ALL Aluminum?

[willyjp]

A careful reading of all the published stuff on the R8 has failed to answer this question conclusively for me:

Is the R8 body ALL alloy?

Audi's published descriptions go on and on about the all alloy, mostly aluminum "ASF" and "body frame" with "aluminum panels", etc., etc.. But nowhere do I see specifically mentioned clearly what the exterior panels (fenders, door skins, "boot and bonnet" skins, roof skin etc.) are made of.

It's terribly "sexy" (in a car guy sort of way) to say it's an "all aluminum" body, but (having owned at least part aluminum cars and sailed on aluminum boats) steel is really easier to live with as an outer skin.

So what is the R8 skin? Does your magnet stick to it, or not? (of course, that's the old test for lead...or bondo...filler, but one hopes there's no factory filler on the R8 like there was on so many Italian coach bodied cars in times past!)

[mngolfer]

Magnet does not stick anywhere on the body.

[willyjp]

Magnet does not stick anywhere on the body.

Yes, since I posted that, I found one of the '07 early road tests that came right out and said, "all aluminum body." (From the Michelin online auto letter actually) The way Audi words their literature, they make it sound like perhaps only the "body frame" is alloy." Of course, it is a unibody, essentially a monocoque in that the skin is structural, so body and frame are properly one.

So, in living with your R8's, have you found them unduly susceptible to minor dents and "oil canning"? Likely not, since I don't think anyone had mentioned that on here.

[mngolfer]

No. I also have an '04 A8L with 126,000+ miles and all aluminum. No dings or easy denting. Every vehicle will have some minor door dings from rude people, but my aluminum Audi's are the same as my steel Audi.

I have been in minor hail with the A8L and no problems. I was REALLY scared though. It is amazing how there is never a covered spot around when you need one.

[willyjp]

No. I also have an '04 A8L with 126,000+ miles and all aluminum. No dings or easy denting. Every vehicle will have some minor door dings from rude people, but my aluminum Audi's are the same as my steel Audi.

I have been in minor hail with the A8L and no problems. I was REALLY scared though. It is amazing how there is never a covered spot around when you need one.

Yowee! Hail is scary! Fortunately, our copious rain in the NW is rarely in solid form, but I recall real hail from Texas in the service! One afternoon, the flying club had 4 Cessna 150's out on tiedowns and after a hail storm they looked like somebody had taken a ball peen hammer to them

Hate to be driving anything I liked in that kind of stuff!!

[harrison]

Hail scares the Hail out of me .

[ianerrid]

A careful reading of all the published stuff on the R8 has failed to answer this question conclusively for me:

Is the R8 body ALL alloy?

Audi's published descriptions go on and on about the all alloy, mostly aluminum "ASF" and "body frame" with "aluminum panels", etc., etc.. But nowhere do I see specifically mentioned clearly what the exterior panels (fenders, door skins, "boot and bonnet" skins, roof skin etc.) are made of.

It's terribly "sexy" (in a car guy sort of way) to say it's an "all aluminum" body, but (having owned at least part aluminum cars and sailed on aluminum boats) steel is really easier to live with as an outer skin.

So what is the R8 skin? Does your magnet stick to it, or not? (of course, that's the old test for lead...or bondo...filler, but one hopes there's no factory filler on the R8 like there was on so many Italian coach bodied cars in times past!)

According to the enormous book Audi gave me, the ASF is made of Aluminium extrusions and castings and some Magnesium castings. The outer skin is either Aluminium or plastic (bumpers)

[R84ME]

Yowee! Hail is scary! Fortunately, our copious rain in the NW is rarely in solid form, but I recall real hail from Texas in the service! One afternoon, the flying club had 4 Cessna 150's out on tiedowns and after a hail storm they looked like somebody had taken a ball peen hammer to them

Hate to be driving anything I liked in that kind of stuff!!

I suspect aircraft skin is much thinner than that used for automobiles. But it is still a concern.