From R8 to i8, Quite the Contrast!
Discussion
Having owned my old Audi R8 for a little while, added a good 15,000 miles to it and thoroughly enjoyed the car, I've now bid it farewell and recently said hello to a BMW i8:
In light of things opening up again and more events being available to attend, I'd now like to be able to spend more time getting out and about and a little less time with the car on the lift, maintaining it. As brilliant as the R8 is, the original cars are most definitely getting to an age now where components are coming to the end of their life and preventive maintenance is a must.
It's worth saying, R8's are a joy to work on and a proper throwback to a time where cars were properly built to last. Everything is mechanical and can be easily damaged should you not posses some mechanical sympathy. It's a shame that some of these cars are falling into the hands of garages treating them in the same way as any other plastic-fantastic VAG box but that's a rant for another time.
Here's a couple of pictures of the R8 for comparison:
I've always loved the looks of both of these cars. For me, the i8 is much more dramatic in person than in photos, every single scoop/vent is functional and the way the aerodynamics work is fascinating. In wet weather, you can see water being funnelled into neat rooster tails behind the car which is intriguing to the point of distraction.
The R8 meanwhile, I find to be much more classically styled. It looks just as good in person as in photo's and to my eyes just gets better and better the more you look at it. Not at all did the impact of this car diminish over time and I would never tire of just looking at it.
The i8 does have a few iffy angles, mainly from behind, however there's so much else going on to intrigue you, I can't really say it's of real concern.
The interiors couldn't possibly be more different, the i8 is a world apart with lovely leather everywhere, extraordinary build quality, head-up display and every adjustment/option you could possibly wish for. Later R8's and one's with the leather dash option definitely feel a bit more special than my old one but they still pale in comparison with what BMW have put together as seven years of improved manufacturing practices can't be argued with, the i8 being utterly solid everywhere and completely squeak/rattle free.
Both are very spacious although the R8 is probably one of the easiest cars to get in/out of I've ever owned. The doors open nearly 90 degrees and there's practically no door sill to contend with. The i8 is none of that, having previously owned a Vauxhall VX220, the sills are quite similar so aren't of any concern. It is rather easy to accidentally walk into the door when getting in, though!
The R8 is an excellent long distance car and one of the best I've experienced however, the i8 just takes that and moves it onto another level. It's an incredibly good GT car and on a motorway, it's utterly silent with just the slightest bit of tyre noise only audible because of the total lack of wind or drivetrain noise whilst the V8 in the Audi always makes itself apparent which brings me onto the way they drive.
Put simply, the i8 blows the doors off of the Audi in any situation. The numbers don't tell the whole story with i8's in the slightest, I'm not sure why BMW didn't make a bit more of a point about this but the i8's power/torque figures are measured at the wheels, not the flywheel, hence why they feel so much faster than what they say on paper. The hybrid drivetrain gives so much torque from seemingly nothing that it can punch out of a corner in a way the V8 R8 simply cannot. If you wanted the same sort of straight line performance, a V10 R8 would be a must.
Early into R8 ownership, I found they suffer with a fair degree of understeer so likes to be driven in such a way that you get as much weight over the front end as possible before powering out of a corner, I carried this over into the i8 and haven't experienced any of the understeer I've heard about, the only time I've gotten it to move a bit so far was actually oversteer which was very easy to quickly catch and press on. This aside, the two couldn't be more different to drive quickly.
The steering isn't great in the Audi, it doesn't talk to you very much which makes it quite hard to feel when it's losing grip or approaching the limit.
As time goes on however, you do learn to listen to the steering and do learn to lean on the chassis properly. They don't like at all to be chucked around and they don't like to coast at speed through corners. To get the most involvement out of it you need to brake late, get the weight on the front wheels to grip before getting smoothly and quickly back on the throttle for the four wheel drive to hook everything up. Be exceptionally smooth/delicate with the steering and you'll start to feel everything more and more. I found this dynamic gave it a huge depth of character very rarely found elsewhere.
In contrast, the i8 feels massively more digital, for want of a better word. To counter understeer, for example, the R8 relies on big tyres while the i8 uses some very clever torque vectoring which feels like four wheel steering kicking in and rotating the whole car around you. It's significantly lighter than the R8 and feels it in that there there isn't the sense of inertia.
The steering is even more lifeless although is quick, direct and thankfully doesn't do any artificial weighting up when put into sport mode. I don't think I've owned it long enough to say if it's got a similar depth of character but the first 1,500 miles or so I've done would suggest that performance is pretty much there on the table for you.
Noise is an obvious win for the Audi, the V8 is great and adds to the experience in a way the synthetic sound in the i8 doesn't. I'm not someone massively opposed to piping in engine noise, in reality, it allows a car to be quiet when you want it to be quiet and raucous when you want to press on. I think that highlights the breadth of ability in the i8 very well, in Sport mode it can be an extremely fast car down an A or B road, in electric mode it'll glide silently through towns or cities making traffic a doddle and can settle down to crush a long trip in Comfort mode.
