Audi’s everyday-supercar, the R8, is now in its second-generation – and it’ll still indulge you on a day-to-day basis. But to use it merely for the daily commute would be to undermine its tremendous capabilities. The beauty of the new R8 is that it offers so much more – the engine and chassis are simply in a different league!
Life gets difficult when you’re a close relative of the Lamborghini Huracan, and your name is Audi. Difficult because the R8 shares its underpinnings with its Italian cousin – and, for this reason alone, the comparison is inevitable. This is even truer for this version because it’s the ‘Plus,’ which comes powered by the same 602bhp V10 of the Lamborghini. And the price difference isn’t too large as well. If you thought that this was simply a bigger brother to the TT, think again!
GENTLE AND DOCILE… NO, NOT REALLY
If there’s a better way to use the term ‘cockpit,’ we haven’t seen it. First of all, the driver’s seat (the relative position of the seat, steering wheel and pedals that is) is perfect! And that’s a great place to start. Then, you come to the excellent ergonomics – the German engineers have adopted the now typical, and inevitable, reconfigurable instrumentation seen in the latest Audis (their virtual cockpit). Here, however, the integration between man and machine reaches an even higher level, as demonstrated by the fact that you can do everything – well, almost – without taking your hands off the wheel. There are numerous buttons on the spokes of the steering, and they have a logical clarity that takes away any confusion whatsoever. Everything else falls linearly on the screens. The result? Well, in an instant, we could shuffle through different menus with the ease of a pianist. And, once again, our hands were never taken off the steering wheel whilst doing it.
Every fathomable control is available, as long as you go slowly – because if you start to get serious, it’s best not to fiddle with the buttons too much. You see, the R8 is much more than just a fast car – it’s a true supercar, capable of speeds that only a rare breed can manage. For a sense of perspective, we’re in the rarefied sector where the rules are dictated by those pure Italian race objects (famous all over the world) with whom the German is closely related.
In addition to the typical Audi drive select on the steering wheel, there’s also a Performance button – and via the ring that surrounds it you can choose between ‘Snow, Wet or Dry’ modes – a vague demonstration of what the new Audi R8 is capable of. When in ‘Dynamic’ mode, the R8 is no longer a docile supercar – it embodies pure ferocity. It may be less theatrical or dramatic than its cousin from Sant’Agata, but that’s because it never loses sight of its rational behaviour. But, at the same time, the ability to attack the asphalt remains at an extremely high level.
The remarkable readiness of the steering, and the ease with which the chassis responds while changing direction, makes the R8 more agile than ever – so-much-so that it masks its 1,770 kilograms admirably. On modern cars nowadays, light electric steering appears to have become the norm – the result of which is little or no feedback. In this case, however, it’s possible to approach the limits of adhesion progressively – and this instills a great deal of confidence in the driver. Full credit must be given to Audi’s excellent four-wheel drive system. The best bit is still the naturally aspirated V10 though, which is a ‘long stroke’ engine – i.e. the bore is less than the stroke, which means that it’ll be more at ease at high rpm. The urgency with which the engine revs is breath-taking – it gets even more wicked once it reaches its 8,500rpm redline. Moreover, to amplify the experience, the close gear ratios minimize the rpm-jump after each change. The dual-clutch shifts cogs at lightning speed, and also impresses with its precision – which is crucial when it all happens so quickly.
With Audi’s virtual cockpit, everything is right in front of the driver’s eyes. Even the navigation screen is right in front of you. The Plus can be recognized by its fixed carbon wing, which contributes to negative lift at the rear axle (100kgs at maximum speed)
The brace above the V10 serves to make the body of the R8 even more rigid. To the left, the controls are very well organised – including those on the steering wheel. Despite being plentiful, it’s easy to get used to them – and you end up doing almost everything without taking your hands off the steering wheel
...ADDING LIGHTNESS
The second-gen R8 reflects the spirit of the previous model, albeit with several new features. The body shell now makes use of large sections of plastic reinforced carbon fibre (CFRP), and all the aluminium parts have been optimized further. As a result, the torsional rigidity of the structure is increased by 40%, while the weight is decreased by 15% (the space-frame weighs just 200 kilograms). The 5.2-litre V10 sits in the middle of the car. It has dual-injection (direct and indirect), and cylinder deactivation tech to save fuel at low load conditions. The dry sump lubrication helps keep the centre of gravity low, while also providing protection during intense lateral acceleration – especially when driving on the track. The four-wheel drive system distributes the torque between the axles, and can send up to 100-percent to the front or rear wheels (in normal conditions, the front-to-rear torque split is 15:85). This is thanks to an electronically controlled multiple disc clutch, replacing the viscous coupling used previously. The R8 comes equipped with magneto-rheological dampers (optional) that constantly alter the damping by modifying fluid viscosity using a magnetic field.
TECHNICAL SHEET (Claimed data)
Engine
• Rear longitudinal, petrol
• 10-cylinder V (90°)
• Bore 84.5mm
• Stroke 92.8mm
• Displacement 5,204cc
• Maximum power 602bhp @ 8,250rpm
• Max torque 560Nm @ 6,500rpm
• Light Alloy Cylinder block and Heads
• 2-axis overhead cam per bank, 4 valves per cylinder
• Direct and indirect injection
Transmission
• Four-wheel drive
• Double Clutch Transmission 7-speed
Tyres
• Front - 245/35ZR19
• Rear - 295/35ZR19
• Coupe, 2 doors, 2 seats
• Front axle and rear axle double wishbones, helical spring, stabilizer bar
• Hydraulic shock absorbers
• Brakes with carbon-ceramic ventilated discs, ABS and ESP
• Rack and pinion steering, electric servo control
• 73 litre tank
Size and mass
• Wheelbase 2650mm
• Front Track - 1638mm,
Rear Track - 1599mm
• Length - 4426mm
Width - 1940mm
Height - 1240mm
• Mass 1,630kgs, at full load 1,895kgs
• Luggage compartment 112 litres (+226 litres behind the seats)
• Produced in Neckarsulm (Germany)
Summary
ON THE ROAD OR TRACK, on the highway or in the city, the R8 feels at home everywhere – you just need to turn a few knobs and press the right buttons. It’s a little less extreme than the Huracan – so, on the up side, it’s more practical and easier to live with. For example, you can take it on a long journey or amble around in everyday traffic – grabbing a few eyeballs and getting quite a lot of attention of course, but in a more understated manner. The cabin is spacious and the layout of the cockpit is the best you could ask for. The driving position, controls, and instrumentation – everything falls into place naturally. While it takes a bit of work to get all the information you want using the steering mounted controls, it’s done in the safest possible way – you hardly have to take your hands off the wheel.
On top of that, there’s that V10 sitting right behind your ears. This powertrain is shared with the Huracan, featuring the same 90-degree architecture (strange for a ten-cylinder engine) and opposing connecting rods that are coupled to only one pin – which gives the engine a unique soundtrack. As the engine revs go up, it screams like a racing engine. In fact, it propels the R8 like a racing car too! Whether it’s arrow-straight roads or the tight corners of a racetrack, the R8 takes on the asphalt in a scintillating manner. Add to all this the fact that it’s capable of touching 100km/h from naught in less than three seconds – a feat that only a few cars can achieve. And it does all this in such a poised manner that anyone can fully exploit the potential of the V10. The Quattro all-wheel drive system makes the R8 stick like glue to the road, while the chassis and suspension compliment the powertrain. This Audi is now truly in that rarefied league of the supercars...
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