Is an R8 a Supercar?
Discussion
It's a super car but not a supercar, in my opinion.
For me, a supercar is largely about the scarcity of the brand and the emotive responses that the car evokes from the driver & other people.
The problem the R8 is that it's an Audi and is therefore associated with a zillion rep mobile A4's etc that most people have probably owned.
A Lamborghini Gallardo , even if based on the same platform as an R8, carries a Lamborghini badge and there aren't many people in the country that can relate to that and say they've had one, so it's a little mysterious and exotic, hence the attention it gets over an R8 etc.
For me, the definition of supercar has nothing to do with performance and more about how the car makes you and others feel and are usually the sort of brands/cars that you have on the walls as poster cars, which is why most people struggle to categorize 997 Turbo's or GTR's as supercars. Both are lightening fast and able performers of course, but its hard to look at a Nissan as something to aspire to, or a Porsche that I must see 20-30 of every single day. On the motorway, no Porsche will make me look twice.....if I see a blur of Rosso Corsa on the opposite carriageway I'm desperately looking in the mirrors trying to get a glimpse of whatever it was....
For me, a supercar is largely about the scarcity of the brand and the emotive responses that the car evokes from the driver & other people.
The problem the R8 is that it's an Audi and is therefore associated with a zillion rep mobile A4's etc that most people have probably owned.
A Lamborghini Gallardo , even if based on the same platform as an R8, carries a Lamborghini badge and there aren't many people in the country that can relate to that and say they've had one, so it's a little mysterious and exotic, hence the attention it gets over an R8 etc.
For me, the definition of supercar has nothing to do with performance and more about how the car makes you and others feel and are usually the sort of brands/cars that you have on the walls as poster cars, which is why most people struggle to categorize 997 Turbo's or GTR's as supercars. Both are lightening fast and able performers of course, but its hard to look at a Nissan as something to aspire to, or a Porsche that I must see 20-30 of every single day. On the motorway, no Porsche will make me look twice.....if I see a blur of Rosso Corsa on the opposite carriageway I'm desperately looking in the mirrors trying to get a glimpse of whatever it was....
V10plus is £130k and faster than a f430 a lambo or a zonda.
It' s top of my list ATM for my next car, but I cannot help looking atf430’s
with performance figures of 3.2 to 60 7.7 to 100mph and a price tag of well over £100k , plus let's not forget the r8 wins races and Audi won the 3 biggest 24 hours races this year, the R8 is def a super car.
It has a NA 550bhp v10 ffs
It's Just a thinking mans one.
So you may be bottom of the pub bragging rights over your ferrari and lamo friends until you point out race wins and performance figures which then no one can argue :-)
It' s top of my list ATM for my next car, but I cannot help looking atf430’s
with performance figures of 3.2 to 60 7.7 to 100mph and a price tag of well over £100k , plus let's not forget the r8 wins races and Audi won the 3 biggest 24 hours races this year, the R8 is def a super car.
It has a NA 550bhp v10 ffs
It's Just a thinking mans one.
So you may be bottom of the pub bragging rights over your ferrari and lamo friends until you point out race wins and performance figures which then no one can argue :-)
Sarnie said:
.....which no one cares about 
I think when performance 10th's of a second stats are being wheeled out, its usually by someone who's a little upset they bought a 'junior' super car a v10 Audi just doesn't do it for me at all. I'd rather have the more expensive to buy, more expensive to run, slower, Gallardo every single time.
True, but you can feel smug about it while the other owners just have the high bills and badge to brag about lol.
It's super car through and through.
It's just not the car you buy with your heart.
but I think you would have the last laugh in a drag race by a fair margin.
I am torn, my heart says buy a F430 or a lp560 my head says the V10 plus is the better car which I will use all year.
a super car has to have performance, and new cars are so fast you don't want a base 911 pulling away from your f430. :-(
The dsg has bought the R8 right into silly performance figures now .and the plus has nice tweeks.
Never liked the v8 as my TTRS was faster lol. But I cannot get over the plus's performance.
But yes I still hanker after that F430 !!!
It's super car through and through.
It's just not the car you buy with your heart.
but I think you would have the last laugh in a drag race by a fair margin.
I am torn, my heart says buy a F430 or a lp560 my head says the V10 plus is the better car which I will use all year.
a super car has to have performance, and new cars are so fast you don't want a base 911 pulling away from your f430. :-(
The dsg has bought the R8 right into silly performance figures now .and the plus has nice tweeks.
Never liked the v8 as my TTRS was faster lol. But I cannot get over the plus's performance.
But yes I still hanker after that F430 !!!
911 looks like a 10 grand Boxster.
Audi just looks like an Audi, thats enough to rule it out for me.
GTR.... sorry but you're not a super car when both my mum and sister own shopping trolleys from your lineup.
I want something that stands out, and feels like an event every time I sit in it. I think a Gallardo or an f430 is the minimum current car I'd call a super car. Perhaps in a few years I wouldn't even call them one, and the Huracan or the 458 would be my minimum
Audi just looks like an Audi, thats enough to rule it out for me.
