New R8 V10+??

[W8PMC]

Hi W8PMC, I recognise you from PH land. I had an M6 a couple of years ago followed by an SLS, AMG GT and now my new R8 V10+. Absolutely love the R8, and I've never typically been an Audi advocate (so all the more ironic I've also gone and bought a late RS4 Avant, just to get my last hit of a reasonable modern N/A V8!).

The R8 is all about THAT drivetrain. The BMW/AMG's were good, but they were still boosted engines and all the benefits / compromises that brings. Very little compares to the sensations and responses of a screaming N/A engine, especially when mated to one of the most superb dual clutch transmission that you'll come across. The sounds, sensations and responses are spectacular and a clear step up from the (not dissimilarly priced) AMG GT.

Whilst I've not driven a 991 TT, I did have a 997.2 TT a few years ago which to be frank, I found an extremely boring (if admittedly effective) point and shoot device. I have no doubt a Macca of some sort will be dynamically better than the R8 but I suspect I'd not be able to notice this benefit as much as I do the R8's superior drivetrain. Also, as this is my daily driver the R8 is more appropriate as it'll be better built and have more advanced technology. Ultimately, I didn't really consider a Macca or a 991 TT as a viable option to replace my AMG but I did seriously look at a Ferrari F12 (I even put a deposit on one) but once I'd tried the R8 it was, to me, the better car in almost every way.

I actually intended to swap my AMG GT for a late Gen-1 R8 LMX, just to get that drivetrain. But the interior and tech put me off compared to the über modern AMG so my only way forward was a Gen-2 which has a tremendously modern, minimalistic and yet really luxurious interior (I'm a big fan of the interior which in my opinion leapfrogs everything I've had before).

Quite frankly, the R8's performance is outrageous. Ignore the official 0-60 of 3.2 secs, it's regularly tested at 2.8 and pretty much in line with the 991. Get above 60 and it pulls away from the 991 (by 120mph, it's over a second ahead). If you're used to a car that can accelerate to 60 in high-3's / low 4's like I was, you need to consider that 2.8 seconds is around 25% faster and it feels absolutely gut wrenchingly fast.

Handling wise, this Gen-2 appears an improvement from the LMX I drove, which itself I thought was a very dynamically accomplished car (indeed, it was a drive of a friends earlier R8 V10 a year previous which put the R8 on the map for me). However, I found the Gen-1 a bit understeery on turn-in (much as I did the 997 TT) whereas this Gen-2's totally revised quattro system is initially much better balanced, and then nicely rear biased as you push harder. The Dynamic Steering gets a bit of a hard time in the press but I have no issue with it whatsoever, and I certainly prefer it to the helm in my M6 which was always that car's weak spot for me (and it's certainly nothing like the Dynamic Steering in my RS4 which really isn't great at all). The car rides really well for a car of this type (in fact, really well full stop; it's VERY compliant), body control is great and handling very flat. Dynamically, the Macca's may well be better but honestly, there is nothing wrong with the R8 whatsoever.

Here's a few pics of mine in the relatively subtle black I ended up buying....

What seat option did you choose? They're not the buckets I presume so guessing they're the sports seats?

Are you sure the R8 would pull away from the new 991 Turbo S? Not driven either yet but all the reviews I've seen have the Porsche ahead in all the performance stats. Not by much as both cars are insanely quick, but the 0-100 & 1/4 mile have the Porsche ahead.

You're R8 looks stunning though & has increased my desire for a closer look at these.

[doodlebug]

Definitely only one winner in a traffic light Grand Prix.

[Palmball]

Fantastic first but you still get a FON.
Also, clear your garage, it's filthy.

That garage!

Ha ha, thanks guys. I do have a slight advantage because it's brand new. But it's also not finished yet - it bothers me that I have random furniture down one side so it'll have built in units going in shortly. O. C. D.

Here's a little picky of the R8's little brother which will probably go down well over here. Love the arches on this thing, another cracking drivetrain but crap steering.

[Palmball]

What seat option did you choose? They're not the buckets I presume so guessing they're the sports seats?

