It’s difficult to talk about the design of the R8 without using variations on the word “elegant” repeatedly, as anyone who lays eyes on it will be quick to tell you. Walter de’Silva, head of Design at Audi, maintained this with understated aerodynamics, meaning no wild wings or jutting hard points. Indeed, the undercarriage of the car is adorned with an intricate diffuser setup that generates much of the down force. Any additional force needed at high speeds is supplemented by a simple, integrated spoiler that extends and retracts automatically. The imposing front air intakes add functionality to the imposing form of the R8. Their aptitude will become apparent after running the 4.2L V8 hard with no issues, then watching the waves of heat waft from the engine bay afterwards, while their importance can be noticed after sitting in traffic for an extended length of time (suddenly, the car thinks the outside temperature is 104 degrees Fahrenheit and climbing).
As you might have guessed, the R8 has Audi’s grippy 4-wheel drive system, but pleasantly, it is rear-wheel biased, so you can power slide into turns and have the car catch you on the way out. The multi-link front & rear suspension, coupled with the aforementioned “Quattro,” dares you to take curves at higher speeds that you would think perilous, but provided you have the marbles to see it through, you stand a good chance of coming out on the other side in good enough condition to wipe the nervous sweat from your brow.
The interior layout is fantastic for true drivers. Aside from a big right-hand blind spot, the R8’s driver position is great for road feel and car control. You will also find the interior accessories to be delightfully sub-par. There is the option for the navigation system, but it also doesn’t distract too much from the experience since it’s frustrating to use, and you’ll be happy to leave it on the map or ignore it altogether. The Bang & Olufson sound system is decent, but like the rest of the cabin accessories, it functions just enough to be not too lousy. I couldn’t help but wonder if Audi intentionally made the cabin toys “so-so”—good enough to work, but bad enough to keep you from paying any attention to them while you’re driving.
By 2003, Audi’s race car, the LMP R8, had won the 24 hours of Le Mans three times and would continue to win another two while dominating the American Le Mans series for six consecutive years. Being very pleased with this, Audi celebrated by debuting the Le Mans Quattro concept at the Geneva Motor Show of that year. This concept entered production dubbed as the road-going R8 in honor of the retiring Le Mans model that brought them a bounty of victories.
It retained many of its style cues but had a fuel-injected V8 in place of the twin turbo V10 reportedly in the concept. Audi’s ownership of Lamborghini saw that many components in the Gallardo went into the production of the R8. So is this a Lamborghini in an Audi overcoat? If so, I could think of worse things.
I put the R8 up against an ’08 BMW M3 in a few rips through the curvy back roads of my hilly neighborhood. The M3, piloted by someone with an actual racing license, did its best to shake the R8, piloted by me, the lead-foot amateur. Sure, the BMW smoked through bends, cracked across the windy lanes with fantastic speeds and control, but the R8 was never far behind. The Quattro gives just enough release to swing the rear out, while still having the front wheels there to claw at the tarmac. On a straight, the BMW just got in the way. Imagine then what the R8 could have done had we swapped drivers.
Don’t be surprised of the instant attention you get as a side effect of the R8. Go to a restaurant, and when you return after your meal, there will be a collective of onlookers waiting to see you (well, not you, really). Drive through the city, and expect camera phone aficionados to step into the middle of the road just to get a shot. Get stuck in traffic, well, I hope you brought sunglasses to hide behind. This is without mentioning the gear heads and enthusiasts that you’ll meet on the highway and at red lights, who will follow you well out of their way to soak up the sight or goad you into a sprint or two.
Oh, and that V10 engine that the concept had? Well, this year, Audi debuted the Audi R8 5.2 FSI, which leaves the RS6’s twin turbo V10 and takes the Gallardo’s fuel-injected one instead. Does this render the current R8 obsolete? Maybe. Does it make it redundant? Hardly. The R8 scores unbelievably in every category, so it’s hard to find room for improvement. We’ll have to wait and see what the new version is capable of. In the meantime, I think traffic is clearing up, and I’ve been sitting still for far too long...
Audi R8:
- Mid-engine 2 door coupe
- 4.2L V8 FSI
- 420HP @7,800 rpm, 317 ft lbs torque @ 4,500 rpm
- 4-wheel drive Quattro w/ 6 speed manual/Rtronic transmission
- 0-60 4.5 sec, top speed of 187 mph
- Fuel economy: 12 mpg city/ 19 Highway on a 23.8 gal/tank
- Weight: 3,605 lbs
Alex Kalogiannis is the senior test driver for VM and the only genetically viable organ donor for the Stig. Check out more of his writing and reviews at AutoKinesis.