i was lucky to have the R8 given to me for a couple of days. and this is what i thought. it handles great, but comparing to a 997tt is rediculous. they shouldnt even be in the same sentence, and not because the tt is better, but because they are so very different(especially the fact that the 997 has forced induction). its quattro system is so easy, much like the gallardo but even easier almost like an wrx but a bit heavier. you are confident with the cars capabilities in the first 10 minutes. you notice the mid engine, this is the biggiest difference between a 997tt and the r8 next to the turbo. BALANCED. the 997tt requires a bit more precision even though it too is 4wd, but it breaks loose alot easier much to do with its torque and balance. audi did a great job engineering this car as they did with the a4/s4 and rs4. the r8 shifts and rides extremely smooth, smoother than the porsche, but it is not that sporty. infact the cars that i would compare this to is the bmw650 and the aston AMV8. great touring car. it makes for an awesome daily driver. its nowhere near as quick as the 997tt but it is quicker than the amv8 and the 650. its peppy but requires alot more bravado to be considered are real sports car, well that is atleast in my book. the exterior and interior aesthetics is so relative to taste so i wont bother giving my 2 cents since everyone knows what it looks like and could decide that on their own. the interior ergonomics is great and head room is plenty for a big guy. minor problem is the blind spot from the side blade thingy, requires a full head turn for a lane change. brakes bite extremely well. this will be a great car for Audi fans as i can see so much potential for mods, both in performance and aesthetics. i think the r10 will kick ***. great car if you are coinsidering this for a daily driver, infact better than a 997tt for someone like me. dont take this the wrong way, the 997tt is better sportscar. hope that made sense.

 

nicely said. The R8 is not meant to be a supercar, but more of a practical sports car.

The 997TT is way above it's league. I would compare the lesser variants of the 997 to the Audi R8.

 

great write-up Eric..

 

nice write up, maybe the v12 version is as quick as the tt

 

You mean V-10.

Audi does not consider the Turbo a rival to the R8. Price wise yes...but during training for the US, Audi only brought out an AMV8 and C4S for comparison purposes. That says a lot... They could have brought out a Turbo or regular GT3, but chose not to.

 

Eric let me drive R8 today. Here is some picture took at my garage.

 

Gorgeous. I have a newfound infatution with this car. It may not be the quickest but definitely does a good job of looking astounding. I don't think I could imagine having this sitting in my garage!

 

When the car first came out, I wasn't so sure about the styling, but after seeing it in person i've come to really like the look. Great writeup.

 

hmmm... the front tires look a little bald. problem is, i can't see the rears.

 

what are u accusing me of. this is a test car i would never drive the hell out if it.

 

 

Reminds me of the Audi from I ROBOT

 

How does the handling/suspension feel compared to the Gallardo? I know the Gallardo is much faster in it's stock form, but they do share the same platform. Can you feel the Gallardo anywhere in there or does it feel more like an Audi? What are your thoughts on the V8 used in this car as far a sound and performance (Besides that is slower than the 997TT).

 

Carbon fibre interior, engine and side blades on the pictures JIm Bacus posted?

I assume the CF issues are all sorted out then!

 

I have some more pictures to post soon, I saw four different R8's on Monday...