GTR.... sorry but you're not a super car when both my mum and sister own shopping trolleys from your lineup.
I want something that stands out, and feels like an event every time I sit in it. I think a Gallardo or an f430 is the minimum current car I'd call a super car. Perhaps in a few years I wouldn't even call them one, and the Huracan or the 458 would be my minimum
mrdemon said:
True, but you can feel smug about it while the other owners just have the high bills and badge to brag about lol.
It's super car through and through.
It's just not the car you buy with your heart.
but I think you would have the last laugh in a drag race by a fair margin.
I am torn, my heart says buy a F430 or a lp560 my head says the V10 plus is the better car which I will use all year.
a super car has to have performance, and new cars are so fast you don't want a base 911 pulling away from your f430. :-(
The dsg has bought the R8 right into silly performance figures now .and the plus has nice tweeks.
Never liked the v8 as my TTRS was faster lol. But I cannot get over the plus's performance.
But yes I still hanker after that F430 !!!
Exactly, the only thing you keep referring to is performance.....It's super car through and through.
It's just not the car you buy with your heart.
but I think you would have the last laugh in a drag race by a fair margin.
I am torn, my heart says buy a F430 or a lp560 my head says the V10 plus is the better car which I will use all year.
a super car has to have performance, and new cars are so fast you don't want a base 911 pulling away from your f430. :-(
The dsg has bought the R8 right into silly performance figures now .and the plus has nice tweeks.
Never liked the v8 as my TTRS was faster lol. But I cannot get over the plus's performance.
But yes I still hanker after that F430 !!!
The car you buy with your heart, is the supercar.
The car you buy to brag about 0-60 times or other random quantitive figures, isn't a supercar Eg a GTR/ R8 V10.
You mention that you wouldn't want a 430 only for a base 911 to pull away from you, why? Who cares? He's in a generic, bland sounding, boring car. Your in a 430!
A supercar isn't the fastest car on the road.....it goes beyond that.
Performance is part of the super car name, it has to have silly figures or it's just a sports car.
Maybe the f430 and the r8 are both just sports cars .
And you have to goto the lastest newest models to be super cars.
Strange as in the old days is was easy to say which cars were super cars.
Maybe the f430 and the r8 are both just sports cars .
And you have to goto the lastest newest models to be super cars.
Strange as in the old days is was easy to say which cars were super cars.
Want performance, get a motorbike.
Want to go fast on a normal road, get a Subaru or a Mitsubishi
Want a very good sports car, get an R8.
Want a supercar, get a V12 Lamborghini.
In 20 years I have NEVER filled one up with petrol without having to have a chat with someone. Does that happen with an R8?
Want to go fast on a normal road, get a Subaru or a Mitsubishi
Want a very good sports car, get an R8.
Want a supercar, get a V12 Lamborghini.
In 20 years I have NEVER filled one up with petrol without having to have a chat with someone. Does that happen with an R8?
not that it really matters if other people think it is or it is not a supercar.
I am sure it is a great car, but it is not one of those that make me turn around and smile when I see them on the street - which is subjective but important, so not for me. I'd rather own a 355, which is by every measureable statistic a worse car.
Being expensive and having high horsepower or performance alone are not the only criteria - I think it is something that is not entirely measureable. In my opinion the German brands do have the issue that they produce too many "white-goods" type cars (I'd exclude Porsche for now, although they are getting closer) which takes something away from their top offerings.
I am sure it is a great car, but it is not one of those that make me turn around and smile when I see them on the street - which is subjective but important, so not for me. I'd rather own a 355, which is by every measureable statistic a worse car.
Being expensive and having high horsepower or performance alone are not the only criteria - I think it is something that is not entirely measureable. In my opinion the German brands do have the issue that they produce too many "white-goods" type cars (I'd exclude Porsche for now, although they are getting closer) which takes something away from their top offerings.
mrdemon said:
True, but you can feel smug about it while the other owners just have the high bills and badge to brag about lol.
It's super car through and through.
It's just not the car you buy with your heart.
but I think you would have the last laugh in a drag race by a fair margin.
I am torn, my heart says buy a F430 or a lp560 my head says the V10 plus is the better car which I will use all year.
a super car has to have performance, and new cars are so fast you don't want a base 911 pulling away from your f430. :-(
The dsg has bought the R8 right into silly performance figures now .and the plus has nice tweeks.
Never liked the v8 as my TTRS was faster lol. But I cannot get over the plus's performance.
But yes I still hanker after that F430 !!!
The image aspect seems quite important to you so I'd say a Lamborghini is probably your best bet. Of all the supercars they quite probably get the most attention.It's super car through and through.
It's just not the car you buy with your heart.
but I think you would have the last laugh in a drag race by a fair margin.
I am torn, my heart says buy a F430 or a lp560 my head says the V10 plus is the better car which I will use all year.
a super car has to have performance, and new cars are so fast you don't want a base 911 pulling away from your f430. :-(
The dsg has bought the R8 right into silly performance figures now .and the plus has nice tweeks.
Never liked the v8 as my TTRS was faster lol. But I cannot get over the plus's performance.
But yes I still hanker after that F430 !!!
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