Discussion
I know this is the Porsche forum but want Porsche drivers' opinions.
Had a sit in the Audi R8 in their Green Park showroom yesterday and it looks great and is lovely inside but the ticket price was £89,595! Now i love Audis but this is too much when you can have a fully loaded C4S for under 80k - it's also well into Fezza, Aston territory!
Also i am not convinced the Audi dealer network is geared up to deal with cars in this price/performance bracket. Would rather have an RS4 for 50k and a Boxster for sunny days for the same price!
Had a sit in the Audi R8 in their Green Park showroom yesterday and it looks great and is lovely inside but the ticket price was £89,595! Now i love Audis but this is too much when you can have a fully loaded C4S for under 80k - it's also well into Fezza, Aston territory!
Also i am not convinced the Audi dealer network is geared up to deal with cars in this price/performance bracket. Would rather have an RS4 for 50k and a Boxster for sunny days for the same price!
I think the R8 will be a fantastic car, and a worthy competitor for the
Carrera range, and even the the GT3 if it gets the V10 engine...
Two BIG downside for me are:
1. Badge snobbery, would you really feel comfortable knowing you've spent
£90k on and Audi, i personally think they should have made up another brand name for it ??,
kind of like Lexus is to Toyota etc...
2. It looks too much like the new TT, that most won't be able to tell the difference
from a distance.
Carrera range, and even the the GT3 if it gets the V10 engine...
Two BIG downside for me are:
1. Badge snobbery, would you really feel comfortable knowing you've spent
£90k on and Audi, i personally think they should have made up another brand name for it ??,
kind of like Lexus is to Toyota etc...
2. It looks too much like the new TT, that most won't be able to tell the difference
from a distance.
A friend of mine has one on order,for me its in a different class in all aspects to a 997, it gives a sense of occasion that the 997 can only dream about. As for Badge snobbery, Boxters at 10k and 996's at £18k have put a Porsche badge on par with the M3's,AMG's and S4's of the world.And as for Audi dealers in general? Dont know about where you are but our local Audi dealer is a new state of the art complex at Glasgow which makes my local OPC look like the corner shop.
I know we all love Porches on this forum but credit is definately due for the R8 and Audi in general.
I know we all love Porches on this forum but credit is definately due for the R8 and Audi in general.
The R8 is surely a great car but IMHO not a 911 beater:
just my 2p on this
- Performance: On the Ring an R8 with sticky rubber is just about 1 second faster than a 997S on standard tyres. A 997GT3 - which is not out of the R8 price range and runs sticky tyres as well - does the Ring 17 seconds faster. The R8 beats the 911 only on very twisty tracks like Hockenheim, but there impressively so...
- Price: As mentioned above, the R8 is more GT3 territory and for that money I definitively know which car I'd choose
- Looks (highly subjective I know): I just can't warm to the R8's exterior. Where a Gallardo is a sexy and brutal machine the R8 just looks so overdesigned (side blades anyone? what the f*ck is this?). I wouldn't want to be seen dead in a car with engine bay show lights...
just my 2p on this
Edited by Dr S on Tuesday 10th July 12:11
Still think a 997 with an aero kit or a GT3 looks as good if not better than the R8...At the end of the day its horses for courses and it's just my opinion of course....
I was though looking at a used Gallardo at the weekend, now that is tempting, but still I wonder about reliability....still tempting though....
I was though looking at a used Gallardo at the weekend, now that is tempting, but still I wonder about reliability....still tempting though....
Every brand is synonymous with 1 key product/design element:
Porsche = 911
Lambo = flat bonnet/windscreen rake
VW = Golf
BMW = 3 series (mostly)
Mercedes = lux barges
Toyota = Corolla
Lexus = LS4xx
etc...
Audi?
Audi = upscale/overpriced TDI VWs
Porsche = 911
Lambo = flat bonnet/windscreen rake
VW = Golf
BMW = 3 series (mostly)
Mercedes = lux barges
Toyota = Corolla
Lexus = LS4xx
etc...
Audi?
Audi = upscale/overpriced TDI VWs
Edited by PolarExpress on Tuesday 10th July 12:45
Still best looking car going (IMHO)!I'd of said that Audi is still famous for the Quattro....well among those that can remember their dominance in Rallying....more recently, definitely the RS's....
Still not convinced that the R8 is going to sway many away from Porsche...maybe in years to come but not for some time....part of the decision in why I got a 997, was the relatively low depreciation....Can't see the Audi holdings its price once the initial demand and waiting lists have calmed down a bit...
Still not convinced that the R8 is going to sway many away from Porsche...maybe in years to come but not for some time....part of the decision in why I got a 997, was the relatively low depreciation....Can't see the Audi holdings its price once the initial demand and waiting lists have calmed down a bit...
