Am I mad considering an old r8
Discussion
Remember test driving an R8 a few years back. Really wanted to like the way it drove as I thought they looked great. It was a manual and the gated shift was certainly a novelty. Found the performance adequate but not necessarily in keeping with the supercar pretentions.
Have to say I jumped straight back into my Cayman S Sport which proved to more rewarding to drive hard and saved £40k.Continued to save and finally bought a GT3, which trounced all of the competition for sheer driver feedback.
Can understand the lure of the R8 as it makes a compelling business case for itself. I also think the new models look fresher (think the first gen will soon date) so as the others have said give it a go and if you feel the need to scratch the itch why not. I just prefer the provenance of the Porsche brand, timeless appeal of the 911, and unique feel of the car.
Have to say I jumped straight back into my Cayman S Sport which proved to more rewarding to drive hard and saved £40k.Continued to save and finally bought a GT3, which trounced all of the competition for sheer driver feedback.
Can understand the lure of the R8 as it makes a compelling business case for itself. I also think the new models look fresher (think the first gen will soon date) so as the others have said give it a go and if you feel the need to scratch the itch why not. I just prefer the provenance of the Porsche brand, timeless appeal of the 911, and unique feel of the car.
Sine Metu said:
I think the curbside theatre of the R8/10 is starting to fade rapidly actually. They didn't keep pace with styling evolution. Very dramatic impactful car when it came out but that was a long time ago now. And it'll always be, an Audi. Porsche is timeless however imo. It's not going to turn heads but neither will the Audi anymore. So it's down to which is the best to live with, love and enjoy at the end of the day.
I think the 991 is ultra blandjakesmith said:
Sine Metu said:
I think the curbside theatre of the R8/10 is starting to fade rapidly actually. They didn't keep pace with styling evolution. Very dramatic impactful car when it came out but that was a long time ago now. And it'll always be, an Audi. Porsche is timeless however imo. It's not going to turn heads but neither will the Audi anymore. So it's down to which is the best to live with, love and enjoy at the end of the day.
I think the 991 is ultra blandanonymous said:
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Terminal chassis cracks??! Surely not a common issue?!Very tempted by a V10 Plus I have to say and i'm in a 7.2 GT3. Haven't driven one yet tho'....R8 is more of an 'everyday' car in terms of the drive i understand from what others have said, but it's mid'engined and has a V10 fochrissakes!! Got to be worth a try with a sports exhaust i should think?!
R8 is a superb thing, quality engineering throughout beautifully made and the shape is way more interesting and less common than Porsches are.
It handles brilliantly, is easy to live with and not really all that expensive to service and insure.Yes it has an Audi badge and could be louder, the V8 is not hugely fast (though the V10 is rapid ) but itis an easy case to make vs any non GT Porsche.
It handles brilliantly, is easy to live with and not really all that expensive to service and insure.Yes it has an Audi badge and could be louder, the V8 is not hugely fast (though the V10 is rapid ) but itis an easy case to make vs any non GT Porsche.
Good insights chaps - i guess the only way to find out is to try one eh 
I reckon an early V10 manual might make an interesting project car - with some choice tuning options to make it a little more rough (read exciting) around the edges...would have to be a solid move at £60k in the 'auto-turbo' times we live in too I'd have thought.
I reckon an early V10 manual might make an interesting project car - with some choice tuning options to make it a little more rough (read exciting) around the edges...would have to be a solid move at £60k in the 'auto-turbo' times we live in too I'd have thought.
I think the R8 looks really great when rolling; the rear looks really low and wide giving it proper supercar looks which the 911 misses. I think the new, angular R8 is a backwards step in design terms and will probably keep the older cars values propped up. I could be alone with that view though!
I managed to get up close and personal with a V10 fairly recently in my 997 GT3 to do a photoshoot and it didn't look quite so good when stationary. The ride height looks almost comical next to the GT3 and the front looks a bit too 'pointy'! Moreover, the V10 was disappointingly quiet and i think you have to appreciate it is quite a soft car and, together with that big engine, means it can not be hustled. Absolutely left it for dead down the lanes; which would frustrate me as the Audi owner as a i reckon a modern hot hatch would be all over one too.
