Porsche & R8 V10 MT drivers
Discussion
Could anyone with experience of the R8 V10 MT offer any advice on what they are like as a drivers car. Found a nice example with carbon brakes, sports seats and Akrapovic exhaust that has taken more of my attention that it should. Before I go off wasting hours researching; any experience from the enthusiastic Porsche drivers here would be much appreciated 
Brakes were the main problem on my old v10. I found the Audi ceramics very digital and hard to modulate with the brake pedal being generally massively overservo'd. The car also felt (and was) quite heavy but tbh overall I thought the car was very good even if I'd agree with cmoose the car isn't going to be as precise as something like a gt3. Superb engine (every bit the equal if not better than anything in a GT car), very good damping on a fast country road, very good build quality.
isaldiri said:
Brakes were the main problem on my old v10. I found the Audi ceramics very digital and hard to modulate with the brake pedal being generally massively overservo'd. The car also felt (and was) quite heavy but tbh overall I thought the car was very good even if I'd agree with cmoose the car isn't going to be as precise as something like a gt3. Superb engine (every bit the equal if not better than anything in a GT car), very good damping on a fast country road, very good build quality.
Pretty much how I found it, ceramics felt very over servoed more noticeable on track and the real negative I found with the car. Great daily drivers however and the motor is the main event and makes a fantastic noise. The V8 whilst slower felt noticeably more nimble on track.
I was looking at these recently. NA V10, manual gearbox, Mid engined. What's not to love?
My findings were the same as cmoose but one more thing to note was how wide the car felt on the road.
Also, have a read of this thread regarding chassis cracks. It may be nothing to worry about but still.... https://www.r8talk.com/forums/60-maintenance-servi...
My findings were the same as cmoose but one more thing to note was how wide the car felt on the road.
Also, have a read of this thread regarding chassis cracks. It may be nothing to worry about but still.... https://www.r8talk.com/forums/60-maintenance-servi...
I've had 6 Porsche's and had an R8 V10 manual. It lasted 3 or 4 months.
If you're a Porsche fan and you like them due to what makes them great, you'll find most of it lacking in the R8. Sound, steering feel, gear change, seats. Mine had a milltek exhaust and was running Cup 2's and I still felt it lacked.
Everything I like about Porsche's wasn't really evident in the R8, so in my opinion it's not a move I would make again. Yes it looks the part, but if you're a fan of things other than looks and outright speed I don't think you'll be impressed.
If you're a Porsche fan and you like them due to what makes them great, you'll find most of it lacking in the R8. Sound, steering feel, gear change, seats. Mine had a milltek exhaust and was running Cup 2's and I still felt it lacked.
Everything I like about Porsche's wasn't really evident in the R8, so in my opinion it's not a move I would make again. Yes it looks the part, but if you're a fan of things other than looks and outright speed I don't think you'll be impressed.
Olivera said:
Gen 1 R8 V8 is a real nice drive, very good chassis and handling. Anyone that says otherwise flies in the face of pretty much every respected road car reviewer.
I'd certainly have one over the equivalent modern 911, unless the budget stretched to a 997.2.
It is a nice drive and it does indeed have a good chassis and handling. It also looks great, grips like crazy and has some very nice toys. In fact, there's a great deal going for it. I'd certainly have one over the equivalent modern 911, unless the budget stretched to a 997.2.
However, I own both an R8 V8 and a 987 Boxster Spyder. The latter is significantly better to drive and just more fun. A V10 would be a lovely engine to have, but it wouldn't change that conclusion.
For that reason, the R8 will be advertised for sale shortly
Edited by Lox on Tuesday 16th October 12:23
isaldiri said:
Brakes were the main problem on my old v10. I found the Audi ceramics very digital and hard to modulate with the brake pedal being generally massively overservo'd. The car also felt (and was) quite heavy but tbh overall I thought the car was very good even if I'd agree with cmoose the car isn't going to be as precise as something like a gt3. Superb engine (every bit the equal if not better than anything in a GT car), very good damping on a fast country road, very good build quality.
