Deep Drive: 2008 Audi R8
by Chris Poole
Inside This Article
2008 Audi R8 Experience
The Inside StoryAs expected of supercars with six-figure prices, the 2008 Audi R8 interior blends sporty function with luxury-sedan opulence. Standard seats for North America are six-way heated power buckets with two-stage power lumbar adjustment, leather-covered bolsters and suede-like Alcantara centers. Full leather is available for $2000. A $5500 "Extended Leather Package" adds cowhide to the dashtop, door panels, and other surfaces. An Alcantara headliner is $1300 extra. Curtain side airbags aren't offered, but the standard seat-mounted side airbags are sized to protect both head and torso.
Being an Audi, the R8 uses real aluminum to trim the pedals, gauges, climate-control knobs, and the manual-transmission shift gate. Gauges and minor controls are close to the driver, but the passenger can easily reach the center-mounted dashboard screen that's part of Audi's Multi Media Interface control for audio, climate, and trip computer functions, plus optional phone and navigation systems. The standard automatic climate control works via three simple knobs and several pushbuttons. All sit dead ahead of the gearlever, but aren't difficult to access when the driver isn't shifting. The MMI and $2000 "Navigation Plus" work like those on lesser Audis, so they're reasonably easy to figure out.
 Audi uses real aluminum to trim R8's pedals, gauges, climate-control knobs, and the manual-transmission shift gate. |
Despite outward appearances, the R8 cabin has plenty of head and legroom for six-footers. A racy flat-bottom steering wheel--shared with other Audis and even some Volkswagens, by the way--tilts and telescopes, but the manual adjustment seems mean at this price level. Some other interior bits also come from corporate bins, but it's not obvious, and Audi veterans should feel right at home.
Behind the seats is a carpeted ledge that's useful for storing purses, camera bags, and other small parcels. Audi says there's enough space there for two golf bags, but the clubs and the occupants would have to be Munchkin-size. Cabin storage is otherwise limited to a smallish dashboard glovebox and shallow door pockets.
Cargo space? Just 3.5 cubic feet, all in the nose, which explains the fairly long body overhang ahead of the front wheels. That's not much room, perhaps enough for two on a weekend getaway with careful packing. But hey, if you can afford this bullet, you can afford to send the luggage ahead.
Civilized Sizzler
For the first Audi of its kind, the 2008 Audi R8 is remarkably "right", and its few faults shouldn't be deal-breakers for wealthy sports-car connoisseurs. Its ground-hugging design and long doors make entry/exit a predictable chore except maybe for gymnasts, and visibility suffers a bit from the "flying buttress" rear roof pillars and sloping back window. The ride, though quite tolerable for a performance car, gets restless on patchy pavement, and sharp bumps and potholes can jolt, though we've endured worse. The manual transmission's metal shift gate is as Italian-traditional as minestrone, but can inhibit fast shifts. Clutch action could be better too. Perhaps we need more practice. The optional CD changer nestles like an afterthought in the cargo shelf behind your elbows, so loading means more stretching and straining. Good thing satellite radio is standard. Fuel economy exists in name only. The EPA's city/highway ratings are just 13/20 mpg with manual transmission and 13/18 with the R-tronic automated manual. We got 10.6 in mixed city/highway driving on premium gas, but that's partly because we just couldn't resist dipping into that soulful V8 power.
That mechanical heart is a big reason why the 2008 Audi R8 is such a civilized sizzler, as easy to drive as a garden-variety Corvette or Porsche 911, yet no less thrilling. Floor the throttle and it leaps ahead without drama, thanks to its AWD, ESP, and gumball tires. Midrange punch is equally muscular, with decent push available even in sixth gear from 65 mph on up. Steering is responsive and precise, firm but not heavy, informative without nasty kickback or shake. The brakes feel arresting-hook powerful, yet are easy to modulate. We weren't able to explore handling on the track, but in normal driving the R8 corners with virtually no body lean, an exceptionally well-planted feel, and what seems like near-infinite grip, at least with the antiskid/traction system engaged. Wet pavement may demand right-foot caution, but you'd have to work very hard--or do something really silly--to get this car out of shape.
Yet despite its racy manners and racy sounds, R8 will happily dawdle along in city traffic and won't fray your nerves on the freeway. You're always aware of the engine right behind you, plus coarse-surface tire thrum, but the cabin is amazingly well isolated for a hot mid-engine car. The R8 is certainly no noisier than some big-power sports sedans, so there's seldom a need to turn up the stereo or the volume of conversations.
Image Polisher
The 2008 Audi R8 is one of those image-polishing "halo" cars that manufacturers see as sales-boosters for their other models. Though Audi still trails far behind BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus in overall volume and brand cachet, it's on a strong upward sales track, and the R8 will doubtless help accelerate that. The fast first-year sellout is a positive sign.
Audi says the U.S. will get 800 or so R8s each year after 2007, which sounds meager but is actually rather a lot for this rarefied class. It may not be the ultimate in performance or snob-appeal, but the 2008 Audi R8 is a near pitch-perfect supercar that deserves a great deal of respect.
Inside This Article
