Audi R8 Review

The most high-performance road-going Audi ever. If there were any questions as to what the Audi R8 is, that's the answer. Designed to give Audi an honest competitor to the best exotics the world has to offer, the R8 is the first midengine production vehicle Audi has ever sold, and it encompasses everything the brand has learned from more than 70 years of racing history.

The Audi R8 came about as a production version of the Le Mans Quattro concept car. The name itself references Audi's R8 racecar that won several 24 Hours of Le Mans races. Performance from the R8 road car starts with a stiff and lightweight all-aluminum space frame chassis. Much of it is similar to the space frame used for the Lamborghini Gallardo. The R8 is advanced in other areas as well, such as having a direct-injected V8 or V10 engine with dry-sump lubrication, two-mode active dampers and, of course, Quattro all-wheel drive.

Although many high-performance exotics can be challenging to drive, Audi took effort to make sure its R8 is comfortable enough for daily use. The R8 really stands out via its interior, which is roomy and of high quality while also maintaining a modern design flair that is not normally associated with high-performance exotics.

Current Audi R8
The Audi R8 is available in both coupe and convertible body styles and also features a choice of two midmounted engines. The R8 4.2 Quattro features a 4.2-liter V8 that produces 430 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. The R8 5.2 Quattro gets a 5.2-liter V10 good for 525 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system that has been specially tuned for the R8 to deliver a decidedly rear-wheel-biased power delivery. Transmission choices are a standard six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed "R Tronic" sequential-shifting manual with an automatic mode.

As with most vehicles that have the engine mounted behind the driver, the R8 possesses an abbreviated nose that is adorned with the current corporate Audi grille and bi-xenon headlamps. The exotic look of the R8 is further enhanced by a series of 12 LED lights that underscores the headlamp housings and act as daytime running lights. The styling of the aluminum body consists of chiseled flanks that lead your eye to the "sideblades" that highlight the mid-mounted engine. The rear styling is accented by a glass engine cover and additional use of LED lighting.

Standard equipment on the Audi R8 is comprehensive, with only a short list of available options. Standard features include active dampers, 19-inch alloy wheels, and power and heated leather/Alcantara sport seats. Major options include a premium Bang & Olufsen sound system, navigation and upgraded leather upholstery and different finishes for the sideblades. These items are standard on the 5.2.

In reviews, we've found the R8 sublimely balanced in terms of handling. Whether you get the 4.2 or 5.2, the R8 is one of those rare vehicles with enough straight-line traction and cornering grip to match its high-performance engines. It's also a dignified sports car, mercifully free of those elements that make other supercars impossibly taxing in real-world use. It doesn't have goofy scissor doors, and 6-footers will fit comfortably with room to spare. The Audi R8 even rides astonishingly well, thanks to its two-mode adaptive dampers. Meanwhile, the interior is typically Audi, with solid controls and an ergonomic design. If there are any downsides, it would be a tiny trunk and the automated manual transmission, which doesn't shift smoothly.

Audi plans to import only a limited number of R8s into the United States each year. However, for those lucky owners who have the financial means to acquire one, Audi has produced a vehicle that proudly lives up to the heritage of its Auto Union badge.

Used Audi R8 Models
The R8 debuted for the 2008 model year with the 420-hp, 4.2-liter V8 engine only. The 525-hp 5.2-liter V10 arrived for 2010. The following year the V8 gained 10 hp and the convertible ("Spyder") debuted.