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CA2008 Audi R8
German supercar with Italian roots. edited by Sam Moses
Walk Around
Audi has tried to separate the R8 from the mid-engine supercar crowd, styling-wise. That very small crowd includes the V8 Ferrari F430 and V10 Lamborghini Gallardo, on which the R8 is based, thanks to a partnership and platform-sharing between Lamborghini and Audi.
Standing alone, the R8 looks eminently supercar-ish. But when you hold the R8 up against the Gallardo, what you see is a former sleek Italian beauty that has unfortunately been made dumpy. Go ahead, compare profile shots of the two cars and see if you don't agree.
True, the Gallardo costs many thousands more, but it's unclear how much of that cost is from cleaner sheetmetal.
But before we pick on the R8's looks, it should be pointed out that it was designed in part by the same team who designed the R8 racing car. So it's about function, specifically aerodynamic function. The Gallardo is more about show, the R8 about go (though we're not suggesting the Gallardo doesn't go).
There are a few things that don't help the R8's sleekness. First, the huge grille. We understand that this has become the Audi image, not unlike the Dodge macho crosshair grille. But no grille can possibly work on every shape. Yet here is that big black grille, on the lowest and sleekest Audi of all. The chrome ring around it doesn't help.
The front fenders are edged and sort of flared, as if Audi was taking design cues from the Mazda RX-8 instead of the Gallardo. But no, again, the design cues come from the wind tunnel. Inside the fully exposed wheelwells are good-looking 10-spoke (twin fives) 19-inch alloy wheels, spindly enough so the black brake calipers are clearly visible.
There is also the theme of horizontal black slats, three big ones under each headlight and four under each taillight. The otherwise meaningless 14 slats do make the R8 look different. They don't make it any better looking.
Then there's what Audi calls the sideblade. One sideblade on each side of the car covers the engine's air intakes. It's more of a plate than a blade, a patch of contrasting color behind the door, that is two feet wide and sweeps back and up to the roofline, abruptly ending that roofline, to the eye. It's that contrasting color part that's too much. You'd think the 14 black horizontal slats would be enough distinction. If you get a black R8 with a carbon-fiber sideblade, you almost can't see it. That's better.
The angular tail of the Gallardo rises behind the rear wheels, and the rounded tail of the R8 sags. The Gallardo's butt would look fabulous in jeans, the R8's not. But the double twin exhausts coming out of the R8 bodywork are cool.
The best feature of the R8 is the engine under glass. Lexan, to be precise, and it's glowed upon by LED lighting. You can look right down on the compact double-overhead-cam V8, with its carbon fiber and silver-screen components. It's a beautiful installation, a work of art.
Interior
2008 Audi R8
The cockpit of the Audi R8 shows its true intentions even better than the exterior. It's more for gentlemen than drivers (which is not to say it's not superb on the track, see below). Proof of this is the fact that two golf bags can fit behind the seats. We guess this is a plus. It might come from the R8 being shaped like a racing car, with what used to be called a cab forward design, on a long wheelbase of 104.3 inches.
We can't understand why the gauges and instrumentation aren't cleaner or racier (but they are nicely backlit). They could be transplanted into a common luxury car.
We like the flat-bottomed steering wheel, allowing more kneeroom. And there's an excellent digital speed readout, between the tach on left and speedometer on the right. The numbers are big and red, and you can read them in the sun.
Even when the seats are slid all the way back, there's still room for a briefcase, also leaving tons of passenger legroom, although the wheelwell extends into the foot area. For the driver, the dead pedal squeezes the clutch or brake pedal.
There's a small oval rearview mirror that's almost retro, with good visibility through the glass out over the engine and tail. It's auto-dimming and anti-glare, with a digital compass display that's bright red and too big; it keeps catching your eye and making you think for a split second that you've been busted. How do these things get past Audi's own testers?
The bucket seats, most gorgeous in rich brown Alcantara leather, for that extra $5500, are easy to climb into, by plunking your butt down at 90 degrees to the car and then swinging your legs in. Reverse the process to climb back out, although you have to lift your butt over the hip bolstering; you can't just slide out, although there's a grab handle down by your knee that you can use to push on.
The seats are not as well-fitting as those in the Audi S6 with the V10 engine, and other high-performance Audi sedans that use the same seats. Shouldn't the most super car have the most super seats? But it does seem that the longer you're in them, the better they feel, though still only okay.
The dash is dominated by more horizontal slats, for the vents. The center stack slopes away from the driver at an angle, like an off-the-shoulder blouse. The optional navigation system usefully includes gas stations. The controls are simple, or can be, compared to other luxury Audis. Climate, for example, can be controlled by actual knobs. There are also steering wheel controls.
The cabin is well-finished. Ours had aluminum inlays on the doors and around the navigation screen, as well as some vinyl in shades of gray and black, and aluminum elsewhere. The headliner was a Cordova-like material, not expensive looking but nice in black. Alcantara leather is an optional headliner material. Expensive looking.
There are a few cubbies, both on the center stack and in the doors where there are long narrow pockets. The passenger's left elbow may fall into a big cupholder, while the driver's right elbow rests on the padded brake lever. There's no center console compartment, and the optional 6CD changer lies between the seatbacks.
The trunk in front has a capacity of 3.5 cubic feet, which is more than it sounds. With another 3.2 cubic feet behind the seats, there's plenty of room for a road trip for two.
