My thoughts on the R8
Discussion
Well having driven a couple of R8's I thought I'd write up how I felt the car was, hopefully someone will find it interesting.
Both cars that I drove were R-Tronic. The changes going up were fine and felt good, however slowing down it was jerky and took its time to think, around town it was jerky, the manual changes were quick though and I can see it being easy to cruise in and I think I'd still prefer an R-Tronic over the manual (because I'm lazy).
The looks are amazing, I'd definitely say its the best looking car around and it has great road presence, everyone just stares, more so than on a gallardo.
The interior does not dissapoint and although it may look boring I loved sitting in it and it's a good place to be. The steering wheel is the best feature for me, the shape and feel of it.
Last but not least the noise, such a distinctive growl...awesome! It wasn't as quick as I thought it would be but it's quick none the less, maybe I could have done something differently to make it go faster.
Overall there's no doubt its the best in its class, I don't think the 911 carrera can match the R8 in terms of appeal, R8 everyday of the week for me.
Both cars that I drove were R-Tronic. The changes going up were fine and felt good, however slowing down it was jerky and took its time to think, around town it was jerky, the manual changes were quick though and I can see it being easy to cruise in and I think I'd still prefer an R-Tronic over the manual (because I'm lazy).
The looks are amazing, I'd definitely say its the best looking car around and it has great road presence, everyone just stares, more so than on a gallardo.
The interior does not dissapoint and although it may look boring I loved sitting in it and it's a good place to be. The steering wheel is the best feature for me, the shape and feel of it.
Last but not least the noise, such a distinctive growl...awesome! It wasn't as quick as I thought it would be but it's quick none the less, maybe I could have done something differently to make it go faster.
Overall there's no doubt its the best in its class, I don't think the 911 carrera can match the R8 in terms of appeal, R8 everyday of the week for me.
No they were my brother in laws, they were both V8's. I have to say in my own opinion that it does turn more heads than a Gallardo, saw a gallardo spyder straight after and i thougt...box. Its just too boxy and common. I know the R8 is fairly common but it still has that wow factor, made me feel like a kid again.
Ive been fortunate enough to have driven both the R8 and the superleggera, in my view they are in a different class from each other but the R8 is a better and more comfortable drive on the road. You find that there will be more people slagging you off and calling you names as you drive down the road in a lambo than in the R8. The Lambo tries too hard to say hey look at me, where as the R8 grabs attention by crusing along with class and elegance.
rob_nismo350z said:
Ive been fortunate enough to have driven both the R8 and the superleggera, in my view they are in a different class from each other but the R8 is a better and more comfortable drive on the road. You find that there will be more people slagging you off and calling you names as you drive down the road in a lambo than in the R8. The Lambo tries too hard to say hey look at me, where as the R8 grabs attention by crusing along with class and elegance.
The superleggera is a hardcore car and is obviously not going to be as comfy as an r8. Lambo trys too hard? They have been making mental cars that look mental and sound bonkers before Audi even thought about producing a warm supercar.Ultimately opinions on looks are highly subjective and down to personal preference. I'd say that the R8 is a fine looking car, but it does also undoubtedly have Audi design cues and in some ways bears passing resemblance to a new shape TT. Lamborghini on the other hand have always been known for a certain purity of purpose. There are some vivid colour choices that are very popular on Lambos and may be a reason for some negativity but that may be more down to the colour than the car - or indeed down to how it's being driven. I've never had anyone slagging me off or calling me names and I've put on plenty of miles by Lambo standards.
The ride on the R8 with the magnetic dampers is astonishingly good. The 4.2 has a phenomenal breadth of capability and is immensely user friendly (haven't driven the V10 version). The Lambo on the other hand isn't anywhere near as user friendly. In some ways that can be part of its appeal; I found it interesting how the newer LP560 version is much more like the R8 in how it handles so you don't need to drive with a pit of fear in the bottom of your stomach. Shame they've muted the sound on it though, probably down to emissions or the like. Can't see how Lambo can justify such a massive price hike for it over the previous generation. I don't think the Gallardo coupe version stacks up financially against an R8 in the least. I'll take the R8 and a suitcase with £40k cash in it please!
Gearboxes...again very subjective but I've always been a manual lover. I found the R8 paddle shift version a little too lurchy for my liking, whereas the Gallardo one just seems to get the job done without any fuss. The R8 manual is significantly better than the Gallardo one however which needs plenty of time to warm up before you can get passable changes into second. I've heard the buying trends reflect this too; apparently most R8's are manual, most Gallardo's are e-gear.
Gallardo Spyders common? I'd have to disagree with that one; Lamborghini London were only selling 100 new cars a year as the most established dealer in the UK before the crunch. This includes the Murcie too but it's still a very low figure either way.
The R8 is probably the most talented, user friendly all-round supercar on the market at the moment and is probably as easy to use every day as it would be to drive across a continent in it. The only thing a 911 can beat it on is if you absolutely need a couple of tiny seats in the back. The Gallardo though, is more of an event to drive. IMHO.
The ride on the R8 with the magnetic dampers is astonishingly good. The 4.2 has a phenomenal breadth of capability and is immensely user friendly (haven't driven the V10 version). The Lambo on the other hand isn't anywhere near as user friendly. In some ways that can be part of its appeal; I found it interesting how the newer LP560 version is much more like the R8 in how it handles so you don't need to drive with a pit of fear in the bottom of your stomach. Shame they've muted the sound on it though, probably down to emissions or the like. Can't see how Lambo can justify such a massive price hike for it over the previous generation. I don't think the Gallardo coupe version stacks up financially against an R8 in the least. I'll take the R8 and a suitcase with £40k cash in it please!
Gearboxes...again very subjective but I've always been a manual lover. I found the R8 paddle shift version a little too lurchy for my liking, whereas the Gallardo one just seems to get the job done without any fuss. The R8 manual is significantly better than the Gallardo one however which needs plenty of time to warm up before you can get passable changes into second. I've heard the buying trends reflect this too; apparently most R8's are manual, most Gallardo's are e-gear.
Gallardo Spyders common? I'd have to disagree with that one; Lamborghini London were only selling 100 new cars a year as the most established dealer in the UK before the crunch. This includes the Murcie too but it's still a very low figure either way.
The R8 is probably the most talented, user friendly all-round supercar on the market at the moment and is probably as easy to use every day as it would be to drive across a continent in it. The only thing a 911 can beat it on is if you absolutely need a couple of tiny seats in the back. The Gallardo though, is more of an event to drive. IMHO.
Gassing Station | Audi, Seat, Skoda & VW | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff