Vs Car and Driver: Aston Martin V8 Vantage vs Audi R8 vs Porsche 911 Turbo

[bmwrules]

Score another win for the impressive R8. This can't make VW's minority owner happy with the way the R8 keeps beating various versions of the 911 in comparison tests.

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1st Place
Audi R8 - 220 Points
Base Price - $109,720
Tested Price - $120,970
0-60 - 4.3
0-100 - 10.7
1/4 Mile 12.8 @ 112 mph
5-60 - 4.8
70-0 - 160 feet
300 ft skidpad - .97
Willow Springs International Raceway Lap Time - 1:35.76/94.0 mph
Lane change (mph) - 66.7
Observed miles per gallon - 14

Highs
Ballet-dancer balance and grace, eager responses, telepathic steering, internal combustion rarely sounds better.

Lows
Proportions awkward from some angles, uncomfortable dead-pedal height, blind in the rear quarters.

Verdict
Sports-car perfection from an unexpected source.

2nd Place
Porsche 911 Turbo - 210 Points
Base Price - $123,760
Tested Price - $141,510
0-60 - 3.8
0-100 - 9.2
1/4 Mile 12.2 @ 117 mph
5-60 - 4.8
70-0 - 159 feet
300 ft skidpad - .98
Willow Springs International Raceway Lap Time - 1:38.53/91.3 mph
Lane change (mph) - 65.0
Observed miles per gallon - 14

Highs
Omigawd thrust, never-fade brakes, limpet grip, gorgeous interior treatment, maximum Porsche mystique.

Lows
Spooky at the limits of adhesion, high interior noise levels, Prussian ride quality, snoot scrapes on driveway ramps.

Verdict
For 911 addicts who have no wish to be cured, Porsche Sturm und Drang just doesn't get any better than this.

3rd Place
Aston Martin V8 Vantage - 191 Points
Base Price - $117,150
Tested Price - $129,110
0-60 - 5.1
0-100 - 12.3
1/4 Mile 13.5 @ 106 mph
5-60 - 5.8
70-0 - 165 feet
300 ft skidpad - .93
Willow Springs International Raceway Lap Time - 1:40.73/89.4 mph
Lane change (mph) - 64.1
Observed miles per gallon - 13

Highs
Appealingly edgy update on classic GT-coupe shape, smooth operator on rough payment, irresistible V8 growl.

Lows
A bit too much body roll, nervous under hard braking, short on muscle among these heavy lifters.

Verdict
A stylish GT sophisticate that's a little out of its depth among these thoroughbreds.

 

[Imhotep Evil]

It beated a Turbo on a track !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tarek]

Wow it did beat a 997TT despite the 60 hp power diff

 

[audi_rudy]

wow very impressive
Im surprised actually that it beat the turbo around the track

 

[Tarek]

Audi is really serious with the R8,they got it dead on

 

[Centurion]

Bravo R8. The 997TT laptime is pretty dissapointing but like reported the car seem to be a a little unpredictable at high speeds, especially the fluctuation between under and over steer. This is the reason why it didn't do so well around the ring, and it's all because of the AWD system. The 911 is supposed to be rear wheel drive.

 

[Bruce]

Bravo R8. The 997TT laptime is pretty dissapointing but like reported the car seem to be a a little unpredictable at high speeds, especially the fluctuation between under and over steer. This is the reason why it didn't do so well around the ring, and it's all because of the AWD system. The 911 is supposed to be rear wheel drive.

I believe it to be more a case of "the competition has caught up" (with the Turbo anyways )

Fantastic results by the R8 (as usual)

 

[Choleric]

I love how the R8 keeps winning, especially with all the doubters who doomed it to failure simply because 420hp was "not enough to compete" and such...

 

[Zafiro]

Mid-engine cars rules

 

[Centurion]

I believe it to be more a case of "the competition has caught up" (with the Turbo anyways )

The Turbo has never really been the track star in the 911 line up. It is really meant to offer unrivaled acceleration and keeping the wheels stead on the ground with the assistance of four wheel drive, in Porsche philosophy a compromised sports car. The track stars are really the GT3 and GT2 which lack the added weight and compromised handling resulting form AWD.
With that being said, the competition has improved but as performance and dancing around tracks the 911 is still pretty unrivaled, standing strong and proud like it has done the latest 40 years.

