When you think of the brand Audi, what comes to mind? Great design? Impeccable build quality? How about Quattro? The brand name of Audi's all-wheel-drive system, Quattro is nearly synonymous with the Audi brand itself. First introduced to the world in 1980 in international rally competition, Quattro and Audi went on to redefine rallying through sheer domination.
Not content with blistering the competition in rallying, Audi went on to great success with Quattro in road racing as well. So much success in fact that the German manufacturer's all-wheel drive system was banned nearly everywhere it went. Today, most sanctioning bodies do not allow all-wheel drive in their racing series thanks to Audi and its Quattro system. So when the itch to kick butt and take names with Quattro arose once again, what was Audi to do? It decided to scratch that itch by developing a mid-engine, range-topping supercar.
Built to celebrate the amazingly successful racing car with which it shares its name, the Audi R8 is a technological masterpiece that shocked the sportscar establishment with its amazing design, and more importantly, with its all-around competence. And while the R8 racecar was a rear-drive car due to the racing rulebook, the R8 street car employs Audi's famous all-wheel drive system to great effect.
When the motoring world first got its hands on the R8, rave review after rave review ensued. Let's face it, no one expected Audi to deliver such an amazingly capable supercar on its first try. The R8 amazed with its flexible and great-sounding 4.2-liter, direct injected and dry-sumped V8. It also blew everyone away with its drop-dead-gorgeous all-aluminum, supermodel body. But what really made the R8 move to the top of nearly everyone's wish list was its handling.
The handling of Audi's R8 is completely benign, allowing you to access its full range of talents without making you pay for any talent deficiencies behind the wheel. It redefines the supercar genre by banishing the intimidation normally associated with these types of cars, and instead inviting you to come out and play. This is the main reason the car has been so well received and reviewed by every single person who's driven it. So what makes the handling so special? Two things: an amazingly well-balanced, mid-engine chassis and Audi's Quattro AWD system.
Audi-owned Lamborghini provides the basis for the R8's chassis, which is based to a large degree on the Italian company's Gallardo. The low polar moment of inertia inherent in its mid-engine layout results in razor sharp directional transitions, but with its longer wheelbase and its less hard-core focus, the R8 not only rides more comfortably than the Lambo, it is also more forgiving.
Quattro plays a key part in the R8's handling dynamics in that it distributes power variably front to rear on the fly. With a maximum of only 35 percent of its power sent forward, the R8 maintains a rear-drive feel while still providing enough drive to the front to save you from your own foolishness. The added security of Quattro is what really makes the R8 such a joy to drive quickly because it doesn't leave you with sweaty palms like some other supercars, and in fact, makes anyone look like a better driver.
Consistent with the safety net that is Quattro, the massive eight-piston front calipers and four-piston rears provide serious speed-killing deceleration, delivering their g-inducing power stop after stop after stop. On a racetrack in the middle of a hot day in the Nevada desert, they didn't complain once, despite our complete lack of sympathy.
Audi's mid-engine masterpiece will cost you $109,000 before you start checking option boxes. Fully loaded up, you're looking $140,000 or so. And while there are faster cars out there for the money, there aren't any that give you the combination of accessible performance, stunning styling and everyday usability that you get with the R8. Truly a dual personality car, I can sum up the R8's performance envelope by paraphrasing the great Muhamed Ali in saying, it floats like a butterfly, and stings like an angry 420 horsepower bee.
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Read Part 1: Design
Read Part 2: Interior & User Experience
Audi R8
Performance
- Acceleration: Great Quattro traction produces good acceleration numbers - amazing soundtrack - R-Tronic gearbox not as fast as other similar systems
- Handling: The single most entertaining aspect of the R8 - extremely rewarding - rear-biased Quattro willing to play hooligan when the mood strikes
- Braking:�Quattro system and mid-engine layout provide impressive braking performance... massive brakes help too
Design - Exterior:�Best looking Audi since the TT - can look a little awkward from some angles - lovely detailing
- Interior: Rich materials, great fit and finish and a driver-focused design equals a great interior - optional carbon fiber interior a must-have
Utility - Comfort: Great seats and ergonomics - aluminum construction allows for low and narrow sills which help ingress/egress
- Space:�Quite spacious for a mid-engined exotic - front trunk is deep, but will melt anything you place within it
Safety - Dynamics: Quattro system keeps you out of trouble and provides great stability, even in inclement weather
- Technology:�Two stage stability control system provides a welcome safety net along with four airbags and, of course, Quattro all-wheel drive
Value - Price: Based on the price of its most obvious competitors, an incredible value - options add up quickly though
- Mileage: If you remember that you\'re in an exotic supercar, the numbers are pretty satisfying�
Emotional Appeal - Heart thumpin' factor: Just looking at it makes you contemplate selling a kidney (and maybe a limb) to get one
- Fun to spank: Willing partner in hooliganism - happy to play the fool, or to cut through corners with precision and poise
SPECIFICATIONS
Layout:�Mid engine / All wheel drive
Engine:�4.2 liter, direct-injected V8
Power (SAE):�420 hp @�7800 rpm
Torque:�317 lbs-ft @ 4500 - 6000 rpm
Redline:�8250 rpm
Gearbox:�6 speed sequential manual
Curb Weight: 3580 lbs.
0-60 mph:�4.3 sec.�
1/4 mile:�12.7 sec. @ 112 mph�
Top Speed:�187 mph�
Mileage:�15 city / 22 highway
Base Price:�$109,000
Competitors:�Porsche 911 Turbo, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1
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