absolutely useable as a daily driver--easy clutch, no bad habits, you can see out of it everywhere. The shifter has a gate like a Ferrari and snicking from gear to gear is rifle bolt like.
I personally didn't get to track it but I believe EVO Mag in the UK places it 1.3 seconds a lap faster than a 997 GT3 on their test track--so its properly capable. Its not the fastest car in a straight line, but it certainly ain't slow.
I had a guy fly out from Denver who has one on order to check it out. He owned a Gallardo which he'd just sold. He also owns an RS6, Andial 550hp 993 TT and BMW M5. He too was having second thoughts about taking delivery because of the rumored V10 which is now a rumored twin turbo V10. He's selling off a couple of those cars above to take delivery in a couple of months.
Yes the dealers are gouging on them. The top dealers in LA are getting 5 this year and most other dealers actually getting them will only have 2. I know a certain Audi shop in the valley that has their first 5 sold for $100k per car over.
For the sticker price of $120k--well optioned C4S money, even being the big Porsche nut I am, I'd take the R8 in a minute. Audi is on a roll at the moment and this car is the pinnacle. And one with the rumored 600+hp twin turbo from the forthcoming RS6 will be a monster. But to be honest the car is so well balanced as it is with the RS4 motor I'm not sure it needs it.
If you get a chance drive one. I'm saving my money as my Denver buddy has given me first option on his when he sells it for the twin turbo V10 version!
09-12-2007, 02:18 PM
#29
Race Director
I have never been an Audi fan since their 1984 60-Minutes debacle. But having driven a rental A3 in Europe for 1,200 miles in 11 days, I'm giving Audi it's kudos. The interior ergonomics are superb. All the info we need show up nicely on the dash. Controls are logical and very functional. One of the best HVAC system amongst German cars, and superb seats. The car does not drive half bad either. I'm pretty impresses. My only reservation is their bad rep for reliability. That would not show up on a rental car, at least I hope. I used to think the supersized-snout Audi grill looks stupid on photos, but seeing many Audis came up on the rear view mirror, I actually think the grill gave the car a lot of presence. I will now consider an Audi before I would a BMW, and I've owned BMWs since 1985.
Back to the R8. I like the look. It is not like anything else on the road. I am sure the interior is top-notch. If depreciation hits this car as hard as it hits the other Audis, I could see myself buying a pre-owned one some day. But if I can swing it, I'll take a Ruf RGT first.
CP
Back to the R8. I like the look. It is not like anything else on the road. I am sure the interior is top-notch. If depreciation hits this car as hard as it hits the other Audis, I could see myself buying a pre-owned one some day. But if I can swing it, I'll take a Ruf RGT first.
CP
