Throughout my 22-year career, I’ve had the opportunity to drive a number of exotic sports cars, from a Ferrari Testarossa and 328 to a Bugatti EB110 race car to various Lotus (and other) vehicles in-between. In a number of cases, I have been less than impressed with the livability of these vehicles, a concern that some who have read this far will consider beside the point as these are exotic sports cars meant to go fast and look good in. And, except for stillborn projects like Rover’s P9, this is a concern that often is cast aside in order to maximize the "wow factor" as exemplified by the low-slung otherworldliness of most exotics. It’s a fair exchange in most instances as things like outward vision are far down the list since it is much more vital that people in other cars and on the street look at your vehicle and, by extension, you than you it is for you to be able to see them.
Nonetheless, when Audi announced it was entering the motorized envy game, I had reservations. Though it has become known for its sumptuous interiors and fine engineering, cars sporting the four interlocked rings are exquisitely detailed, but often are not the most stunning visual representations of the designer’s art. Pictures of the R8 did little to allay my fears as the car appeared contrived, especially with the sizable "sideblades" located behind the doors and ahead of the rear wheels. It was as though the designers had expected the car to become an icon of the Transformers set and planned to make these the battle shield for whatever super hero the vehicle morphed into. And an angry hero that character would be based on the deep front air intakes, pulled back lighting modules punctuated by a row of 12 LED lights along their bottom edges, and a mouth that promises nothing but pain to transgressors.
This is the point in the narrative, however, where I fall on my sword…without the protection of the twin sideblades to ease my discomfort. That’s because the R8 in the flesh is, in a word, gorgeous, with just the right combination of aggression, subtle detail, and sensuousness. Unlike most Ferraris of recent vintage, the R8’s front fender line hews closely to the wheel arch, eliminating the awkward visual weight sitting out in front of the wheel. This is helped by the angled light pods that allow this line to dive down and roll forward into the lower edge of the large brake ducts, and supports a much more vertical face than a first look suggests. Similarly, the rear fenders build on the broader section created by the scoop area hidden behind the sideblades, and pull tightly around the 295/30-19 rear tires. Though the R8’s dimensions are very similar to Ferrari’s much more expensive, F430, it manages to look longer, lower, and a bit leaner than its counterpart from Maranello. In addition, the Audi draws on elements of the Auto Union Grand Prix racers of the late 1930s without descending into retro parody, while the Ferrari draws almost too heavily on its Formula 1 history with front intakes that mimic the 1961 shark nose F1 racer that took American Phil Hill to the World Driving Championship. Score one for the Audi.
Inside, the R8 continues the crisp, clean forms, logical control layout, and superb detailing that have made Audi the car company most interior designers wish they worked for. In addition, the R8 doesn’t suffer from the splayed driving position so common in some exotics where your legs are forced toward the centerline of the car by wheelwell intrusion, a situation ready-made for the chiropractors wealthy enough to afford this type of vehicle. That’s not to say the interior is perfect, however. Though it has plenty of room for real-size adults, interior storage is limited to a shelf behind the seats capable of holding a small briefcase, an open slot above the center console where it meets the instrument panel, and a small glovebox. In addition, the combination of the Premium package ($3,500) and Navigation System Plus ($2,000) places the six-disc CD changer between the seatbacks on the rear bulkhead. Thankfully, it can be controlled either through the navigation screen or via steering wheel-mounted controls.
But enough about how the R8 looks. The true test of an exotic is in how it goes and in how it makes you feel. And in this instance, the Audi is both disappointing and surprising. Though it would not be my first choice, the car Driven is fitted with the optional R tronic automated manual gearbox. A $9,000 addition that raises the R8’s base price to $118,000, it removes the clutch pedal and gated shifter and replaces them with electro-hydraulic controls, an alloy gear lever with a vaguely triangular shift gate, and paddles behind the steering wheel. This gives you the option of running the car in fully automatic mode – a plus in bumper-to-bumper traffic – or manual mode where the gears are changed either via the paddles or the gear lever. Like the multiple ways in which the same task can be done in Windows, the redundancy is rarely used, with the paddles winning out over the lever nine times out of 10. (Except for the editor-in-chief, that is. He never used the paddles.) However, like Windows, this system has its own foibles and shortcomings, the most egregious of which is the shift quality under part-throttle conditions.
To say that the R tronic shifts as poorly as a smart car is only slightly off the mark. Over time it is possible to learn how to use the automatic function to its fullest, but timidity and/or changing traffic conditions can leave the driver of the R8 looking like a first timer as the car surges under contradictory commands. Like most German cars, the R8 appreciates a firm hand – or foot – and a logical path. Giving it the same reduces the time between shifts to almost acceptable levels, but never approaches the capabilities found in a true manual shift. The only time the R tronic is happy is when the "Sport" button is engaged which snaps shifts off quickly, and holds gears far deeper into the 420-hp 4.2-liter direct-injected V8’s rev range. Play this game, and the R8 sings a beautiful mechanical song that is not quite as melodic but no less stirring than the F430’s. It also will bring you close to the car’s 13 city/18 highway/15 combined EPA ratings, while a gentle foot can get almost 24 mpg on long freeway cruises.
Where the R8 stands alone is in the use of a drivetrain that eschews the de rigueur rear drive for quattro all-wheel-drive. Purists will note the slightly heavy and somewhat lifeless steering that results from having torque apportioned between the front and rear axles. They also will notice that he R8 is not a car that appreciates a shallow, early turn-in with a power-on exit. Try that and the nose starts to push wide as power understeer pulls the nose away from the center of the turn, and the intended path. Jump off the throttle, or feather it if you have any respect at all for a car with an as-driven bottom line of $133,895, and the nose tucks in instantly. In a mid-engined car with rear-drive this is almost certainly as result of the shift in weight and shift from power-on understeer to power-off oversteer, and fair warning that the oncoming scenery will soon be seen through the rearview mirror. However, the R8 handles the situation a bit differently as the front axle pulls the nose toward the apex of the corner while the rear, at sane speeds (insane speeds were left for others with more courage and bigger bank accounts), stays put. Take a more traditional line with a later apex, however, and the R8 takes a set that requires timidity to be left at the door if the dreaded understeer isn’t to make its presence felt. Shift the transmission into the Sport mode and the R8 rockets out of corners and onto straights with a "subtle supercar" wail quieter than a Ferrari’s, but no less insistent.
However, if the surface is less than perfect, expect the rear of the car to wobble slightly as the overly soft suspension under damps vertical motions as the car shifts its surprising (for an aluminum body/chassis vehicle) 3,616-lb. weight to the outside wheels. Push the button with the shock absorber icon on it, however, and the R8’s dampers shift from full soft to full hard, and a truncated, and much more harsh, vertical bounce becomes a given no matter the speed. This setting is best used at the track (the R8’s computer display has a built-in lap timer) where ultimate grip is the goal and surfaces are usually smoother than you find on the street. For all other uses, the standard setting is surprisingly compliant and able to absorb most pockmarks and road seams with nary a problem, and none of the harshness often found in cars of this ilk. This is due to the fact that the R8 makes use of magnetorheological dampers to control the ride motions, a technology that restricts flow through the dampers’ valves by magnetizing iron particles in the shock absorber fluid. This allows for real-time damping and can be used to reduce the rates of both the anti-roll bars and springs without harming body and wheel control. And while the R8’s greater fluidity and suppleness was greatly appreciated, the system is in need of more control over body motion as the speeds increase.
Undoubtedly, these things will be taken care of when – and if – the second generation of the R8 breaks cover. Unfortunately, there is a very real possibility that the VW Group’s overseers at Porsche might not allow the R8 to continue beyond its first generation as it provides a very real competitor to the venerable Porsche 911. That, in my opinion, would be exceedingly shortsighted as the R8 is a true two-seat exotic (the 911 has vestigial "+2" seating) with a direct link to Audi’s storied racing past and present, as well as a position as an image vehicle for the rest of the Audi lineup. I can only hope that the folks at Porsche will see the wisdom of keeping the R8 in Audi’s lineup.
+: Exquisite styling, comfortable interior with few of the compromises found in other exotics, lusty engine, all-wheel-drive traction.
-: Turn-in imprecision, need for torque vectoring to quell understeer and more damping authority in default setting, weight, ridiculous automated manual gearbox.
Vehicle As Driven
(Dimensions in inches)
Overall length: 174.5
Overall width: 75.0
Overall height: 49.3
Wheelbase: 104.3
Curb weight (lb.): 3,616
Engine: 4.2-liter, 32-valve direct-injected V8, iron block/alloy heads
420 hp @ 7,800 rpm
317 lb-ft @ 4,500 – 6,000
Transmission: 6-speed automated manual
Suspension f/r: Aluminum double wishbone with coil-over magnetorheological dampers
Brakes f/r: 15-in. internally vented disc, 8-piston caliper/
14-in. internally vented disc, 4-piston caliper
Wheels and tires f/r: 235/35-19 on 8.5-in. wheels
295/30-19 on 11-in. wheels
Take 2:
I am praying to the Lotto Gods as we speak, begging for them to show me some mercy and allow me just one, only one, opportunity to hit the jackpot so I can buy an R8. Before sitting my butt down in this car, my fantasy revolved around owning a Ferrari F430 ever since I had the opportunity to take one for a few laps around Ferrari’s famous Fiorano test track. The prancing horse left me salivating, wanting to become a part of the lifestyle that combines my two weaknesses: fine wine and cars—heck, I even bought a Ducati to provide a little flavor of the good life. Now, I am dreaming about high-end bratwurst and beer. The dramatic change isn’t based on raw horsepower—the F430 beats the R8 in this category by more than 60—nor torque—the Audi falls short here by more than 30 lb.-ft. It has everything to do road manners, where the R8 surpasses the F430 by a mile. Michigan’s roads can be a torture test for any car, but when you put a few potholes under the rubber of an exotic, more than likely you’re going to have to schedule a dentist appointment shortly after to have your fillings checked. Not so with the R8. This schnell und furios two-seater is as comfortable on rough roads as it is on smooth highways, which makes it an ideal daily driver, if you were forced to endure such a fate. That’s not something you’d want to do with the Ferrari or even a BMW M3 for that matter. Quattro also provides added potential in that the R8 can handle inclement weather with little concern. It all comes down to the fact that Audi has developed one of the best engineered sports cars. It’s both exhilarating to drive when pushed to the edge, and meets the comfort demands of a daily driver. — Kevin Kelly
