Wednesday 11th December 2013

Audi R8 - careful what you wish for: PH Blog

Does the super-smooth S Tronic chuck the baby out with the bath water?

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I was once very rude about the Audi R8 GT. Or, to be specific, very rude about the R Tronic robotised manual gearbox. The rest of the car I loved but that didn't stop my collar being felt by Audi PR shortly afterwards and informed that none other than Quattro boss Stephan Reil was, well, riled.

Long-termer BMW's had a quiet week...

Two years on and I've belatedly been enjoying the dual-clutch equipped S Tronic R8 V10, a car introduced on a launch event with the line "we won't keep you waiting ... unlike the R Tronic gearbox" by the same PR team. Vorsprung Durch Technik and all that - seems they never liked R Tronic either.

If this updated R8 proves anything it's that, sometimes, you need to be careful what you wish for. We all moaned about the ............ awkward .................. pauses in the R Tronic's shift. And with typical efficiency Audi didn't just get rid of them. It annihilated them and upshifts are as close to seamless as I've experienced on a dual-clutch car - ref. 'that' advert here. Call me an ungrateful sod but it's almost too much of a good thing and this lack of punctuation to the accelerative phase fools you into thinking the R8 V10 isn't that quick.

Indeed, that seems to be the R8's trick. It's 95 per cent sensible pants Audi. And five per cent Lambo-influenced lunatic. Compared with the darty 458 and synthesised 12C the steering is heavy and low-geared and for a big motor that V10 needs winding up a long way before it finally erupts into its truly dramatic final run to the redline. You need to be pretty determined to explore the fine, exploitable balance that lurks beyond the initial understeer too. To drag out a seasonally appropriate analogy in this period of Christmas parties it's the boring bloke from accounts who suddenly cuts amazing shapes on the dancefloor for one song and then quietly goes back to sipping his mineral water in the corner.

Two very different takes on the same theme

Parking it (badly, yes, I know, it's been done...) beside a 991 Turbo that had arrived early for the Porsche party at PH Towers prompted an interesting discussion on where one's fictional £120K would go. I'll have my first drive in the Turbo next week and have a better idea of how they compare then but even with the smoother S Tronic the R8 feels rather straightforward and old school, in an entirely appealing way. There's no doubting it looks and feels a bit more exotic than the 911, while carrying off that same trick of being entirely usable day to day. You can see out of it, it's comfy, seems to escape the worst of the negative publicity some flash cars attract and somewhat unfeasibly for a 5.2 V10 it'll tickle along at mid 20s motorway mpg too.

An inevitable bit of tyre kicking in the classifieds reveals V8s are now ducking under the £40K barrier and a V8 with the clickety-clack manual does appeal. Enough to tempt you away from an equivalently aged 997 S with £10K to spare? Tough call but with used V8 Vantages and the Maserati GranTurismos we discussed the other week all in the same ballpark it makes for a marketplace full of very different temptations.

We're still in agreement about R Tronic though, right?

Dan

Lead photo:PrimeExposures

 

[JonathanLegard]

I always quite liked the R-tronic R8 although I accept that I'm in a minority.

I back to back tested the V8 cars with VBOXes on board and the R-tronic was waaay quicker than the manual. I didn't even mind the slight hiatus before it slotted another gear. Like you say, be careful what you wish for.

[TWPC]

"An inevitable bit of tyre kicking in the classifieds reveals V8s are now ducking under the £40K barrier and a V8 with the clickety-clack manual does appeal. Enough to tempt you away from an equivalently aged 997 S with £10K to spare?"

Yes

Screaming V8, open gate manual, mid-engine, plenty of choice out there (no expertise on this, only judging by the classifieds). Tick, tick, tick, tick

I realise it's a bit of a cliche but in my imaginary car life, that and an old RS4 are the only Audis I'd consider.

The only fly in the ointment is that the wife asked me what it is because the protagonist in 'Fifty Shades of Grey' drives one...

[j_s14a]

Seems strange to read a piece about the V10 R8, and hear so little about that epic engine. Truly one of THE great engines.

Am I right in thinking that this is the last car being sold with the Lambo V10?

[RemyMartin]

As an ownership prospect I wouldn't even be considering a 991 turbo, sure same price point but V10 > flat 6 turbo.

[jeremyc]

The S-Tronic is undoubtedly an amazing bit of technology, offering lightning fast and near seamless shifts, but for me it rendered the driving experience somewhat anodyne and lacking in emotion and involvement.

However, I suspect this is exactly what most purchasers of the R8 want. Those who look for a more raw, involving experience will surely seek out a Gallardo. In fact, I bet most R8s are driven with the 'box in 'D' and the computer controlling all the shifting.

Me? I'd always take the manual with the open gate. But you knew I'd say that.

[TheBigUnit]

What do you want out of a supercar? Huge speed, comfort and ease of use? Or drama, noise, and speed that is the payoff for your concentration, and effort to 'learn' the car? The relentless march of technology means cars become easier to use, but every step towards the car that drives itself is another away from the reward that keen drivers look for in a car; that sense that it was your hard work and ability to understand the vehicle that made that sensational 50 miles on a Sunday morning happen. And if you are paying this sort of money for a car, surely you want to be rewarded?

[Baryonyx]

R-Tronic? Heh, it could have been worse, it could have had the basic Multitronic setup!

This is a sports car though, manual of bust for me thanks!

[kambites]

Early manual V8s certainly are getting down to tempting prices now. Are the maintenance costs more "Audi" or "Lamborghini"?

[VladD]

kambites said:

Early manual V8s certainly are getting down to tempting prices now. Are the maintenance costs more "Audi" or "Lamborghini"?

I think one of the last three Evos has a buyers guide to the R8. Maybe someone can reference that (Mine's already gone in the bin).

[TonyHetherington]

TWPCScreaming said:

V8, open gate manual, mid-engine, plenty of choice out there (no expertise on this, only judging by the classifieds). Tick, tick, tick, tick

I agree it's a belter of an engine, though wouldn't quite say it's a screamer. That's for Ferraris, I think. A great engine though.

[Dr G]

JonathanLegard said:

I always quite liked the R-tronic R8 although I accept that I'm in a minority.

I back to back tested the V8 cars with VBOXes on board and the R-tronic was waaay quicker than the manual. I didn't even mind the slight hiatus before it slotted another gear. Like you say, be careful what you wish for.

No, plenty of R-Tronic converts around here.

The delay in shifting is exaggerated for effect above. Most naysayers are either too lazy to drive to its strengths, only driven the car for 5 minutes or are regurgitating second hand forum nonsense.

The only real problem with R-Tronic is parking manouevers.

[suffolk009]

My wife thinks an R8 convertible, manual gearbox, grey paint, black leather is the perfect supercar.

[TWPC]

suffolk009 said:

My wife thinks an R8 convertible, manual gearbox, grey paint, black leather is the perfect supercar.

That sounds familiar. Mine wishes her husband was richer too, among other things...

[FWDRacer]

TWPC said:

suffolk009 said:

My wife thinks an R8 convertible, manual gearbox, grey paint, black leather is the perfect supercar.

That sounds familiar. Mine wishes her husband was richer too, among other things...

Just be thankfull she isn't demanding a bigger male chicken.

An Audi thread with the mention of cock in it. Who'd of thunk it, Eh? :P

[Heaveho]

Another here who thought the R-tronic got an unreasonable press. We had an early one for a couple of years, and I loved it, although I accept the box wasn't a masterpiece of technology.

[Beefmeister]

The best thing about the R8 is that you can walk into a dealership and order a 542bhp R8 V10 Plus with a manual gearbox.

Pretty much the only manual supercar you can buy now, kudos to Audi.

[Oddball RS]

I was once very rude about the Audi R8 GT. Or, to be specific, very rude about the R Tronic robotised manual gearbox. The rest of the car I loved but that didn't stop my collar being felt by Audi PR shortly afterwards and informed that none other than Quattro boss Stephan Reil was, well, riled.


Really? well Mr Stephan Reil its a free world and when you invite journo's to drive your product you expect just gushing reviews? It was a product review. (Dig your way out of that Audi PR... maybe more time improving dealer service, you could start in Sheffield!)

[Blu3R]

I'm with the majority on the R tronic in the V10, and I echo the comment about having to get the V10 higher in the revs to experience what it has to offer. Those combined makes it hard to shift to 2nd before hitting the limiter from a standstill which is an area of a driving experience I'd rather not have to learn. If I want to change gear then I want to change gear, I don't want to think 'I'd better change gear now because that's what I'll want to do in a bit.
The S tronic V10 literally blew me away though as a passenger but I can't say with hand on heart that I'd own one. I haven't experienced a manual so can't comment but a manual Gallardo certainly did it for me.

[nkhalid]

ive had my V10R8 r-tronic about 4years now, the shifts are brutal and violent, i like them that way. its that simple.. at least when i change gear i know its happenned.. as does my passenger with a whoop of excitement.. shifts are slow if you are a reviewer or a race car driver.. but for mr average.. theyre fine thanks.. i know several R-tronic owners who feel the same.. drive any Dual clutch system and gear changes are seamless and emotionless IMHO...

[rwindmill]

I cant help but feel a sense of deep irony, when i read motoring hacks talking about how modern day supercars are boring/easy to drive/lacking in feel etc etc.

Cast you minds back 30 years and read the reviews about supercars of that era, and you will read those self same motoring hack talk about how difficult the cars were to drive, with their heavy clutches and steering, poor visibility and the 'on/off switch' power delivery of the engines.

Do the PH journos accept that they have a particularly large hand in the evolution of the modern super car, from scary monster to tame pet that thrills no more than your avergae family hatchback???

Be careful what you wish for indeed