This is pretty much spot on. The brakes are very powerful and with practice they're very good but definitely over served (as is every VAG car I drive, nearly head butted the steering wheel of my wife Golf GTi after jumping in it after my old Megane ) My car was a late plus and as such probably the best the gen 1 R8 got, bit lighter, bit more power and passive one setting suspension. Yes it feels bit heavy but still more agile than a Gallardo IME, steering good by normal standards, miles short of GT Porsche though, pretty refined and very fast with an absolute monster of an engine, Actually superbly sorted chassis that like all great cars deals with undulating and broken surfaces amazingly well, effortless composed
V10 Plus very much worth holding out for
I had a 997.1 C4S for four and a half years, and then swapped into a manual R8 V10 recently. I fancied a change, and was seduced by the noise and sense of occasion of the Audi. I also felt that compared to the Gallardo and GT3 alternatives an R8 V10 is outstanding value if you're not put off by the Audi badge (doesn't bother me).
My experience was that the 997 is a sports car, with a great driving position, lovely steering, and it gives you confidence to throw it around when fitted with the proper tyres (I had Michelin PS4S on when I sold it). It was an amazingly practical car too.
The R8 is more refined to drive, in as much as it is quieter at regular speeds and with magnetic dampers the ride quality is miles better than the 997. It is also quite a lot faster than a standard C4S, and makes a fabulous noise at higher engine speeds. The Audi is still pretty new to me, so I'm acutely aware of the overall size still. I agree with previous comments that the steering lacks feel compared to the 997 (which in turn wasn't as good as the 986 Boxster S I had before, and which itself was outclassed by the mk3 MX-5 I have now), and the brakes definitely feel much more heavily assisted at standard road speeds. My suspicion is that the Audi would come alive at higher speeds (you'll want sharp brakes when pulling up from 180mph), whereas the Porsche was better judged for UK road driving.
I love the open gate manual transmission in the R8, although the brake pedal assistance and the incredibly light flywheel means heel-and-toe down shifts are tricky to execute at low speeds. It's much easier to double de-clutch downshifts than in the Porsche for the same reason. The seats are umpteen-way adjustable and I'm still fiddling around to get a seating position I'm happy with, but despite this it is a relaxing car to drive over long distances.
The Audi has Pirelli P-Zero on at the moment, and they're fantastic in the dry but skittish in the wet. I wonder whether playing around with pressures would change the steering feel a bit, because I always ran the 997 at maximum inflation pressure and it seemed sharper as a result on the Michelins.
One final note is that the R8 V10 is really rather thirsty, and with a massive fuel tank each fill up is into three-figure sums of V-Power - I did 14mpg on my first tank.
Hope this is helpful, and it is probably worth noting that when I was trading up I was exploring the idea of a 997 GT3 (ruled out because they're far more expensive than an R8 V10) or a 997 turbo (surprisingly too uninspiring compared to my C4S, even if it was hugely fast) too.
My experience was that the 997 is a sports car, with a great driving position, lovely steering, and it gives you confidence to throw it around when fitted with the proper tyres (I had Michelin PS4S on when I sold it). It was an amazingly practical car too.
The R8 is more refined to drive, in as much as it is quieter at regular speeds and with magnetic dampers the ride quality is miles better than the 997. It is also quite a lot faster than a standard C4S, and makes a fabulous noise at higher engine speeds. The Audi is still pretty new to me, so I'm acutely aware of the overall size still. I agree with previous comments that the steering lacks feel compared to the 997 (which in turn wasn't as good as the 986 Boxster S I had before, and which itself was outclassed by the mk3 MX-5 I have now), and the brakes definitely feel much more heavily assisted at standard road speeds. My suspicion is that the Audi would come alive at higher speeds (you'll want sharp brakes when pulling up from 180mph), whereas the Porsche was better judged for UK road driving.
I love the open gate manual transmission in the R8, although the brake pedal assistance and the incredibly light flywheel means heel-and-toe down shifts are tricky to execute at low speeds. It's much easier to double de-clutch downshifts than in the Porsche for the same reason. The seats are umpteen-way adjustable and I'm still fiddling around to get a seating position I'm happy with, but despite this it is a relaxing car to drive over long distances.
The Audi has Pirelli P-Zero on at the moment, and they're fantastic in the dry but skittish in the wet. I wonder whether playing around with pressures would change the steering feel a bit, because I always ran the 997 at maximum inflation pressure and it seemed sharper as a result on the Michelins.
One final note is that the R8 V10 is really rather thirsty, and with a massive fuel tank each fill up is into three-figure sums of V-Power - I did 14mpg on my first tank.
Hope this is helpful, and it is probably worth noting that when I was trading up I was exploring the idea of a 997 GT3 (ruled out because they're far more expensive than an R8 V10) or a 997 turbo (surprisingly too uninspiring compared to my C4S, even if it was hugely fast) too.
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