Are you sure the R8 would pull away from the new 991 Turbo S? Not driven either yet but all the reviews I've seen have the Porsche ahead in all the performance stats. Not by much as both cars are insanely quick, but the 0-100 & 1/4 mile have the Porsche ahead.

You're R8 looks stunning though & has increased my desire for a closer look at these.

No, definitely not the buckets - those bloody buckets are the main reason I didn't go for a later model Gen-1 LMX because they're so uncomfortable. And whilst the design has been updated for the Gen-2, they're little better comfort-wise. So, standard sports seats which are actually not that laterally supportive (at least not compared to the excellent chairs in my AMG) but they're supremely comfortable.

With regards acceleration, I think the various YouTube videos confirm the R8 is not quite as fast from a standstill to 60 as a 991TT. But there's very little in it and personally, I prefer to give up a tenth or so for the R8's more charismatic drivetrain.

However, not sure what road tests you're seeing but the ones I'm looking at show that at higher speeds the R8 pulls this early deficit back. Autocar seem to do the most in-depth performance tests in the UK and it has the R8 at half a second quicker than the 991 to 100mph and retains an advantage at the 1/4 mile. Evo, in their typical cr@p state recently, haven't done their own stats yet and Car and Driver has the R8 and 6.1 to 100mph vs 6.2 for the 991.

Here's a screenshot from a comparison table on Fastest Laps which typically compare the fastest recorded acceleration figures from various road tests around the world - take the actual times with a pinch of salt as these are often from US tests where they seem to do something different that always seems to generate faster times (either they're better drivers than the rest of the world or they don't record from a standstill!). Either way, it applies to both cars so is still like for like and the R8 appears to be consistently faster.

What I can say is this - accelerating in this car using launch control and it was so ferocious that I had to stop shortly afterwards to catch my breath! I've never felt anything like it in a road car and it's certainly perceptibly faster than my previous 997.2 Turbo. If your M5 is stock (as was my M6) then I suspect you'll find it surprising how much faster it seems to be (although you can apply that argument to all the cars you're looking at).

Admittedly, the stats are for the pre-facelift 991 and the 991.2 might well turn the tables, however let's have a reality check here; the differences are so negligible and irrelevant that you could fart at the wrong time during an acceleration run and it could go either way!

[W8PMC]

What seat option did you choose? They're not the buckets I presume so guessing they're the sports seats?

Are you sure the R8 would pull away from the new 991 Turbo S? Not driven either yet but all the reviews I've seen have the Porsche ahead in all the performance stats. Not by much as both cars are insanely quick, but the 0-100 & 1/4 mile have the Porsche ahead.

You're R8 looks stunning though & has increased my desire for a closer look at these.

No, definitely not the buckets - those bloody buckets are the main reason I didn't go for a later model Gen-1 LMX because they're so uncomfortable. And whilst the design has been updated for the Gen-2, they're little better comfort-wise. So, standard sports seats which are actually not that laterally supportive (at least not compared to the excellent chairs in my AMG) but they're supremely comfortable.

With regards acceleration, I think the various YouTube videos confirm the R8 is not quite as fast from a standstill to 60 as a 991TT. But there's very little in it and personally, I prefer to give up a tenth or so for the R8's more charismatic drivetrain.

However, not sure what road tests you're seeing but the ones I'm looking at show that at higher speeds the R8 pulls this early deficit back. Autocar seem to do the most in-depth performance tests in the UK and it has the R8 at half a second quicker than the 991 to 100mph and retains an advantage at the 1/4 mile. Evo, in their typical cr@p state recently, haven't done their own stats yet and Car and Driver has the R8 and 6.1 to 100mph vs 6.2 for the 991.

Here's a screenshot from a comparison table on Fastest Laps which typically compare the fastest recorded acceleration figures from various road tests around the world - take the actual times with a pinch of salt as these are often from US tests where they seem to do something different that always seems to generate faster times (either they're better drivers than the rest of the world or they don't record from a standstill!). Either way, it applies to both cars so is still like for like and the R8 appears to be consistently faster.

What I can say is this - accelerating in this car using launch control and it was so ferocious that I had to stop shortly afterwards to catch my breath! I've never felt anything like it in a road car and it's certainly perceptibly faster than my previous 997.2 Turbo. If your M5 is stock (as was my M6) then I suspect you'll find it surprising how much faster it seems to be (although you can apply that argument to all the cars you're looking at).