 

[Bruce]

The Turbo has never really been the track star in the 911 line up. It is really meant to offer unrivaled acceleration and keeping the wheels stead on the ground with the assistance of four wheel drive, in Porsche philosophy a compromised sports car. The track stars are really the GT3 and GT2 which lack the added weight and compromised handling resulting form AWD.

That's true about the GT3 and GT2, but you must remember there was a day when the Turbo absolutely annihilated the competition on the most tracks (like the 'Ring - 996 Turbo vs 360 Modena, for instance). Even the 993 Turbo held up against the best and had no trouble disposing of the competition.

It's just not like that anymore. The Turbo variation is often threatned on the track and that leads me to believe that the competition has caught up (Z06, F430, etc)

Not to downplay the 997 Turbo of course - because it is a great car.

But it is clear that the GT2 and GT3 versions have always been the "track" 911's. The 996 GT2 most certainly proved that, raping most anything below a Zonda.

 

[Centurion]

That's true about the GT3 and GT2, but you must remember there was a day when the Turbo absolutely annihilated the competition on the most tracks (like the 'Ring - 996 Turbo vs 360 Modena, for instance). Even the 993 Turbo held up against the best and had no trouble disposing of the competition.

It's just not like that anymore. The Turbo variation is often threatned on the track and that leads me to believe that the competition has caught up (Z06, F430, etc)

Not to downplay the 997 Turbo of course - because it is a great car.

But it is clear that the GT2 and GT3 versions have always been the "track" 911's. The 996 GT2 most certainly proved that, raping most anything below a Zonda.

Yeah you are kind of right Bruce, the Turbo was a monster several years ago but is a bit more tame now days. The 911 grips like no other car making AWD slight unnecessary, further more AWD reduces some of the "911-ness" in the car i.e tailing, throttle over steer. In fact on a track AWD works to the 911s advantage and Porsche only offer it because some people like the comfort of AWD.
Audi on the other hand is a whole different story. All the cars are built with AWD integration as one of the main objectives, which is why they are better at the AWD game than most manufacturers.
I saw an automotive tv-show 1 or two years ago where they tested a 911 CS and a 911 C4S around a track. The driver actually preferred the CS around the track.
The GT3 with 65hp less has performed equally as good and in some cases better than the Turbo around different tracks magazines have tested them on. The GT3 has and will always be the true 911 sports car.

 

[Mr. M]

The R8 is also the cheapest of the bunch too.

 

[RICHBOY]

I love how the R8 keeps winning, especially with all the doubters who doomed it to failure simply because 420hp was "not enough to compete" and such...

You aint lying! So I'm guessing V10 480HP R8 will dismember anything south of a SLR?

 

[Tumbo]

I never could imagine the R8 to beat a 997TT on track. Unbelievable!

What a car the R8 is...!

 

[Tarek]

I believe there was a test where the R8 did beat a GT3 or GT3 RS,is that right? anyone?

 

[Centurion]

I believe there was a test where the R8 did beat a GT3 or GT3 RS,is that right? anyone?

EVO. The R8 conquered their track and beat the GT3, Gallardo and F430

I'm stilling having difficulties with swallowing the defeat and have been lurking around the whole internet today to find any discrepancies concerning the laptime. The way things are looking right now it seem like I have to accept that the R8 is damn good.

If it beats the GT3 around the ring in the Sports Auto test later this year I will have to bow down to the new Kaier of Germany.

 

[Zafiro]

If it beats the GT3 around the ring in the Sports Auto test later this year I will have to bow down to the new Kaier of Germany.

the answer will come in 15 days but R8 will never achieve below 7.50 min on N-ring.

 

[Centurion]

the answer will come in 15 days but R8 will never achieve below 7.50 min on N-ring.

Is it delimited?

 

[RICHBOY]

the answer will come in 15 days but R8 will never achieve below 7.50 min on N-ring.

I doubt it also but this car seems to be able to conquer all things.