The 'Why did Audi choose this for the R8' topic.

[Guilty]

I'd be nice to start this topic Audi chooses all the details of a car with a reason. Sometimes they are strangly chosen, what details on/in the R8 do you think are dumb chosen, or are missing?

Let me start:

I think that the red-monochrome LCD driver-display between the dials is a strange choice. In my S4 it is a nice full color display. In the R8 it looks like my old 1999 S3 display :/

Second, they made nice buttons to reset my counters and to change my clock in my S4. But in the R8 the chose the classing 'pin' like thing, why?

Which details do you think are strange or are missing?

[Kreso]

Simple stuff-that was in mind of R8 design team and I agree with them.
No stupid sport throttle response button as well. Just one(very sporty, BTW) throttle line-up in R8(of course, R-Tronic cars have Sport button but, for faster gearchanges. Throttle response is the same.)!

Monochrome LCD display? Well, I like it as well. More sporty IMHO then color one on RS4 or Gallardo...

Interior is IMHO the best one currently in all sportscars on the market.

Missing things...? Side blades in same color as main exterior color right from the start. But, this thing will be solved in autumn...

Interior color choice... Now, here I have a feeling that R8 design team was not brave enough! Why not Red leather? It will look very sporty on Phantom Black or Ice Silver R8 IMHO.
This will be solved as well through Exclusive Leather Packages programm this autumn as well...

Design Idea behind R8 was latest technology merged with classic sportscar elements. IMHO they did pretty good job indeed.

[Guilty]

Simple stuff-that was in mind of R8 design team and I agree with them.

Monochrome LCD display? Well, I like it as well. More sporty IMHO then color one on RS4 or Gallardo...

Design Idea behind R8 was latest technology merged with classic sportscar elements. IMHO they did pretty good job indeed.

Hmm, yes. But it doesn't look very classic (not that I mind).

But sporty or not, for the LCD it is not very handy. The LCD is also used for the Navi Plus, and it will be less functional now.

[L3MAN]

Plus points:-

Lighting arrangements & styling

Wing mirrors, door handles better than Lemans prototype

B&O stereo, how cool is that !!!


Negative points:-

I wish that the engine cover was one piece with the rear wings as per the Lemans prototype. Much more sporty if not reminiscent of Ferrari F40, would be easier for servicing surely?

Central exhaust pipe would have been nice as well.

Should have bucket seat option from outset - probably being standard would have been a good thing.

Spare wheel situation - could prove awkward

Fitted luggage is a must - I know it is coming but when?

Interior finish options should all be available from launch, none of this would need development work as it is all either their or just a case of choosing different materials. Can understand delays re brakes, lights, engine specs etc.


Overall, can not complain as the R8 is a technological / styling sucess in the manking and I for one can't wait to take delivery.

[Kreso]

Fitted luggage is a must - I know it is coming but when?

According to my Audi friend right from the start! Price? We will see but, if you are a good costumer or are in excellent relationship with your dealer this Luggage Set could be a nice gift!

[L3MAN]

According to my Audi friend right from the start! Price? We will see but, if you are a good costumer or are in excellent relationship with your dealer this Luggage Set could be a nice gift!

Have been a good Audi customer for 15 years, but I would be surprised if their were any gifts being given out in the UK.

Seen pictures of the luggage and would guess that it has to be €1000 ++++ for the three pieces???

One can only hope that generosity prevails !!!

[R8chris]

missing options imo:

- color lcd display (for navi stuff etc) but monochrome is more sporty

- DAB & DVB receiver!!!! have that in my A6 at the mom.. its the best..

you ever were in a traffic jam and were annoyed bout it stopping you from getting to your destination??? well me too, but with DVB, you can watch the evening news and roll relaxed home...

(DAB= digital audi broadcast DVB= digital video broadcast)

will get that option built in later by www.audioexclusive.ch (did a good job in "misusing" or replacing the empty space for the not existing 5th wheel in the boot by a woofer loudspeaker and some amplifiers etc...


anyway, what else is missing??
- bucket seats form beginning
- another steering wheel (not with sport buttons, but somehow bit sportier ..

all in all, i am already in love, and i cant wait for tomorrow.. for the AMS report on drving... will it go faster then the promised 4.6??
imho it certainly will...


good nite y'all
c

[jampoTT]

I noticed the crap DIS too.

The other glaring omission is USB or iPod connectivity.

I'm told Audi are "working on it" which seems strange, as its available for ALL OTHER new Audis. In particular, the newer MMI in the Q7 and A8 etc has excellent iPod interaction, displaying everything properly on the big screen, and the track data in the DIS.

Nothing for the R8 (yet) thought. I know the HU is SD/MMC card capable, and the CD player can play MP3 but that's a bit of a step backward, IMHO.

[rmclachlan]

To me one of the obvious omissions is the lack of a dedicated navigation DVD. Why not have the option of a NAV dvd somewhere in the car, or as a replacement for the CD changer. I don't really want to have to eject the NAV dvd to play a single cd. Changers are a pain. With sd cards you really don't need the changer, I also agree that ipod should be built in from the start.

[Paul]

Disappointed the driver display between the speedo and rev counter won't be like that in the RS4 ... I think it's much better and more pleasing to the eye as well.

I think it's obvious and easy to see why they want contrasting colours fore the sideblades ... its possibly the first time something like sideblades been done by a mainstream manufacturer ... so they want to make sure they are apparent on the car ... hence contrasting colours ... either subtle, or bold.

Warning, lengthy rant follows!!!
I really think Audi have missed the boat on a lot of points with the way they are handling the early customers and what they are offering. What I mean by that is; the R8 is as good as, if not actually, a 'Halo' car for Audi. It represents the pinnacle of Audi's abilities so far as producing a performance road car goes; at present, and probably to date. I think it is a big mistake that the options are so limited and restricted on the early cars.
I appreciate that they want to get the car on the road and in the hands of the public at the earliest possible opportunity, but they are already producing 'press' or at least 'demonstration' cars with ceramic brakes, bucket seats, etc. So, if they can produce them for 'press' and 'demonstration' cars, why oh why can't they have ceramic brakes on the options list from the start, also why oh why can't they have bucket seats as the standard item on the car from the start. After all, the R8 is a performance car and a high performance car at that. High performance cars and bucket seats are synonymous with each other and modern day high performance cars are becoming ever more synonymous with ceramic brakes.
Lengthy rant about half over now!!!
Put simply ... and this is just imho ... I think that:
Audi should have waited until they were able to properly co-ordinate the information going out to customers, i.e. the customer packs (it would have been good had they proof read the books so they could have removed the various typing errors) the public and world in general before sending out the customer packs and incomplete sample packs to the dealers, i.e. no Oxygen Silver sideblade sample (too late to arrive and by the sounds of it most, if not all, were missing various samples).
The production of the options list and ordering process was rushed and shouldn’t have been done until an appropriate set of options could have been offered to people who had put money down on a car year, or in many cases years, away from production and delivery to customers. The status of the R8 in the Audi portfolio should have meant ( imho ) that things like ceramic brakes, bucket seats and free choice of paint colours - provided they are in the Audi range of course.
The R8 is such an important car for Audi there shouldn’t really have been such restrictions on the ordering choices ... imho. Plus, why on earth you can’t have a leather dash, door trims and seats, but with the option of Alcantara for the centre sections of the seats and the door inserts is beyond me and ... imho ... it is a mistake not to allow it.

Anyway, I think that’s enough for now, I’ll let someone else add their 2p worth before I throw in another few pence worth of my own another time ...