Admittedly, the stats are for the pre-facelift 991 and the 991.2 might well turn the tables, however let's have a reality check here; the differences are so negligible and irrelevant that you could fart at the wrong time during an acceleration run and it could go either way!

Thanks. Good to know about the seats as the other consideration albeit only a minor one is the buckets won't take Isofix so if they're also considerably less comfortable then that's good info.

The stats above as you say are for the Gen 1 991 Turbo S & the Gen II does have more power & a good uplift in torque so it's now 2.6 secs to 62 & that advantage continues across the speed range, however as you say we're still talking very low differences & in the real world they'd be almost un-noticable.

My F10 M5 is stage 2 tuned so although considerably quicker than stock, being RWD the silly numbers are only achievable in good conditions & thus not as consistent as they would be in the Porsche or Audi. I'm awaiting a call from my local Audi dealer with current lead times & a date to take the car out.

That RS4 looks stunning. I'd consider Sprint Blue as the colour of the R8 if i go down that route.

[Ian_C]

FAQ, I didn't realise the 991 gen 2 and R8 + were banging in six seconds to 100 mph, things have moved on!! Sheer power and the gearbox helps - the original R8 manual 4.2 was something like 9.9 iirc (same as RS6 C6)

[Graeme4130]

Paul, as a slightly off field choice, have you considered a Aston V12 Vantage ?
Nothing like as quick as a R8, MCL or 911, but the noise of that engine is superb and the Kudos is right up there with the McL
I've no idea how reliable they are now days, but they look superb

Or... the new 2wd Huracan ? They're around £160k I think, and you get all of the good stuff of the R8, but in a premium package, and the fun of 2wd

[W8PMC]

Paul, as a slightly off field choice, have you considered a Aston V12 Vantage ?
Nothing like as quick as a R8, MCL or 911, but the noise of that engine is superb and the Kudos is right up there with the McL
I've no idea how reliable they are now days, but they look superb

Or... the new 2wd Huracan ? They're around £160k I think, and you get all of the good stuff of the R8, but in a premium package, and the fun of 2wd

Although i like the looks & sound of Astons i'm not really a big fan & the Vantage unless i'm mistaken is quite long in the tooth now.

The Lambo although a good call again isn't a car i'd prefer over the McL & is probably a little too in your face in the same way a Ferrari would be. Also the running costs would be significantly higher than the Porsche or Audi & also higher than the McL. I really do feel the 911 is going to win overall as no matter how i dice/slice my thought process, it comes across as the best overall package & that's a very important factor.

[Graeme4130]

Paul, as a slightly off field choice, have you considered a Aston V12 Vantage ?
Nothing like as quick as a R8, MCL or 911, but the noise of that engine is superb and the Kudos is right up there with the McL
I've no idea how reliable they are now days, but they look superb

Or... the new 2wd Huracan ? They're around £160k I think, and you get all of the good stuff of the R8, but in a premium package, and the fun of 2wd

Although i like the looks & sound of Astons i'm not really a big fan & the Vantage unless i'm mistaken is quite long in the tooth now.

The Lambo although a good call again isn't a car i'd prefer over the McL & is probably a little too in your face in the same way a Ferrari would be. Also the running costs would be significantly higher than the Porsche or Audi & also higher than the McL. I really do feel the 911 is going to win overall as no matter how i dice/slice my thought process, it comes across as the best overall package & that's a very important factor.

My lasting impression of driving a 991.1 TTS was laughing out loud every time I hit the throttle pedal to the floor. I've no doubt of Ian's figures showing it as comparable to the R8, but it feels a lot faster. When you hit the throttle at 60 in third in the TTS, it feels like first gear at 10 in my RS4, bonkers. I suspect the drama and the noise of the R8 takes the edge off the feeling of pure acceleration.
Porsche will undoubtably look after you better than either Audi or McLaren too in the after sales stuff.

[doodlebug]

Porsche will undoubtably look after you better than either Audi or McLaren too in the after sales stuff.

This. The brown nosing, for want of a better phrase, my local OPC has dished out is impressive. And they've sold me, well the wife, one car already and pretty much know I'll be along for another. But they keep oiling the works. The 991.2 launch was a great event. Audi, for the most part (i.e. outside VIP type stuff) do not know how to deal with customers in this segment. And this is one of my bug bears and a reason why I'll move away from the brand.

I test drove the R8 at my local and the follow up was limp at best.

[Graeme4130]

Porsche will undoubtably look after you better than either Audi or McLaren too in the after sales stuff.

This. The brown nosing, for want of a better phrase, my local OPC has dished out is impressive. And they've sold me, well the wife, one car already and pretty much know I'll be along for another. But they keep oiling the works. The 991.2 launch was a great event. Audi, for the most part (i.e. outside VIP type stuff) do not know how to deal with customers in this segment. And this is one of my bug bears and a reason why I'll move away from the brand.

I test drove the R8 at my local and the follow up was limp at best.

Sorry to pull this slightly off topic, but how do you find the Macan ? I've been considering a Macan Turbo until the next RS4 comes out

[doodlebug]

Sorry to pull this slightly off topic, but how do you find the Macan ? I've been considering a Macan Turbo until the next RS4 comes out

Go drive one around PEC....

For an SUV it's an amazing piece of kit. Not that I'm allowed to drive it that often. Aside from the general quality which is way above anything Audi have to offer, it goes and handles very well. Lead times are a bit mental mind, especially on turbo.

[W8PMC]

Paul, as a slightly off field choice, have you considered a Aston V12 Vantage ?
Nothing like as quick as a R8, MCL or 911, but the noise of that engine is superb and the Kudos is right up there with the McL
I've no idea how reliable they are now days, but they look superb

Or... the new 2wd Huracan ? They're around £160k I think, and you get all of the good stuff of the R8, but in a premium package, and the fun of 2wd

Although i like the looks & sound of Astons i'm not really a big fan & the Vantage unless i'm mistaken is quite long in the tooth now.

The Lambo although a good call again isn't a car i'd prefer over the McL & is probably a little too in your face in the same way a Ferrari would be. Also the running costs would be significantly higher than the Porsche or Audi & also higher than the McL. I really do feel the 911 is going to win overall as no matter how i dice/slice my thought process, it comes across as the best overall package & that's a very important factor.

My lasting impression of driving a 991.1 TTS was laughing out loud every time I hit the throttle pedal to the floor. I've no doubt of Ian's figures showing it as comparable to the R8, but it feels a lot faster. When you hit the throttle at 60 in third in the TTS, it feels like first gear at 10 in my RS4, bonkers. I suspect the drama and the noise of the R8 takes the edge off the feeling of pure acceleration.
Porsche will undoubtably look after you better than either Audi or McLaren too in the after sales stuff.

This is exactly why i feel the 991.2 TS is going to win the game. Even Porsche state the true 0-62 is 2.6 secs & sub 6 secs to 100, plus you've got the brand & the rear seats &&&.

My take is the R8 could be a fraction more involving & will no doubt have a better engine/zorst noise & in the tests (albeit against the 991.1) they reckon the S-Tronic gear change is very slightly quicker than the PDK). That said the running costs of the Turbo are lower as 30+ on a run is achievable, it in reality could be a bit quicker but only by a whisker & although not a deal breaker, the 991 should be a little more discreet & blend into the background more (not a bad thing). The R8 will stand out more & the 570S more still.

[Graeme4130]

Sorry to pull this slightly off topic, but how do you find the Macan ? I've been considering a Macan Turbo until the next RS4 comes out

Go drive one around PEC....

For an SUV it's an amazing piece of kit. Not that I'm allowed to drive it that often. Aside from the general quality which is way above anything Audi have to offer, it goes and handles very well. Lead times are a bit mental mind, especially on turbo.

I certainly agree on the interior front, It's a lovely place and leaps and bounds better than anything Audi offer
New orders on Macan Turbos are at around 15months lead time now, but my local dealer tells me he has many customers that put several orders in on the basis that when it arrives, they decide if they want a car or not, and regularly, they get cars into the showroom that there 'regular customers' don't want. Therefore, assuming I'm not too fussy on spec, I can get a cancelled order as and when they arrive
Apparently, they have a couple of guys that order 5-10 cars a year, and the spec is agreed with the dealership as something they can move, so they just pick and choose what they want when they arrive. It keeps the customer coming back, and the dealer in zero lead time cars it can shift seemingly without issue. Strange way of doing business, but that's there prerogative
This is the same dealer that has 'cancelled order' GT4's showing a £110k sticker price ?

