Today, the exotic sports car is very much alive because there are still rich people on this planet that have nothing else to do but to spend money. New models are still coming along to please the wealthy, like the Audi R8, the Nissan GT-R, the Ferrari California and the Maserati GranTurismo. We're even witnessing supercars appearing in the most oddball shapes, like a 550-hp Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, for example.
This is the kind of car you dreamt about when you were a kid, right? I mean, not the R8, because it's new, but exotic sports machines from the likes of Porsche, Lamborghini and Ferrari that polarize fellow motorists and pedestrians, burn up empty back roads and give you goose bumps with every stab at the gas pedal.
The difference is that now they are much easier to drive than 20 years ago, and a little more reliable, too.
The journalist trap
Audi's marketing department got a bright idea; why not spend a little money by putting a plethora of R8s in the hands of auto journalists and let them tell the buying public that it's the best car in the world? Come on, we're dumb but not THAT dumb. Or so I thought.
As it turns out, journalists were hypnotized by the R8, claiming it to be a miracle on wheels. A $150,000 car ended up being proclaimed the Car of the Year by the AJAC, which only a handful of Canadians will be able to purchase, since only a few hundred copies of the car will be sold here. It seems that some of my colleagues at the AJAC need to get their head checked out.
Still, the R8 has done wonders for the company's image; as Audi cranks out new models, like the A4 and A5, they borrow styling cues from the flagship and bring its style down to more affordable levels. The R8 is a rolling advertisement.
Drop-dead styling
Saying that the R8 draws attention on the streets is an understatement. This car attracts more people around it than a dropped french fry gathers seagulls in a McDonald's parking lot. The car is large but very low, so it immediately grabs the eye in flowing traffic. The contrast-coloured side blade also looks unique.
In the evening, when you unlock the R8, two small lights illuminate the engine that's entirely visible through the rear window. The LED driving lights provide an easy indication that an Audi creeping up on you.
However, piloting an R8 demands concentration in light traffic; unsafe drivers pull up beside you holding their cell phone in the air and trying to take a picture of the car. But they're not looking where they're going and swerving dangerously in the lane beside you.
Notably, a kid in a decomposing Honda Civic that was about to sideswipe the R8 just so he can get close enough to take a blurry low-res snapshot of it. Another time a Ford Cutaway cargo truck was following me at an unsafe distance; sure enough, the driver had one hand on the wheel and his damn cell phone in the other.
Adrenaline-pumping performance
Stomp on the gas pedal and the 420-horsepower, 4.2-litre V8 roars like a lion while channelling its power through all four wheels for instant forward thrust. 100 km/h is yours in 5.4 seconds. Fuel consumption, if that's important to you, is around 14 L/100 km in normal driving, but if you have a heavy right foot, you average will increase accordingly.
The car's brakes are very powerful and stop the car with a force we've rarely experienced in a roadgoing vehicle. In the R8, every twisty road is a rollercoaster ride, but you'll quickly realize that, like with any supercar, you can't exploit its performance potential on public roads, so the R8 can be both thrilling and frustrating at the same time. The ride on anything but smooth highways is stiff.
Space-capsule cockpit
Climb aboard the R8, and you'll find just enough space to be comfortable. Ok, you don't really climb in, but rather slide into it; getting out is a little more acrobatic. The driver benefits from a perfect driving position and the controls are generally well laid out. However, I can't understand why the radio doesn't have a power button; you can turn down the volume or mute it, but when you start the car again, the radio is still on.
The cockpit of the car is obviously well-finished, but it's a little dark and monotonous. The shift gate is exposed, and the clanking noise while you change gears is marvellous as it makes you feel like a race car driver.
The front trunk is oddly shaped, but a carry-on hard suitcase will fit in the R8's snout. At least there's cargo room for weekend getaways.
Competition
The 2008 Audi R8 starts out at $139,000, and a navigation system adds $2,900 to the price. Fully loaded, the car will top $170,000. Here are a few rivals:
BMW M6, 500 hp, $128,300
Cadillac XLR-v, 443 hp, $115,140
Chevrolet Corvette Z06, 505 hp, $96,170
Dodge Viper SRT10, 600 hp, $99,600
Jaguar XKR, 420 hp, $104,000
Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, 518 hp, $151,500
Nissan GT-R, 480 hp, $81,900
Porsche 911 Turbo, 480 hp, $158,300
However, only the Nissan and the Porsche offer all-wheel drive like the R8.
Conclusion
The Audi R8 isn't the quickest car you can buy for the price, or the most prestigious for that matter. It also has its little shortcomings, but right now, you won't see many on the road, and its eye-catching looks will get everyone's attention. If that's what you want, look no further.
It's a bargain if you compare it to a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, but more expensive than some high-powered adversaries that are just as thrilling to drive; the Nissan GT-R comes to mind.
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