REVIEW The 2015 Audi R8 V10 plus is a Dream Car with a Twist
For years, I used to have the same day dream. I would be blasting across long distances in an exotic car, not caring about the destination, just enjoying the feeling of being behind the wheel of a special piece of automotive engineering and craftsmanship.
Since driving the 2015 Audi R8 V10 plus, I no longer have that fantasy. I’ve lived it.
However, over the course of my travels around Austin in the Audi dream machine, I discovered it had a nightmarish secret.
Exterior
Visually, the R8 was clearly the car of other men’s dreams. Those who didn’t make a comment about its beautiful lines to me walked up to it and took pictures on their phones. Like me, they must’ve found the R8 attractively understated – as understated as a mid-engine, 10-cylinder, $196,500 (as tested) car can be.
Its Ice Silver Metallic paint coordinated with its Carbon Sigma side blades and titanium-finish 19-inch wheels in a low-key, tasteful way. The roof line gently sloped into the tantalizingly wide rear end, which was topped by a thin, discreet, speed-/button-activated spoiler.
Interior
After slightly tilting my head to the left to fit into the cabin, I found myself under a diamond-stitched Alcantara headliner with easy access to important controls and high-end materials. From my Nappa leather seat, I could grasp the perfectly-weighted aluminum shift knob for the S tronic seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox or run my fingers along the glossy carbon fiber that arched over the gauge cluster. What I didn’t feel was a USB outlet to use to charge my phone or any button that interfaced with Audi’s MMI system to allow me to stream Bluetooth audio.
Engine
I’ve driven cars with more horsepower than the Audi in the past, but I’ve only had access to them for a few minutes at a time. I’d never dreamed of having the keys to a machine as powerful as the R8 V10 plus for a full seven days.
That suffix is important. It means the regular V10 model’s 5.2-liter engine has been given an additional 25 horsepower, bringing the total to 550. Torque’s been increased by seven lb.-ft. to 398.
Driving Experience
In the suburbs of South Austin, the R8 was surprisingly docile. It was well insulated from the sounds of the road and outside world. The ride quality from the double-wishbone front and rear suspensions was firm, especially over rough pavement, but it didn’t spoil my time behind the R8’s flat-bottomed wheel. Gear changes were predominantly clunk-free at low speeds.
The cross-drilled and ventilated ceramic brakes were less than ideal around town. They seemed to be connected to an on/off switch. A careless press of the left pedal made me look as if I were trying to kiss the dashboard. Luckily, that awkwardness vanished when I picked up the pace on serpentine roads.
Pressing the Sport button in front of the shifter made the $2,500 sport exhaust system its most vocal and the dual-clutch gearbox more reluctant to let go of each its seven gears. That kind of enthusiasm was perfect for long sweepers and flights down the highway, but the transmission was too aggressive and eager to rev before upshifting to be comfortable enough to use on city streets. In fact, it made me look as if I were over-revving and not as cool as the R8’s exterior implied. That was definitely not part of my dream.
Performance
However, opening up a machine like the R8 was. The reality of doing that was nothing like what I imagined it would be. After engaging Sport mode and turning the traction control and A/C off, I would find an open stretch of road and punch it. The V10 let out a mechanical wail that I’d never heard before but became instantly addicted to. It was angry and eager all at once.
My knuckles never once turned white. As the speedometer needle swept its way toward the right side of the dial, I felt oddly calm because the R8 was rock-solid. The experience was almost anti-climactic. My test car’s composure made every speed I hit feel 20 mph slower.
That’s what made this dream car so nightmarish – the fact that you can hit heinous speeds in complete tranquility. I likened that ability to having a soothing, relaxing dream from which you awake with a smile on your face…to discover yourself covered in blood after committing a savage murder.
That element of danger, however disguised it may have been in the 2015 Audi R8 V10 plus, is an important part of supercars. I wouldn’t dream of one without it.
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