LET’s put the Audi R8 into proper perspective. Historically speaking, fast Audis – save for the original rally-winning Quattro – have hardly been iconic. Quite frankly, the memorable ones are few and far between, with RS2 and RS4 being the notable overachievers. Furthermore, massmarket carmakers, however “prestigious” the badges on their grilles may be, have traditionally not been successful in the supercar league. Mercedes- Benz and BMW do not make direct rivals for the Porsche 911, even though, theoretically, they could… Why pick a fight you can only lose? Why indeed…
But here we have the Audi R8. A car that not so much “attempts” to rival the Porsche 911, as knock it off of its comfy throne. Even worse for the 911, the R8 is an enemy from within. You see, Audi belongs to the Volkswagen Group, essentially controlled by Porsche, and having family ties with Lamborghini… Expect fists to fly, even in the boardroom.
The R8 is the result of an enormously confident car company, spurred on by the success of the brilliant RS4, and one that now, finally, boasts a brand image that can lure those shopping for a true, junior supercar. Or so Audi hopes… Will those spending over R1 million find the four-ringed grille on the R8’s bonnet enticing enough, or does it stretch the brand too far? Isn’t it true that, however brilliant the R8 may be, it simply doesn’t have the emotional appeal of a Porsche? Perhaps…
But then you see the R8 in the metal, and brand appeal suddenly becomes a minute consideration. This is a truly breathtaking car, not classically beautiful like some of the more illustrious marques it competes with, but one that arguably makes more of a statement, and one that comes with absolutely no historical styling baggage. Certainly, viewed head on, with those distinctive LED “eyeliner” lights switched on, the R8 has overtaking presence that even supercars costing twice as much would struggle to equal. To put it simply, this car makes other road users swerve, whether it is to make way out of the fast line, or because the driver is trying to take a picture with his/her cellphone…
The detailing is exquisite. One of the main styling elements of the car is the rear engine compartment, where the thunderous heart of the machine lies exposed under a glass cover for all to see. Not only that, there are also optional LED lights available to really put the V8 masterpiece in the spotlight. Then there are those vertical airintakes on the sides, called the side-blades. These can be had either in body colour, or in unpainted carbon fibre to contrast with the car’s body. We had a black test car, with the carbon fibre blades, so some of the contrasting effect was lost, but, nevertheless, the “blades” were one of the most talked about points on the car.
Utilising Audi’s trademark aluminium spaceframe construction, the R8 nevertheless weighs in at a hefty 1 597 kg. Still, Audi says the body-in-white weight is only 210 kg, and would have been 140 kg (the combined weight of two passengers) heavier if steel had been used. Interestingly, the R8 looks quite a bit more “serious” when parked next to a 911, mostly because it is lower (60 mm) and a whopping 100 mm wider. The aerodynamic drag figure of 0,345 Cd is also pretty impressive for this type of car.
Swing open the doors – you sort of half expect them to go upwards, Lamborghini-style – and the visual drama continues. Leaning from the driver’s seat, you’ll notice another solid chunk of carbon fibre doubling as a door pull, as well as flowing strips of this lightweight material neatly “framing” the facia in front of the driver. The instrument pack is simply and elegantly detailed, with a speedo and rev counter taking pride of place. The steering wheel is chunky, with a thick rim and a flat bottom section (as in the RS4). This being Audi, there’s been no skimping on driver comfort, so the steering wheel is adjustable for rake and reach, and the seats offer generous adjustment too, via buttons. The hangdown section houses a version of Audi’s MMI (Multi- Media Interface) control system, but navigation is an option, as is a 6-disc CD changer.
It’s certainly snug in the cabin, with the R8 lacking the 911’s ultimate versatility. That said, it is doubtful whether any extra space would be used anyway. As it stands, the R8 has 104 dm³ of usable space behind the front seats – enough, Audi optimistically says, for two golf bags. Another 80 dm³ is available in the (front) boot, for a few golf balls, and perhaps a pair of shoes and gloves…
But let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Motivating power comes from the same 4,2-litre, direct injection and high-revving V8 engine that performs so superbly in the RS4. Power output is identical (309 kW at 7 800 r/min), but whereas the 430 N.m maximum torque figure is also unchanged, it is available across a wider stretch of the R8’s rev band, all the way from 4 500 to 6 000 r/min, in fact. And 90 per cent of the maximum torque is on tap from 3 500 to 7 500 r/min.