I like it, agree it does seem a little overpriced though, once the wannabe speculators have had their fun(?) the market will work out it's true worth 
Personally I think Audi is a quality brand, they have the best interior buid quality I have seen, they are definitely on the up where as Porsche became a global brand when they got the Japanese time and motion guys in and later made the off roader.
Strangely enough I think of Audi at the forefront of 4wd technology and flaming exhausts of swb Quattros with either Mikkola or Mouton at the helm rather than Tdis.....there is of course the recent run of Le Mans tdi wins to reflect on.
Awesome car in the flesh, I really do think it will do well with it's own niche in the market.
Personally I think Audi is a quality brand, they have the best interior buid quality I have seen, they are definitely on the up where as Porsche became a global brand when they got the Japanese time and motion guys in and later made the off roader.
Strangely enough I think of Audi at the forefront of 4wd technology and flaming exhausts of swb Quattros with either Mikkola or Mouton at the helm rather than Tdis.....there is of course the recent run of Le Mans tdi wins to reflect on.
Awesome car in the flesh, I really do think it will do well with it's own niche in the market.
PolarExpress said:
Audi?
Audi = upscale/overpriced TDI VWs
Never heard of the Audi Quattro - THE rally car of the 80s and the introducer of quattro 4WD for the masses.Audi = upscale/overpriced TDI VWs
I assume you've never owned an Audi?
The R8 is a very desirable car, and whether you like it or not looks more expensive than a 911. The interior, as with ALL Audi interiors, is a class above most cars, even those costing up to 100k.
Having said all that I decided not to replace my 911 C4S with the R8 I had on order - it's a strange world!!
Sidicks
Glenn McMenamin said:
I think the R8 will be a fantastic car, and a worthy competitor for the
Carrera range, and even the the GT3 if it gets the V10 engine...
Two BIG downside for me are:
1. Badge snobbery, would you really feel comfortable knowing you've spent
£90k on and Audi, i personally think they should have made up another brand name for it ??,
kind of like Lexus is to Toyota etc...
2. It looks too much like the new TT, that most won't be able to tell the difference
from a distance.
I would have to agree on the second point, saw one at Goodwood, as well as on the M25.. looks very similar to the TT. Also if your spending that sort of money you expect a high level of service, walk into any Audi dealership, they will be dealing with a whole range of cars starting with an A2 up to the R8. Do you expect to get a better level of service? Carrera range, and even the the GT3 if it gets the V10 engine...
Two BIG downside for me are:
1. Badge snobbery, would you really feel comfortable knowing you've spent
£90k on and Audi, i personally think they should have made up another brand name for it ??,
kind of like Lexus is to Toyota etc...
2. It looks too much like the new TT, that most won't be able to tell the difference
from a distance.
On a recent thread i mentioned that in a conversation with a couple of Audi dealers they thought the price would be about the 50k mark but were concerned that the parent company may have other ideas, but as they are sold out for 2 years maybe the bigger profit margin Porsche work on is right.
sidicks said:
PolarExpress said:
Audi?
Audi = upscale/overpriced TDI VWs
Never heard of the Audi Quattro - THE rally car of the 80s and the introducer of quattro 4WD for the masses.Audi = upscale/overpriced TDI VWs
I assume you've never owned an Audi?
The R8 is a very desirable car, and whether you like it or not looks more expensive than a 911. The interior, as with ALL Audi interiors, is a class above most cars, even those costing up to 100k.
Having said all that I decided not to replace my 911 C4S with the R8 I had on order - it's a strange world!!
Sidicks
TDI technology, however, has completely changed the buying habits of people throughout the Continent. The vast majority of typical car buyers (ie, not PHers) recognise Diesel power as the economic way forward. And most people buy cars with their head, not heart. In this regard, Audi/VW have been the market leaders and they have re-emphasised this of late with the TDI R10s at LM. It's not 'Quattro' that leads them, it's 'TDi'.
I totally agree that the interior of Audis are a class above everyone else. In particular the R8 which has, imho, the most stunning interior architecture of any production vehicle at present. All the touch points are exquisite.
The RS range is great for all petrolheads, but it is too new, overly luxury oriented, and lacks motorsport credibility to be a true halo brand... yet.
Edited by PolarExpress on Tuesday 10th July 14:02
Just speaking from the experience i have had with Audis and from the general slating most 996's get on this forum for there build quality and engines, i think Audi have came up with a fantastic car which i believe will steal allot of Porsche customers. As for the price,i agree £90k is a bit pricey but anyone that pays £130k for the up and coming GT2 is a complete mug in my eyes.
Well Audi is certainly learning from Porsche on the pricing strategy...I would have said £65k tops would be more realistic i mean the RS4 is £50k and it has the same engine. What exactly adds £30k to this price, you might as well; stretch and get the lambo its based on anyway.
Could be an interesting pre owned buy in a couple of years at £40k...
Could be an interesting pre owned buy in a couple of years at £40k...
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