They're fascinating cars and a unique proposition, it's definitely an engaging car, but it's a very different sort of engagement than we're used to with something like an R8 and something I'm looking forward to getting more out of in the future.
In light of things opening up again and more events being available to attend, I'd now like to be able to spend more time getting out and about and a little less time with the car on the lift, maintaining it. As brilliant as the R8 is, the original cars are most definitely getting to an age now where components are coming to the end of their life and preventive maintenance is a must.
It's worth saying, R8's are a joy to work on and a proper throwback to a time where cars were properly built to last. Everything is mechanical and can be easily damaged should you not posses some mechanical sympathy. It's a shame that some of these cars are falling into the hands of garages treating them in the same way as any other plastic-fantastic VAG box but that's a rant for another time.
Here's a couple of pictures of the R8 for comparison:
I've always loved the looks of both of these cars. For me, the i8 is much more dramatic in person than in photos, every single scoop/vent is functional and the way the aerodynamics work is fascinating. In wet weather, you can see water being funnelled into neat rooster tails behind the car which is intriguing to the point of distraction.
The R8 meanwhile, I find to be much more classically styled. It looks just as good in person as in photo's and to my eyes just gets better and better the more you look at it. Not at all did the impact of this car diminish over time and I would never tire of just looking at it.
The i8 does have a few iffy angles, mainly from behind, however there's so much else going on to intrigue you, I can't really say it's of real concern.
The interiors couldn't possibly be more different, the i8 is a world apart with lovely leather everywhere, extraordinary build quality, head-up display and every adjustment/option you could possibly wish for. Later R8's and one's with the leather dash option definitely feel a bit more special than my old one but they still pale in comparison with what BMW have put together as seven years of improved manufacturing practices can't be argued with, the i8 being utterly solid everywhere and completely squeak/rattle free.
Both are very spacious although the R8 is probably one of the easiest cars to get in/out of I've ever owned. The doors open nearly 90 degrees and there's practically no door sill to contend with. The i8 is none of that, having previously owned a Vauxhall VX220, the sills are quite similar so aren't of any concern. It is rather easy to accidentally walk into the door when getting in, though!
The R8 is an excellent long distance car and one of the best I've experienced however, the i8 just takes that and moves it onto another level. It's an incredibly good GT car and on a motorway, it's utterly silent with just the slightest bit of tyre noise only audible because of the total lack of wind or drivetrain noise whilst the V8 in the Audi always makes itself apparent which brings me onto the way they drive.
Put simply, the i8 blows the doors off of the Audi in any situation. The numbers don't tell the whole story with i8's in the slightest, I'm not sure why BMW didn't make a bit more of a point about this but the i8's power/torque figures are measured at the wheels, not the flywheel, hence why they feel so much faster than what they say on paper. The hybrid drivetrain gives so much torque from seemingly nothing that it can punch out of a corner in a way the V8 R8 simply cannot. If you wanted the same sort of straight line performance, a V10 R8 would be a must.
Early into R8 ownership, I found they suffer with a fair degree of understeer so likes to be driven in such a way that you get as much weight over the front end as possible before powering out of a corner, I carried this over into the i8 and haven't experienced any of the understeer I've heard about, the only time I've gotten it to move a bit so far was actually oversteer which was very easy to quickly catch and press on. This aside, the two couldn't be more different to drive quickly.
The steering isn't great in the Audi, it doesn't talk to you very much which makes it quite hard to feel when it's losing grip or approaching the limit.
As time goes on however, you do learn to listen to the steering and do learn to lean on the chassis properly. They don't like at all to be chucked around and they don't like to coast at speed through corners. To get the most involvement out of it you need to brake late, get the weight on the front wheels to grip before getting smoothly and quickly back on the throttle for the four wheel drive to hook everything up. Be exceptionally smooth/delicate with the steering and you'll start to feel everything more and more. I found this dynamic gave it a huge depth of character very rarely found elsewhere.
In contrast, the i8 feels massively more digital, for want of a better word. To counter understeer, for example, the R8 relies on big tyres while the i8 uses some very clever torque vectoring which feels like four wheel steering kicking in and rotating the whole car around you. It's significantly lighter than the R8 and feels it in that there there isn't the sense of inertia.
The steering is even more lifeless although is quick, direct and thankfully doesn't do any artificial weighting up when put into sport mode. I don't think I've owned it long enough to say if it's got a similar depth of character but the first 1,500 miles or so I've done would suggest that performance is pretty much there on the table for you.
