Audi R8 – 2008

Introduction

Audi R8 – 2008 First Drive: The proof is in the pudding. It’s a simple little adage that applies to countless aspects of our lives, especially as we head into 2008. Our brief respite has come to a screeching halt as yet another election year descends upon us, bringing along its barrage of finger-pointing, baby-kissing, and thoroughly Maybellined slew of polished candidates. With them come promises of world-changing proportions, miraculously achievable without raising taxes or having any ill effects on even one member of society.

Car companies make bold claims as well, though much less extreme. Just last year, Audi suggested that it would no longer settle for its second-string status among mass-produced luxury brands. My inner cynic and skeptic mumbled something about not holding any breath. And then I tasted the pudding, so to speak. Among a host of Audi products is the 420-horsepower, all-wheel-drive 2008 R8 which will have track junkies and affluent commuters alike asking, “BMWho?” At nearly $115,000 to start, the R8 is pricey, yet for those lucky few who actually get one, the payoff comes in the way of unmistakable style, uncompromised handling coupled with everyday comfort, and ties to a renowned racing heritage.

The pudding has been tasted, and it is indeed sweet. Audi deserves less of my cynicism, but the politicians? Not a chance.

Origins

Audi has been showing what we’ve come to know as the R8 for a few years, with the vehicle’s first debut taking place in Europe in 2003. At that time, Audi dubbed it the Le Mans Concept, though for production the R8 name was borrowed from the brand’s five-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner.

The Basics: Model Mix

Shoppers hitting up their local Audi dealers for the all-new R8 should understand that their car of choice is about style and performance, not a long list of standard equipment. Among the essentials that come with each model are cruise control, 10-way power seats with power lumbar, leather and Alcantara upholstery, a single-zone climate control system, and a fairly basic sound system pushing 140 watts of power out of seven speakers. Sirius satellite radio service is also standard, as are a keyless entry system, an alarm system, and 19-inch alloy wheels and high-performance tires. There’s also rear defroster, which would be a thoughtful touch were it not for the fact that the small rear window is utterly useless regardless of weather conditions.

That list of features is all fine and good, but if you’re one of the few lucky buyers to actually land an R8 you’ll probably be interested in differentiating your ride with some choice options. First is Navigation Plus, which though it’s technically listed as an option is actually required on every R8 order. It includes an MP3 player and integrates Audi’s MMI central control system. Next are creature comfort upgrades, such as a special nappa leather package and a personalized interior option, and interior enhancements like a park assist system and a rockin’ 465-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system with 12 speakers.

Pricing

Technically, the 2008 Audi R8 starts at $109,000. Not bad for a super ride produced at a rate of 22 cars per day from Audi’s plant in Neckarsulm, Germany. The actual price is a bit higher, though we dare say still in the range that qualifies the R8 as a bargain. There’s the $1,000 destination charge, a $2,100 gas guzzler tax that’s due regardless of which transmission you choose, and the $2,000 Navigation Plus system that’s required with every R8 order. That all comes to $5,100, and when tacked onto the $109,000 base price, brings the R8’s starting sticker to $114,100. Opting for an R8 with the R Tronic automatic transmission will add $9,000 to the bottom line, bringing the starting bid to $123,100.

If there are still a few coins rattling around in that piggy bank, Audi has some enticing packages that might interest the R8 buyer. The $3,500 Premium Package adds the parking assist system with rearview camera, a six-disc CD changer, hill hold assist technology that’s a must in San Francisco, added storage, Bluetooth connectivity, and more. There are also two leather packages – for $2,000 Audi offers upgraded nappa upholstery, or for $5,500 one gets the nappa on the seats and doors plus black leather on the dash and center panels. Other options include a black Alcantara headliner ($1,300), a body color or Oxygen Silver sideblade ($1,000), an outstanding Bang & Olufsen sound system ($1,800), and metallic or pearl paint finishes ($650).

What’s New: Outside

Its long, low and thoroughly menacing aluminum body immediately informs even the casual observer that the R8 is all about performance…and might even appear to be a bit irritated about being away from the nearest track. But through it all are a few key Audi signature elements, including a string of LED daytime running lights at the bottom edge of the bi-xenon headlights and a tall grille, this time with the Audi rings relocated to the edge of a sleek hood. The rear is accented by LED taillights, quad tailpipes, and large, finned vents on either side of the center license plate frame. Above are an automatic rear spoiler and a clear hood with LED lighting that works to showcase the mid-mounted V-8 engine. Impressive, yet it’s the Audi R8’s side profile that will determine if it wins or loses buyers’ acclaim. All will likely favor fat 19-inch alloys and the arched shoulder running the vehicle. But that sideblade – it’s a love or hate functional styling cue, one that delivers air to engine and can be decorated in a variety of colors.