I managed to get up close and personal with a V10 fairly recently in my 997 GT3 to do a photoshoot and it didn't look quite so good when stationary. The ride height looks almost comical next to the GT3 and the front looks a bit too 'pointy'! Moreover, the V10 was disappointingly quiet and i think you have to appreciate it is quite a soft car and, together with that big engine, means it can not be hustled. Absolutely left it for dead down the lanes; which would frustrate me as the Audi owner as a i reckon a modern hot hatch would be all over one too.
hondansx said:
the V10 was disappointingly quiet and i think you have to appreciate it is quite a soft car and, together with that big engine, means it can not be hustled. Absolutely left it for dead down the lanes; which would frustrate me as the Audi owner as a i reckon a modern hot hatch would be all over one too.
Come again? The v10 cannot be hustled?! It is one of the best modern engines around imo and just begs to be revved as the engine really truly comes alive at 6k rpm. Dblue has it spot on above imo, the v10 is a great car and head and shoulders above any non gt Porsche even if overall the gt3 is the better drivers car.If you left a v10 for dead on a country road in a 7gt3 it is simply because the r8 driver wasn't properly on it as the R8 is superbly damped and the mag ride suspension deals with a poorly surfaced road far better than the pasm one. And a modern hot hatch would really give any far more expensive car a hard time if the driver was up for it.
I've only driven the R8 GT but it's got 552 bhp, a fair enough hike to trade for 250kgs.
People I have spoken to about GT3s tell me - and I've only ever driven the (s
tty, flappy-paddle) ones Palmer Sport had - all seem to say they feel pretty twitchy on public roads, but the feedback and handling comes alive on the track. A 911 turbo, or an R8 are much more sure-footed on the road.
People I have spoken to about GT3s tell me - and I've only ever driven the (s
tty, flappy-paddle) ones Palmer Sport had - all seem to say they feel pretty twitchy on public roads, but the feedback and handling comes alive on the track. A 911 turbo, or an R8 are much more sure-footed on the road.I currently own a 997 GTS and my previous car was a V10 R8, both really good cars.
The R8 is much quicker than the GTS, no doubt about it. The engine in the R8 is epic and has real character and is a delight to rev hard. Handling wise they are very capable, probably too capable for UK roads. The R8 interior even with all the extended leather and carbon you can throw at it is a bit dated and corporate Audi, it doesn't feel a special place to sit. The R8 does get a lot of attention, I was surprised how much it actually got every time I went to fill up with petrol!
The GTS in comparison hasn't got the shove or the outright grip but this does make it more accessible on UK roads, great handling and with the alcantara interior it feels a bit more special inside.
I always struggled to have a real blast in the R8 here (I'm in the congested South East) but it was great fun in the mountains of Europe and on the Autobahn. With the GTS I find I can find local roads where I can have fun and that's really quite important.
The R8 is much quicker than the GTS, no doubt about it. The engine in the R8 is epic and has real character and is a delight to rev hard. Handling wise they are very capable, probably too capable for UK roads. The R8 interior even with all the extended leather and carbon you can throw at it is a bit dated and corporate Audi, it doesn't feel a special place to sit. The R8 does get a lot of attention, I was surprised how much it actually got every time I went to fill up with petrol!
The GTS in comparison hasn't got the shove or the outright grip but this does make it more accessible on UK roads, great handling and with the alcantara interior it feels a bit more special inside.
I always struggled to have a real blast in the R8 here (I'm in the congested South East) but it was great fun in the mountains of Europe and on the Autobahn. With the GTS I find I can find local roads where I can have fun and that's really quite important.
isaldiri said:
When is fuel consumption at all relevant for a sports car with a 5.2litre NA v10 that revs to 8500rpm.....?
Well I have a 997 turbo as a daily driver and thinking about the v10 for a change after 8+ years of (very happy) Porsche ownership. Would be a daily driver. Fuel consumption is certainly no deal breaker, especially with fuel price reductions. But I like to know as much as I can before buying.But your basic point is sound - you don't buy one of these and expect high mpg.
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