However, the biggest change is that the engine now makes use of dry-sump lubrication. This has allowed Audi to position the unit lower down, improving the car’s centre of gravity. The engine oil is delivered to a separate tank by a scavenge pump via an oil cooler, and from there pumped back to the bearing points via the oil filter. The oil cooler is positioned very low down in the spaceframe, behind the left-hand side blade, and the radiators are located in the front-end structure, two behind the large air intakes at the sides, and a third in the centre.
Although also available with the R-Tronic sequential transmission (identical to Lamborghini’s e-gear), our test unit was fitted with a six-speed manual transmission. Power goes to all four wheels via Audi’s legendary quattro all-wheel drive system, but to ensure that the R8 doesn’t suffer from any understeering characteristics, the power split is 10:90 to the front and rear axles, respectively, during normal driving. If slip is detected, the maximum that can be sent forward is 35 per cent. In fact, the R8’s drivetrain is completely different to any quattro system before it, because of the mid-engine layout – the driveshaft runs from the transmission through the engine’s oil sump, to a new front differential, where the viscous coupling distributes power between the front and rear wheels. At the rear, an asymmetric limited-slip differential has a locking ratio of 25 per cent when accelerating, and 45 per cent when coasting – Audi says this helps avoid abrupt load reversal reactions, such as when the driver switches suddenly from accelerating to braking while cornering.
Audi claims a 0-100 km/h time of 4,6 seconds for this car, and we have to admit to having been sceptical. However, the R8 then proceeded to achieve a time of 4,67 seconds… on its very first acceleration run! Top speed is 301 km/h, and the one kilometre sprint is dispatched in 23,51 seconds, with the sound of a violent thunderstorm always centimetres behind your head…
The R8 is a seriously fast car in a straight line, and one that is also absurdly easy to drive. The clutch is heavier than a normal saloon’s, certainly, but hardly troublesome, and although that aluminium gearlever needs a firm push to slot through the aluminium gate, it is nevertheless very slick, and every shift is accompanied by a reassuring click-clack sound when the lever slots into its position.
But however brilliant the R8 is to look at, listen to, or blast off the line with, it would all come to nothing if it wasn’t also good to fling around corners. So, here comes the R8’s greatest party trick – it’s not only “good” around bends, it is astonishing.
Our first experience of the R8 was on a mountain pass we know well, and one that, on the day, had just about zero traffic on it. This is driving nirvana for a car such as this… Our R8, by the way, was also fitted with the optional magnetic ride control, which at the press of a button firms up the suspension. However, even without this, the car boasts superb body control and very impressive ride quality, without turning bouncy should you encounter a mid-corner bump. With magnetic ride activated, the feeling is immediately notably stiffer.
Grip was never going to be a problem, considering the car’s low and wide stance, grippy tyres and, most importantly, all-wheel drive. But the way Audi has managed to factor in a sky-high entertainment factor, due to a combination of precise, nicely weighted steering, and a communicative chassis unmolested by driver “aids” right up to its heady limit, is a superb achievement. And because the chassis is so sorted, all drivers, no matter their ability, will be able to find a level at which they are both entertained, yet still safe. Talking about safety, the R8’s brakes are phenomenal, with massive ventilated and perforated discs all-round, backed by ABS, of course. It achieved an excellent average 100-to-zero-km/h stopping time of 2,66 seconds.
TEST SUMMARY
The Audi R8 somehow ends up being far greater than the sum of its parts, a car in which all the best bits of Audi expertise (RS4 engine, quattro all-wheel drive, and aluminium construction) come together to create a truly magnificent machine. And to get around the possible brand snobbery problem, Audi has designed the R8 to be so desirable that nobody, no matter how many “thoroughbreds” he/she may have owned before, can ignore it. Right now, we can’t think of anything more sensational at the price… However, whether the R8 will have the enduring appeal of the Porsche 911 remains to be seen. But that is also perhaps not the point.
The point is that Audi’s first supercar is astonishingly good – so good, in fact, that Porsche must be relieved that there is, at this stage, only a single model on offer. Of course, this is due to change next year with the début of not only what we’re told is a stunning roadster version, but also a scintillating V10 monster with over 400 kW… Yes, the R8 saga has only started.