I agree, the Challenger stood out to me... the new Alfa did, as well... and yes, the R8. But I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder - and nice to see some people consider a modern car like the R8 in the same company as some of those classics. While we beat the topic to death a while back with a thread on the subject, I guess it's just a reminder that people do see the R8 as potential "classic/collectible" material - a modern beauty worthy of a spot among some of the classics.
It's not the most powerful car of its time.... nor the most expensive... nor the most exclusive... but there's really something about the way it looks that captures the hearts of nearly everyone who encounters it. I won't go so far as to say "universally loved" but as close as I've seen in a long time for a car, where there's far fewer people who seem to argue its appeal compared to the run of the mill. And maybe that's partly because people didn't expect to love something so much from Audi, which made them drool as if it were a product of Ferrari. Or because the R8 was able to deliver supercar looks and performance while remaining un-supercar-like in driveability. Or because it gave them just the right blend of Italian mid-engine proportions combined with German lines. Who knows - maybe all of the above. But I think the car will be iconic for some time to come and may just find itself in these types of line-ups more frequently down the road.
Porsche made the R8 job easier by looking like a Porsche...
So the R8 stepped into a niche that had been left vacant by the NSX. Namely a good looking high performance car that was usable unlike Ferraris and Lambos - but also reliable.
Porsche had to be victims of their own success. Dolly Parton cannot show up with a Twiggy like figure and expect to keep her iconic fan base.
Interestingly, the R8 did nothing for me when I first saw it. It looked like a wannabe to me and I disliked the plastickey looking side blades.
It is only a chance drive that blew me away. With ownership has come an appreciation if it's smart niche looks. Plus so many come up to me racing about its looks. The female of our species finds it a particularly beautiful car. Its proportions appeal to their sense of aesthetics.
I think this is because it is not all bulges or wedges but a subtle fusion.
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