Audi R8 4.2 FSI Quattro 2008 review

Parking the Audi R8 is a pain. It has terrible visibility, sits worryingly close to the kerb, has heavy steering, does not have enough steering lock for tight turns, and costs far too much to chance on a bump-park.

When you are driving the manu-matic model, with its computer-controlled clutch, you also park in fear of a slip and smack.

So we have that out of the way.

And that's about it for the CarsGuide complaints.

The manu-matic can operate a bit suddenly in stop-start traffic, and the same lack of visibility that punishes when parking means you have to be careful with lane changes, but otherwise we think the new German speed machine is a ripper.

It is fast, really fast, but still easy to drive and comfortable enough for everyday commuting and Sunday-morning fun runs. And it looks brilliant.

I first drove the R8 almost a year ago in Las Vegas and marvelled at how Audi had taken a motor show concept car and made the dream a reality with so few compromises.

It helps that Audi is also responsible for Lamborghini, which makes the R8-sized Gallardo supercar, but the Germany luxury brand did all the work itself and trumped BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the process.

It has produced one of the best-looking cars on the road, from its signature bank of LED globes above the headlamps to the fat back tyres and cut-off tail. It looks Ferrari fast yet still sits easily in the Audi line-up alongside the A4, A8 and the rest.

The R8 story just moved on a chapter with the unveiling in Detroit this week of a model powered by a V12 diesel engine. It will go into production, no question, and promises performance a little quicker than the regular V8 R8.

The current car is fitted with the same engine as the RS4 sports sedan, which means 309kW and 430Nm of torque with quattro all-wheel drive, a six-speed gearbox — manual or robotised manual — and weight from 1565kg.

The important numbers are 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 301km/h.

Those figures, and prices that are a relative bargain (against a Porsche 911 or Ferrari F430) from $259,900, have created a two-year waiting list in Australia that will probably stay at the same level for a long time. And probably even after the V12 diesel, and the roadster and probably the much-rumoured V10 road rocket, join the R8 family.

“The Audi R8 will be instrumental in further boosting our brand image and awareness in this market,” Audi Australia managing director Joerg Hofmann says. 

ON THE ROAD

There is much to like about the R8, from the way it looks to the alloy body, the way it snaps away from lights and the way it eats up all sorts of roads.

But, more importantly, you can happily take it on the daily grind or down to the beach for a weekend in the sun.

As we said after our first drive in the R8 in the US last year, it's not a supercar, and we stand by that. It is very, very quick, but it's no Gallardo or F430.

And that's not a bad thing because it's more than fast enough to scare most owners and lines up more than impressively against a Porsche 911, the real rival for the R8.

It's as docile and comfortable as a Porsche, though there is that thing about the parking . . .

We spent our R8 test time with a robotised manual gearbox, which lifted the car's price to $274,900, but most drivers will appreciate the strengths of the six-speed sequential R-tronic gearbox.

To get the boring stuff out of the way, the R8 is comfortable and well equipped for two people. It also has reasonable luggage space for a car of its type. The driver's bucket is set a little high, but that's neither here nor there. All switches and knobs are beautifully finished and operate well, and the view over the dropaway nose is great.

The R8 starts and runs smoothly, with a soft V8 burble that turns to a howl when you get close to the redline. We have used the engine before in the RS4, where it seemed wild and wicked, but in the R8 it feels as if it could handle much more, given the ultra-rigid chassis, quattro drive and brakes that defeat speed.

We had only a few chances to really uncork the R8 during our run, but even a quick squirt in traffic is enough to make you smile. And draw admiring looks.

Still, it feels so safe and planted that even a brisk attack on roundabouts is rewarding and enough to show the huge potential in the car.

We have driven the R8 on a racetrack and know it's really, really fast in the right location at the right time. Few drivers could get the maximum from it, or even consistently run it up to the redline with a paddle-shift thump up through the gearbox.

We rate it highly against the Porsche and it scores over the 911 on looks by a wide margin, which is why so many people are moving to an R8. And it's so much more civilised than a Ferrari or Lamborghini, with resale values that are likely to stay high.

There is so, so much to like about the R8, but we would always recommend finding a spot with valet parking. 

THE BOTTOM LINE

86/100

A wickedly fast car that is a dream to drive every day. 

ALL ANGLES

FAST FACT

One of the options for the R8 is a lighting system for the engine bay 

INSIDE VIEW

AUDI R8

$274,900 (R-Tronic auto)

ENGINE: 4.2-litre V8

POWER: 309kW at 7800 revs

TORQUE: 430Nm at 4500-6000 revs

TRANSMISSION: Six-speed sequential auto, all-wheel drive

BODY: Two-door coupe

SEATS: Two

DIMENSIONS: Length 4431mm, width 1904mm, height 1252mm, wheelbase 2650mm, tracks 1632/1593mm front/rear

STEERING: Power-assisted rack-and-pinion

FUEL TANK: 75 litres

FUEL TYPE: Premium unleaded

FUEL CONSUMPTION: Average on test 14.0 litres/100km

WEIGHT: 1565kg

SPARE TYRE: Spacesaver

BRAKES: Anti-skid four-wheel discs

WHEELS: 19-inch alloys

TYRES: 235x35 front/295x30 rear

SAFETY GEAR: Front, side and head airbags, electronic stability control, anti-skid brakes, traction control

WARRANTY: Three years/100,000km

FEATURES:

Airconditioning

Cruise control

Alloy wheels

Climate control

Leather seats

Heated seats

Parking sensors

Automatic wipers

For ANCAP vehicle safety ratings, go to howsafeisyourcar.com.au

HOW IT COMPARES

Aston Martin Vantage 81/100 (from $245,000)

Ferrari F430 87/100 (from $389,000)

Lamborghini Gallardo 86/100 (from $414,000)

Porsche 911 86/100 (from $201,000)