Noise is an obvious win for the Audi, the V8 is great and adds to the experience in a way the synthetic sound in the i8 doesn't. I'm not someone massively opposed to piping in engine noise, in reality, it allows a car to be quiet when you want it to be quiet and raucous when you want to press on. I think that highlights the breadth of ability in the i8 very well, in Sport mode it can be an extremely fast car down an A or B road, in electric mode it'll glide silently through towns or cities making traffic a doddle and can settle down to crush a long trip in Comfort mode.
They're fascinating cars and a unique proposition, it's definitely an engaging car, but it's a very different sort of engagement than we're used to with something like an R8 and something I'm looking forward to getting more out of in the future.
Thanks for the great write up.
I understand the engine in the i8 is quite small as is the battery... what's the performance like when you run out of charge and it's all on the petrol engine? I guess it's still quick, but slower than the R8? I struggled to find 0-60 times on just the petrol engine. Was considering it against the 911 Turbo and R8 of a similar price range.
I understand the engine in the i8 is quite small as is the battery... what's the performance like when you run out of charge and it's all on the petrol engine? I guess it's still quick, but slower than the R8? I struggled to find 0-60 times on just the petrol engine. Was considering it against the 911 Turbo and R8 of a similar price range.
Both look fantastic, congrats.
While I love both cars, I can imagine the i8 is far easier to live with. I hear they average about 40 mpg driven hard?
Also, since I saw Matt Farah's guest appearance on the Joe Rogan vidcast, I can't unsee the fact that an i8 looks like it's giving birth to a 911!
While I love both cars, I can imagine the i8 is far easier to live with. I hear they average about 40 mpg driven hard?
Also, since I saw Matt Farah's guest appearance on the Joe Rogan vidcast, I can't unsee the fact that an i8 looks like it's giving birth to a 911!
Hoofy said:
Thanks for the great write up.
I understand the engine in the i8 is quite small as is the battery... what's the performance like when you run out of charge and it's all on the petrol engine? I guess it's still quick, but slower than the R8? I struggled to find 0-60 times on just the petrol engine. Was considering it against the 911 Turbo and R8 of a similar price range.
Most welcome! You can't run it out of battery, if the state of charge gets below a certain level, it'll always use the engine as a generator so the power's there when you want it. I understand the engine in the i8 is quite small as is the battery... what's the performance like when you run out of charge and it's all on the petrol engine? I guess it's still quick, but slower than the R8? I struggled to find 0-60 times on just the petrol engine. Was considering it against the 911 Turbo and R8 of a similar price range.
To get the most from the car, I find it's best to use each of the different modes to their potential, in particular Sport, Comfort (default hybrid) and eDrive (full electric). I'll use eDrive in towns/cities as well as through the little lanes between my house and the main road, Sport mode on A/B roads or pretty much anywhere between a town/city/village and Comfort mode on dual carriageways/motorways or if the battery is at 75% or more between towns.
Doing this means the battery is charged up when you want it in full electric mode and you've always got full power on an A/B road. Sport mode is a different state of tune to Comfort mode, in Sport it'll run the engine in a more aggressive tune as well as giving you maximum boost from the motors. Hopefully that makes sense!
CarPrintGuy said:
Both look fantastic, congrats.
While I love both cars, I can imagine the i8 is far easier to live with. I hear they average about 40 mpg driven hard?
Also, since I saw Matt Farah's guest appearance on the Joe Rogan vidcast, I can't unsee the fact that an i8 looks like it's giving birth to a 911!
Hahaa, I know what you mean! Thankfully the 911 thing isn't as obvious in person!While I love both cars, I can imagine the i8 is far easier to live with. I hear they average about 40 mpg driven hard?
Also, since I saw Matt Farah's guest appearance on the Joe Rogan vidcast, I can't unsee the fact that an i8 looks like it's giving birth to a 911!
40's about right, they really do cost peanuts to run. In comparison to the R8, I'm saving between £150-£200 a month just in fuel and road tax so not an inconsequential amount.
Always loved the i8 (I've had 2 of them now!) and would happily have third. Such a great blend of looks, performance, and reasonable running costs. Enjoy 
I’ve driven an i8 previously back to back with an M4 & loved it.
More initial torque & felt generally more nimble. In terms of speed- the 370hp claim seemed about right to me.
A decent amount of go but not outrageous.
I’m guessing the petrol engine part is probably remappable to give a bit more.?
Needed a bit more exhaust noise was my only complaint. The 3-pot noise is very pleasant- just not quite enough of it
More initial torque & felt generally more nimble. In terms of speed- the 370hp claim seemed about right to me.
A decent amount of go but not outrageous.
I’m guessing the petrol engine part is probably remappable to give a bit more.?
Needed a bit more exhaust noise was my only complaint. The 3-pot noise is very pleasant- just not quite enough of it
CarPrintGuy said:
Both look fantastic, congrats.