Inside

Like any true sports car, the 2008 Audi R8 requires a little finesse when getting seated. Inside is a driver-centric cockpit, with the instrument panel and its controls offering quick and easy use by the pilot behind the flat-bottom, leather-wrapped steering wheel. The primary gauges, a speedometer and tachometer, are large and clearly legible, while the oft-used and intuitive radio and climate control buttons are well-marked on the center console. There are padded surfaces galore and two cupholders provide a welcome spot for that hot morning latte. The immensely comfortable and sensationally bolstered buckets are wrapped in regular or upgraded nappa leather. Genuine aluminum is used for the shift knob, shift gate, and shift paddles when equipped with the R Tronic transmission. The only thing that’s lacking is storage space, measuring about 3.5 cubic feet between the seats and rear glass.

Under the Hood

Under the R8’s clear hood is a mid-mounted 32-valve 4.2-liter V-8, featuring FSI direct injection and built with a cast iron block mated to aluminum heads. It’s rated at 420 horses at 7,800 rpm and 317 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,500 rpm. Redline is reached at 8,250 rpm. A dry sump lubrication system ensures the R8’s powerplant internals are always bathed in a sufficient amount of oil, and the standard quattro all-wheel-drive system promises optimal handling and traction. That hardware is in addition to a Servotronic speed-sensitive steering setup, double wishbone suspension with magnetic ride adaptive damping, and the choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed R Tronic automatic transmission. Regardless of transmission, you’re looking at an Audi-estimated 4.4-second 0-60 mph run and a top speed of 187 mph.

Safety

A car that hits 187 mph needs to be safe, and that’s just what Audi engineers have designed the 2008 R8 to be. Among the features intended to keep driver and passenger alive and kicking are side and knee airbags, a tire pressure monitoring system, and internally-vented antilock disc brakes measuring a whopping 15 inches up front and 14 inches out back (with eight-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers). R8 drivers also benefit from the employment of a stability control system with sport and off settings, Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR), an electronic differential lock, and electronic rear brake pressure distribution.

Driving: Test Car, Location

Our encounter with the R8 came during a two-day introduction to Audi’s newest performance products, an event that also included the S5 and the RS 4 Cabriolet. We spent the first day exploring the S5, leaving us to greet the sunrise of day two with a gorgeous R8. After leaving behind the comfort of the Solage Spa Resort in Calistoga, we experimented with the R Tronic transmission as we hustled toward a day at northern California’s Infineon Raceway, where limits of drivers and R8s alike were to be tested. With an instructors’ briefing behind us, we spent the next several hours flogging R8s (and S5s and RS 4 Cabriolets) on the track and through a challenging autocross course. When all was said and done, professional drivers turned off all of the R8’s traction systems and demonstrated the R8’s impressive capabilities…and our utter lack of the same.

Performance

Infineon Raceway is a great place to evaluate a performance car – straights and sweepers allow for high speeds and the tight corners that follow test braking going in and handling heading through. What we found were 420 horses motivating 3,605 pounds of mass with the utmost authority, though the sensation was short of the exhilaration one might experience in a Corvette Z06 or Dodge Viper. Still, stab the go pedal from a stop and you’ll be tugged a bit deeper into a thickly bolstered seat. Interestingly, this is the same powertrain that’s found in the RS 4 Cabriolet we drove the same day, though the R8 felt more responsive at lower revs. We also preferred the R8’s manual transmission, which featured a perfectly modulated clutch, making it suitable for heavy stop-and-go traffic. On the track, the precise six-cogger allowed us to ram the aluminum shifter through the gears, much to our delight. It was under those same circumstances that the V-8 emitted an intoxicating growl as it pulled hard to its 8,250 rpm redline and roped in triple-digit speeds without blinking an eye.

Such grin-inducing fun was reduced when we took to the track in an R Tronic-equipped R8. Similar to BMW’s SMG and dissimilar to the S Tronic used on other Audis, the R Tronic is a clutchless manual transmission that requires the driver to lift the throttle just before each automatic shift to smooth out the operation. Failure to heed this advice will lead to a jerky ride and likely neck pain. On the open road, the R Tronic is a headache, but the quick shift action of the paddle shifters makes it suitable for track driving…even if it can’t hold a candle to the manual. EPA-estimated fuel economy for the manual is 13 mpg city/20 mpg highway, and 13 mpg city/18 mpg highway for the R Tronic.

Driving: Ride and Handling

If you’re interested in an R8, chances are you’re an enthusiast familiar with the concept of aggressive driving. You just might agree that apexes are to be attacked, balancing over- and understeer is an art, and a wagging tail is a happy tail. It is for the driver with that mindset, and at least $110,000, that Audi built the all-wheel-drive 2008 R8. Around town the suspension does an admirable job of isolating bumps and transforms the race-bred R8 into a surprisingly comfortable cruiser. Just make sure to keep that low-slung body away from speed bumps and curbs. Even front and side visibility is decent, though the tiny rear window and massive rear pillars will require using every bit of the side mirrors when merging.

