Please convince me guys that the R8 I ordered is a car worth paying for!!

[FSI_ooomph]

It has been a long time since my last post. I was traveling with my family. We went in China, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan.

When we got back, I was thinking, how can you call the R8 an Audi when it was built from a Lambo. I know Audi owns Lambo but still. Can't Audi develop there own sports car? And the R8 V10 has an engine from a Lamborghini!

Another one that came to my mind was the fact that Audi is a newbie in the world dominated by the 911. Is it really the only car that can beat the 911.

Why do they keep calling the R8 a super car? It is competing against the 911 and the V8 Vantage!

And lastly, for me the R8 is the only sports car in Audi's line up. Do you guys consider the TT to be the other sports car in Audi's line up? Can we put it this way, the TT will be competing against the Boxster/Z4/SLK while the R8 will be against the 911/AM Vantage/GTR and the R8 V10 will be against the 911 Turbo/AM DBS/Corvette

[Maverick]

If you can get access to it have a read of the UK performance car comparison of the 997 twin turbo against the Audi R8 V10. Their summary is that the R8 kicks ass. It pulled away from the turbo on roads they were driving on and they thought it felt more modern, more stable and more compelling. I own an R8 v8 (UK) and a 996 turbo. I track both cars occasionally too. Both are great cars but the R8 somehow feels more modern and more of a "special" car to get into. In addition, it never fails to get smiles and positive reinforcement from people who see it. Its a fun car, very balanced and very impressive to drive on the track too. I wish I had the V10 but at the time I didn't want to wait and I've had some great fun in the R8 V8 in the last year. Its still a special car. To me it takes the "daily driveable supercar" theme that the 911 turbo has held to a new level. If you want a true exotic though you will have to pay 50% more and get a Lambo or Ferrari, but then you get the maintenance and other hassles too, plus the greater depreciation. To me, the R8 is a great combination.

[wedouglas]

No modern car is worth $130K. R8 is a waste of money. So is a Lamborghini. So is a Rolex. So are designer clothes.

There is no good reason to buy luxury goods. End of story.

However, I liked the R8, so I bought it. End of story.

It sounds like you are buying a car for the perceived image that comes with it. If it's not what you want, don't buy it. Performance really doesn't matter because you won't get anywhere near the boundaries of any car you choose, as normal roads can't accommodate these cars.

Buy what makes you happy.

[R8 England]

How do you (personally) define "supercar" ???

[Jeff]

If you're not smitten with the R8, don't get it. As wedouglas noted, the price of an R8 is a lot if you don't love it. You can get a lot of cars -- and a lot of car -- for a fraction of the price. But they won't be an R8.

[willyjp]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the v10 engine is an Audi developed product, so if you want to look at it that way, Lambo got if from Audi, not vice-versa. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamborghini_V10

I have read that the only actually Lambo developed part of the R8 is the gearbox (and certainly it displays the raging bull logo), though there's obviously much cross inspiration evident in both cars. VAGroup does own both companies now, though if you want to talk "pedigrees", Chrysler and Lee Iaccoca figure prominently in ownership history of Lamborghini!!

But of what significance is that to owning an R8? If "pedigree" of your car is important to you, Audi's got an enormous amount MORE competition heritage, both recent and ancient behind their company than Lamborghini does. Lamborghini was a wealthy tractor manufacturer who owned Ferraris
and got his back up over being insulted by il Commendatore (Enzo) himself (who was famous for his capricious customer relations), concerning Ferrari's opinion about the "tractor maker" being unqualified to critique a Ferrari!

Lamborghini decided "to hell with Ferrari, I can build a better (road) car than he can." So he did, with the help of some great talents in the Italian motor industry like Bizzarini and Scaglione. And they were and are very good cars. And when their Indonesian (after Chrysler) owners stumbled due to lack of capital, VAG stepped in and became their owner. But they don't have anything like the "heritage" or "pedigree" of Ferrari, or even Audi, if you want to have bragging rights to a car with "history" behind it.
Kind of like pedigrees in dogs: it matters some, but its often waaay over rated

[Dan1]

Please convince me guys that the R8 I ordered is a car worth paying for!!

You NEED someone you have never met to convince you to buy or not buy an R8?

OK

Based on them making their own engine, performance, and price. here you go.
No the R8 is not the car you want.
But here are some recomendations.

Dodge Viper SRT-10 ACR lap time 7:22.1
Chevy Corvette C6 ZR1 7:26.4
Nissan GT_R 7:26.4

And to show how much better these cars are here are some other lap times.

Lambo Gallardo Superleggera 7:46.0
Porsche Carrera GT 7:28.71
Ferrari Enzo 7:25.3
Ferrari 599 GTB 7:47

And the Audi R8 8:04

[HovyR8]

- It costs more to develop something from scratch than taking something already quasi-perfect and adapt it. The R8 V8 has an Audi 4.2L FSI no, that's not from Lambo.

- Porsche was a newbie with their Cayenne yet they did a fantastic job (we both one 1 Cayenne model so you know what I refer to). Newbie or not has nothing to do with anything. Some car makers still cannot achieve proper results in their respective field after 50 years. The R8 is a "tour de force"!!!

- It's not called supercar just because it's got a better 0-60 etc ... it's called a supercar because of it's handling and overall superb driving experience. Plus, it looks like and better than a supercar.

- No the Audi TT is more a leisure car with "sports" traits (let's see what the TTS and TTRS will be up to). Why are you so eager to know what the R8 competes with or does not compete with ??? You seem to want the ultimate track car but by looking at your cars, I don't see anything that close to a track car (perhaps the 911).

- I am tempted to tell you to forget the R8 but you already ordered one, so I tell you this: nobody can convince you but you sitting in it and driving it. Plus, try (and I mean try) to drive a Gallardo or Murcielago or Enzo or Koenigsegg, etc everyday.

Good luck

[R8 England]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the v10 engine is an Audi developed product, so if you want to look at it that way, Lambo got if from Audi, not vice-versa. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamborghini_V10

I have read that the only actually Lambo developed part of the R8 is the gearbox (and certainly it displays the raging bull logo), though there's obviously much cross inspiration evident in both cars

Correct. The V10 engine block features BOTH the Audi AND Lambo logo's in the casting.

Interestingly, the first run of Gallardo's were actually built in Neckarsulm, and not in Italy.

[09R8]

To the original poster - you should ask yourself why you are purchasing this car, not from people all over the globe on a public forum. It is your money, do what you want and make your own decision without a public poll