RE: Audi R8 'too good': Tell Me I'm Wrong
Discussion
http://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-features/th...
Now that I've blindly posted, I shall actually read the article, and prepare to edit my post
Now that I've blindly posted, I shall actually read the article, and prepare to edit my post
Jam12321 said:
Not for me thank you! Looks like it was designed from the ground up by CAD software with no human interaction at all. V10 is only selling point for me but do agree it almost seems at odds with the rest of the car especially with a Dual clutch.
This. The CAD drawing especially. toppstuff said:
See your point, Dan, but you miss out on context.
You don't own the cars you get to drive. You simply jump in and try them out.
Audi know that the buyer of an R8 is probably going to use it everyday. His wife will probably drive it. He's going to take it to Tesco, or the Channel Tunnel. He's going to put it through the carwash.
The Hurracan driver is not going to these things as much. The Hurracan driver probably also has a Range Rover.
The Audi has to be a practical, usable daily. The Hurracan is a cool plaything.
Hence the differences.
This is a good point. You don't own the cars you get to drive. You simply jump in and try them out.
Audi know that the buyer of an R8 is probably going to use it everyday. His wife will probably drive it. He's going to take it to Tesco, or the Channel Tunnel. He's going to put it through the carwash.
The Hurracan driver is not going to these things as much. The Hurracan driver probably also has a Range Rover.
The Audi has to be a practical, usable daily. The Hurracan is a cool plaything.
Hence the differences.
Increasingly though I find I don't desire supercars at all really. The driving environment has made the pursuit of speed less possible, whilst the operating zone of these cars has made the pursuit of enormous speed more necessary to enjoy the driving experience they offer.
My desires lie further down the food chain or further back in history. I am getting old though.
I just changed my 8 month old 991 GTS for a late reg Gallardo for exactly this reason.
The GTS was astonishingly good at all it was targeted to do. Incredibly well built. Very fast and unfortunately soulless!
A teutonic masterpiece no doubt but it failed to ignite the basic passion that my weekend toys must.
The Gallardo by comparison is raw, almost agricultural and definitely brutal. A total occasion on every drive and better for its failings than the Porsche ever would be for its perfection!
The price of progress perhaps. Sometimes the old adage of 'less is more' has never been more true!
The GTS was astonishingly good at all it was targeted to do. Incredibly well built. Very fast and unfortunately soulless!
A teutonic masterpiece no doubt but it failed to ignite the basic passion that my weekend toys must.
The Gallardo by comparison is raw, almost agricultural and definitely brutal. A total occasion on every drive and better for its failings than the Porsche ever would be for its perfection!
The price of progress perhaps. Sometimes the old adage of 'less is more' has never been more true!
Alpinestars said:
I can't remember the last good new car I drove. The end goal seems to be to strip a car of any mechanical feel and make it as fast as possible. Frankly my dear, I don't give a s
t how quick it is around the Ring.
Even new cars that have received plaudits like the M2, are nowhere near as good a drivers' car as it's "predecessors", the E9x M3 and 1M. Add the 991 GT3 and GTR to that list. Yawn Yawn.
Electric steering
Seemless shifts
Horrible damping
Biggest wheels in town.
Dump all of the above for something more enjoyable to drive.
PM me and I'll let you have a drive of my E46 M3t how quick it is around the Ring. Even new cars that have received plaudits like the M2, are nowhere near as good a drivers' car as it's "predecessors", the E9x M3 and 1M. Add the 991 GT3 and GTR to that list. Yawn Yawn.
Electric steering
Seemless shifts
Horrible damping
Biggest wheels in town.
Dump all of the above for something more enjoyable to drive.
jon- said:
Alpinestars said:
Electric steering
Seamless shifts
Horrible damping
Biggest wheels in town.
Dump all of the above for something more enjoyable to drive.
Go drive an F-Type. Even the base v6 model is amazing.Seamless shifts
Horrible damping
Biggest wheels in town.
Dump all of the above for something more enjoyable to drive.
- EPAS
- An Auto-box as standard - I suspect for the petrolhead / non-petrolhead reasons posted above the manual will be a minority, just like the German competition...