Magnetic damping is standard R8 fare, and when activated it stiffens the highway ride significantly, a characteristic we failed to notice on the track. Thankfully, the stability control systems also went largely unnoticed except for a few instances when corners were entered a wee bit too hot. During a lap piloted by a pro, all systems were turned off and the R8 remained composed until the driver purposely drifted the beefy rear 19s around a few corners – not hard to do with a car that sports 56 percent of its weight over the tail end. Throughout the day, Audi’s two-passenger super car was pushed extremely hard, yet not once did the brakes falter. With the speedometer hitting three digits and the 90-degree right hander coming sooner than later, a pounding on the pedal cut speed dramatically without causing the R8 to lose a bit of composure.

Comfort

Look at a picture or read a brochure detailing Audi’s new R8, and there are certain expectations that immediately spring forth. The style says it’s a street-going race car, the specifications and performance figures say it’s a street-going race car, and the luggage capacity says it’s a, well, street-going race car. Therefore, it comes as a great surprise after several miles behind the R8’s flat-bottom, tilt and telescoping steering wheel to discover an extremely comfortable cabin is also part of the bargain. The low stance requires some finesse when getting in, but once seated driver and passenger alike will find power-adjustable buckets with ample thigh and back support. Adjustable bolsters are lacking, but we had no complaints after our day at the track.

Controls

With a simple glance at the 2008 Audi R8, one might assume that the car is all about form over function, but that’s not the case when it comes to the layout of controls. Housed within the driver-centric instrument panel are clear gauges and simple, logical buttons and dials for the primary systems, including the radio and climate controls. Secondary functions, such as the magnetic ride control and heated seats, are well-marked and nicely integrated with the primary controls.

Advice: Selling Points

With this particular Audi already sold out for the foreseeable future, there’s little likelihood buyers will find themselves in a salesman’s glass cubicle being lambasted with all of the R8’s wonderful qualities. But in that rare, odd case, be prepared to hear about the exquisite styling, the refined and powerful V-8 engine, the solid six-speed manual transmission, the comfortable cabin and ride that make it suitable for everyday driving, the desirable standard and optional features, and yes, the impressive handling aided by quattro all-wheel drive. You might also be privy to some one-side discussion about the $110,000 base price making the 2008 R8 a bargain in the world of super cars (at least among non-domestics). This is all true, based on our perspective, which makes this hypothetical scenario all that more unlikely.

Deal Breakers

Audi calls it a sideblade, but affluent shoppers may refer to it as a turnoff. It’s functional and it’s unique, but the R8’s vertical body panel will definitely prove to be a deal breaker for some. Same goes for the negligible rear visibility, scant storage, and base price that’s proved bogus when the “required” $2,000 navigation system option is included. Worse than that is the R Tronic transmission, guaranteed to ruin the ownership experience of at least one buyer who didn’t opt for the six-speed manual. But above all is the R8’s performance. Admittedly, 4.4 seconds to 60 mph is silly fast, but for performance to match expectations set by the R8’s style 60 mph needs to be hit in four seconds or less. That’s where the anticipated uber performance model powered by a V-10 comes into play – we’ll keep an eye out for that in the not-too-distant future.

Competitors

As one might expect, venture into the $100,000+ price range with an all-wheel-drive sports car and the competitive offerings diminish exponentially. That being said, there are still alternatives for the cross-shopping elite. Among them are the 420-horspower, rear-drive Jaguar XKR, offering loads more torque and a base price that’s about $20,000 less. On the other hand, lay claim to an extra ten grand and you could be cruising in a 480-horse, all-wheel-drive Porsche 911 Turbo. Shoppers in this bracket might also consider the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, though its 379-horsepower engine isn’t quite as potent as the R8’s 4.2-liter V-8.

Specifications

Test Vehicle: 2008 Audi R8
Base Price: $114,100 (including a $1,000 destination charge, a $2,100 gas guzzler tax, and a $2,000 required navigation system)
Engine Size and Type: 4.2-liter V-8
Engine Horsepower: 420 at 7,800 rpm
Engine Torque: 317 at 4,500 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Curb Weight, lbs.: 3,605
EPA Fuel Economy (city/highway): 13/20 mpg
Length: 174.5 inches
Width: 75.0 inches
Wheelbase: 104.3 inches
Height: 49.3 inches
Legroom: N/A
Headroom: N/A
Max. Seating Capacity: Two
Max. Cargo Volume, cu.ft.: 7.0 (trunk and behind seats)

by Thom Blackett
Photo Credit: Audi