[Graeme4130]

Hi W8PMC, I recognise you from PH land. I had an M6 a couple of years ago followed by an SLS, AMG GT and now my new R8 V10+. Absolutely love the R8, and I've never typically been an Audi advocate (so all the more ironic I've also gone and bought a late RS4 Avant, just to get my last hit of a reasonable modern N/A V8!).

The R8 is all about THAT drivetrain. The BMW/AMG's were good, but they were still boosted engines and all the benefits / compromises that brings. Very little compares to the sensations and responses of a screaming N/A engine, especially when mated to one of the most superb dual clutch transmission that you'll come across. The sounds, sensations and responses are spectacular and a clear step up from the (not dissimilarly priced) AMG GT.

Whilst I've not driven a 991 TT, I did have a 997.2 TT a few years ago which to be frank, I found an extremely boring (if admittedly effective) point and shoot device. I have no doubt a Macca of some sort will be dynamically better than the R8 but I suspect I'd not be able to notice this benefit as much as I do the R8's superior drivetrain. Also, as this is my daily driver the R8 is more appropriate as it'll be better built and have more advanced technology. Ultimately, I didn't really consider a Macca or a 991 TT as a viable option to replace my AMG but I did seriously look at a Ferrari F12 (I even put a deposit on one) but once I'd tried the R8 it was, to me, the better car in almost every way.

I actually intended to swap my AMG GT for a late Gen-1 R8 LMX, just to get that drivetrain. But the interior and tech put me off compared to the über modern AMG so my only way forward was a Gen-2 which has a tremendously modern, minimalistic and yet really luxurious interior (I'm a big fan of the interior which in my opinion leapfrogs everything I've had before).

Quite frankly, the R8's performance is outrageous. Ignore the official 0-60 of 3.2 secs, it's regularly tested at 2.8 and pretty much in line with the 991. Get above 60 and it pulls away from the 991 (by 120mph, it's over a second ahead). If you're used to a car that can accelerate to 60 in high-3's / low 4's like I was, you need to consider that 2.8 seconds is around 25% faster and it feels absolutely gut wrenchingly fast.

Handling wise, this Gen-2 appears an improvement from the LMX I drove, which itself I thought was a very dynamically accomplished car (indeed, it was a drive of a friends earlier R8 V10 a year previous which put the R8 on the map for me). However, I found the Gen-1 a bit understeery on turn-in (much as I did the 997 TT) whereas this Gen-2's totally revised quattro system is initially much better balanced, and then nicely rear biased as you push harder. The Dynamic Steering gets a bit of a hard time in the press but I have no issue with it whatsoever, and I certainly prefer it to the helm in my M6 which was always that car's weak spot for me (and it's certainly nothing like the Dynamic Steering in my RS4 which really isn't great at all). The car rides really well for a car of this type (in fact, really well full stop; it's VERY compliant), body control is great and handling very flat. Dynamically, the Macca's may well be better but honestly, there is nothing wrong with the R8 whatsoever.

Here's a few pics of mine in the relatively subtle black I ended up buying....

What seat option did you choose? They're not the buckets I presume so guessing they're the sports seats?

Are you sure the R8 would pull away from the new 991 Turbo S? Not driven either yet but all the reviews I've seen have the Porsche ahead in all the performance stats. Not by much as both cars are insanely quick, but the 0-100 & 1/4 mile have the Porsche ahead.

You're R8 looks stunning though & has increased my desire for a closer look at these.

Buckets are very personal shape dependant. I found them to be the more comfortable of the two (or maybe 3) seat options in the new R8. In fact, the standard seats became quite uncomfortable for me on longer journeys. Conversely, the standard Huracan seats get a lot of bad reviews, but in the hour or so I had one to try, I found the seats to be some of the most comfortable of any sports car. I guess it just depends what kind of backside we all have