While I love both cars, I can imagine the i8 is far easier to live with. I hear they average about 40 mpg driven hard?
Also, since I saw Matt Farah's guest appearance on the Joe Rogan vidcast, I can't unsee the fact that an i8 looks like it's giving birth to a 911!
Oh Wowsers......that really does look like we are at the midwife end, brilliantWhile I love both cars, I can imagine the i8 is far easier to live with. I hear they average about 40 mpg driven hard?
Also, since I saw Matt Farah's guest appearance on the Joe Rogan vidcast, I can't unsee the fact that an i8 looks like it's giving birth to a 911!
CarPrintGuy said:
Both look fantastic, congrats.
While I love both cars, I can imagine the i8 is far easier to live with. I hear they average about 40 mpg driven hard?
Also, since I saw Matt Farah's guest appearance on the Joe Rogan vidcast, I can't unsee the fact that an i8 looks like it's giving birth to a 911!
I’ve owned an i8 and I never noticed this before. No I can’t unsee it. I sold mine about 18 months ago and wish I still had it. No idea why I sold it and wished I didn’t ever since. While I love both cars, I can imagine the i8 is far easier to live with. I hear they average about 40 mpg driven hard?
Also, since I saw Matt Farah's guest appearance on the Joe Rogan vidcast, I can't unsee the fact that an i8 looks like it's giving birth to a 911!
CarPrintGuy said:
Both look fantastic, congrats.
While I love both cars, I can imagine the i8 is far easier to live with. I hear they average about 40 mpg driven hard?
Also, since I saw Matt Farah's guest appearance on the Joe Rogan vidcast, I can't unsee the fact that an i8 looks like it's giving birth to a 911!
Yeah this is one of those things that very genuinely can't be unseen.While I love both cars, I can imagine the i8 is far easier to live with. I hear they average about 40 mpg driven hard?
Also, since I saw Matt Farah's guest appearance on the Joe Rogan vidcast, I can't unsee the fact that an i8 looks like it's giving birth to a 911!
OP will be selling his i8 shortly off the back of it!
I just. Great write up.
SamJB said:
Hoofy said:
Thanks for the great write up.
I understand the engine in the i8 is quite small as is the battery... what's the performance like when you run out of charge and it's all on the petrol engine? I guess it's still quick, but slower than the R8? I struggled to find 0-60 times on just the petrol engine. Was considering it against the 911 Turbo and R8 of a similar price range.
Most welcome! You can't run it out of battery, if the state of charge gets below a certain level, it'll always use the engine as a generator so the power's there when you want it. I understand the engine in the i8 is quite small as is the battery... what's the performance like when you run out of charge and it's all on the petrol engine? I guess it's still quick, but slower than the R8? I struggled to find 0-60 times on just the petrol engine. Was considering it against the 911 Turbo and R8 of a similar price range.
To get the most from the car, I find it's best to use each of the different modes to their potential, in particular Sport, Comfort (default hybrid) and eDrive (full electric). I'll use eDrive in towns/cities as well as through the little lanes between my house and the main road, Sport mode on A/B roads or pretty much anywhere between a town/city/village and Comfort mode on dual carriageways/motorways or if the battery is at 75% or more between towns.
Doing this means the battery is charged up when you want it in full electric mode and you've always got full power on an A/B road. Sport mode is a different state of tune to Comfort mode, in Sport it'll run the engine in a more aggressive tune as well as giving you maximum boost from the motors. Hopefully that makes sense!
I ran my i8 for a year 67 reg white with 20s, sold it for an m3 comp and miss it now lol.
Best car I've owned takes a bit to get used to the hybrid but for long runs I'd swap between eco Pro until I'd killed the battery and swap into sport to change back up doing so gave me massive economy. Genuinely think the m3 comp is only quicker when 100% on it, the low down punch from the i8 hybrid is amazing.
Best car I've owned takes a bit to get used to the hybrid but for long runs I'd swap between eco Pro until I'd killed the battery and swap into sport to change back up doing so gave me massive economy. Genuinely think the m3 comp is only quicker when 100% on it, the low down punch from the i8 hybrid is amazing.
Avenicus said:
Great write up - thanks
What are you getting on battery range fully charge (looks like a pre-LCI car)?
What are you getting on battery range fully charge (looks like a pre-LCI car)?
paradigital said:
Interesting and well written read. An i8 looks to be where my next move takes me, just trying to decide if it’s worth spending the extra on an LCI or not.
Thank you both! Fully charged, I'd say realistic range is 16-18 miles depending on how it's driven. LCI cars will only be a couple miles more than that so I'd say getting the best car you can afford would take precedence over LCI/pre-LCI unless you really want the updated seats or a Roadster. Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff