Audi R8: the only mid-engine German exotic sports car

Audi R8: the only mid-engine German exotic sports car

Knifing through the rolling countryside, the R8‘s composure is the very definition of serenity, capability and efficiency. No matter how the road twists, turns, dives and dips, the Audi R8 traces the asphalt‘s path as though adhered to it by electromagnets. (Which, in a fashion, it is.)

Even when the road surface starts to mimic the texture of corrugated steel, the Audi R8 glides over the ridges, fluently transmitting information about the textural changes to the driver, but proceeding totally unperturbed by the imperfections.To say that Audi has the suspension of the R8 dialed in would be an understatement. Electromagnetic dampers, adjustable by the driver for either day-to-day comfort, or all-out handling, manage the ministrations of the wheels as they interact with the surface of the road. Naturally, Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system is in full effect. Known around the world for outstanding traction, the synthesis of Quattro with the outstanding suspension engineering of the R8 create a car in which a good driver needs brakes for only the tightest of turns.

When that necessity does present itself, the brakes exhibit a proficiency for retardation in an almost unbelievable fashion. Moderate pressure on the brake pedal hauls the car down from outrageous to civil in the blink of an eye. Truly firm pressure practically imprints the line of the seatbelt across your chest. Need even more? Ceramic brake rotors are also available that will reduce unsprung weight at the wheels, improve handling even further, and simultaneously provide increased effectiveness to the braking system.

Audi’s 4.2-liter V8 (also used in the RS4 sedan) producing 420 horsepower and 301 ft-lbs of torque is the motivating force. With this engine, 60 miles per hour can be attained in 4.4 seconds. Displayed under glass like the magnificent sculpture it is, the engine looks right at home within the seductively flowing aluminum bodywork enveloping the R8’s mechanicals. With the engine visible from outside the car, Audi’s designers added lighting to the engine compartment so you can get a glimpse of the engine’s beauty at night after parking, or walking up to the vehicle before you drive away.

The R8’s exterior design incorporates all the aerodynamics the car needs to remain stable at elevated speeds. The only external aero aid the car requires is a small spoiler at the rear to increase downforce for the rear wheels. The R8’s body actually sucks the car down to the road at speed. This enables the Audi to travel along at, say, 100 miles per hour as nonchalantly as most cars do at 50.

Highly comfortable for long distance touring, the R8 is a car you could drive a 600-mile, all-day road trip in and arrive completely unfatigued. Wind noise and tire roar are practically non-existent. What you do hear is the mellifluous snarl of the engine as you move the six-speed transmission up and down through the gears. The engine note is like a mashup of the low-frequency roar of a NASCAR stocker and the high-rpm scream of a Formula-1 car. In fact, at the 8,250 rpm redline, the pistons in the R8’s engine change direction 275 times per second.

Of course, since this is an Audi we’re talking about, the interior is a thing of beauty as well. The R8 driver sits in what Audi has termed a monoposto. An ellipse of trim, available in either piano black, aluminum, or carbon fiber, starts on the driver’s door, arcs up and behind the hood of the instrument panel, then descends to define the edge of the center console. This is intended to give the driver the impression of sitting in a single seat racing car.

The instrument panel contains six gauges, monitoring engine speed, road speed, oil temperature, coolant temperature, fuel level and voltage. These are all readily viewable through the flat-bottomed, leather wrapped, magnesium steering wheel. Should you opt for the sequential manual transmission, paddles for shifting reside directly behind the wheel.

Several different options for leather and or suede-like Alcantara surfaces are available for the seats, while the dash is covered in leather and the headliner is upholstered with Alcantara. The angular shape of the dash, as it recedes away from the driver and passenger, gives a sense of speed–even when the car is stationary. Audi tapped Swedish electronics purveyor Bang & Olufsen for the 465-watt sound system that packs 12 speakers (including a sub-woofer) into the interior of the car.

Audi has long trumpeted its intention to be considered in the same thought as the most prestigious automobile manufacturers With the R8, Audi has catapulted itself past the current offerings of BMW, Jaguar, Lexus and Mercedes, and placed itself directly into competition with Aston Martin, Maserati, Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini.

The tasteful appearance of the R8 (both inside and out), along with its mid-engine layout, outstanding road manners, prodigious comfort, and exceptional performance, rank it among the finest and most desirable production cars in the world. With pricing starting at a relatively reasonable $100,000, the R8 is also the most attainable exotic sports car in the world too.

 

Lyndon Conrad Bell is also editor-in-chief at On Wheels Media.

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