- Very large alloys (Jag have to take some blame for starting this silly craze - look at the XK8 and X350-series from 10 years ago!
So, damping aside (which I believe the R8 is actually rated rather highly on), the F-Type ticks all the negative boxes above. Oh, and it's forced-induction not naturally-aspirated too.
I'm not saying it's not a good car...just that you're pitching it against perceived faults that it also has.
janesmith1950 said:
I suppose one thing is that the behaviours petrolheads look for, feeling everything through the steering, mechanical clunkage and noises and so on, are things non-petrolheads see as flaws.
There are more non-petrolheads than petrolheads. Manufacturers want to sell product. Cars become less full of 'flaws'.
I've not driven an R8 and no doubt it's an epic bit of kit.There are more non-petrolheads than petrolheads. Manufacturers want to sell product. Cars become less full of 'flaws'.
But I have to agree with the sentiment in this post. Those flaws are what give a car character sometimes and it's that character that ticks boxes for many petrolhead. Often people can't see beyond the facts and figures but a lot of that is pub bragging rather than the smile you get from driving a car.
I suppose 'perfect' is very subjective, to non-petrolheads perfection is a car that goes faster then the previous model where as that detachment that some modern cars give is what deters the petrolhead....or should that be piston heads.
The problem with all modern fast cars are that they are all too competent for use on British roads - In normal driving, it is very rare to be able to use the cars full potential, and even when ploughing through a corner lets say, 80mph, your left feeling like it was all too easy. At 50mph, you feel like you're doing 30mph, and using even 90% of the performance is a rare occurrence
Give me an MX-5 any day - You feel like your doing 50 when you're doing 30, and you get to exploit the performance it has far more often, has much less grip, so you can play with the car more and puts a bigger smile on your face day to day.
Give me an MX-5 any day - You feel like your doing 50 when you're doing 30, and you get to exploit the performance it has far more often, has much less grip, so you can play with the car more and puts a bigger smile on your face day to day.
I agree in a sense, it is very difficult to think of anything wrong with the new R8. Ive done a few miles in them and to be honest I cant think of a fault.
Does that make it less lovable?
Not to me. But I haven't driven a Huracan to compare.
I do agree what another poster mentioned, the R8 has to be usable everyday where a Lambo doesn't.
Does that make it less lovable?
Not to me. But I haven't driven a Huracan to compare.
I do agree what another poster mentioned, the R8 has to be usable everyday where a Lambo doesn't.
sideways sid said:
Is it just me or does this article feel like it has been placed to set up the new TTRS - a review of which will presumably be published in the next few days, referring to it doing all the things that we moan about the R8 not doing...
I can answer that question very easily! No.
Thanks!
Dan
I've had Audi cars all my life (punctuated by a brief mistake Alpina B10). I think they are well engineered. I presently have a 997 turbo S, which is awesome, but I'd consider this new R8 as a replacement. I love the quality of the engineering. I take the point, however, that in pursuing perfect something can be lost. After all, no-one disputes the fact that Cindy Crawford is all the more beautiful for having her beauty spot - sometimes less than perfect is perfect
Werner said likewise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaQoGQNkgBg
If you read the subtitles .. Audi is a show car, a halo car
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaQoGQNkgBg
If you read the subtitles .. Audi is a show car, a halo car
Edited by Gandahar on Tuesday 28th June 15:31
So true - got a 991.1 C2S cab for a week while my 997.1 GT3 is in the shop - the Mrs prefers the 991 but its a pain with all the distractions and the gearbox in back to front - I mean, who pushes forward to change up and why does it fart when you do so? Guess that's the fuel dump... Porsche were moving in the right direction before they put the auto blipper on the 911R - in total contrast for all the car stands for!
FaHaz said:
I've had Audi cars all my life (punctuated by a brief mistake Alpina B10). I think they are well engineered. I presently have a 997 turbo S, which is awesome, but I'd consider this new R8 as a replacement. I love the quality of the engineering. I take the point, however, that in pursuing perfect something can be lost. After all, no-one disputes the fact that Cindy Crawford is all the more beautiful for having her beauty spot - sometimes less than perfect is perfect
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