First Impressions Heffner TT R8

[Orion Quest]

I just got my TT Heffner R8 back yesterday and first impressions are WOW! This car is my daily driver (as a matter of fact it still has the winter tires on it) so I know what it is capable of pretty intimately.

I haven't had a chance to really open her up but that's mainly due to the fact that I keep running out of road. Everything about the car now is amazing. The performance throughout the gears (R-Tronic) is spot on, with a very smooth torque curve. There are no lag, lag, lag, BOOM moments at all, just neck snapping acceleration. The sound is something you have to really experience for yourselves, I've had a couple of turbo cars but nothing that compares to the sound these TT's make with this engine and exhaust. My mileage as far as I can tell has not suffered at all, as long as I drive her "normally" she's getting the same MPG that I noticed before the upgarde.

I get the winters off tomorrow and have a nice drive coming up this weekend, hopefully with some roads where I can stretch her legs a bit. I'll try to take some video as well and update this post with more detail after the meet.

Overall I would do it again in a heartbeat. Working with Jason was wonderful, he was professional in every way, answering any questions I had before, during, and after. The LP640 is going down to see Jason next!

-O

[OEMplus.com]

Congrats on the new toy O! Can you add your location to your profile?

We have a car coming in today to start this same upgrade and are really looking forward to it!

[AnOutsider]

Good stuff man. Do you feel it's a bit over the top for daily driving?

[R84ME]

Good stuff man. Do you feel it's a bit over the top for daily driving?

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

One of us?

[harrison]

I beleive this is the SDR8 clone but with TT. SDR8 met with him and Richoem knows him too.

[cavaret]

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

One of us?

I think that's wheelb's car...

[OEMplus.com]

Yes, that is Ben's car at WB...

[SFR8]

Hi Orion,

Congratulation! some questions:

* How is the acceleration like starting around 2500 - 3000 rpm?
* How does the acceleration compare to your stock LP640?
* At what rpm do you feel the most difference?
* Did you have a Stasis exhaust on? If yes, is the new sound louder, same, or quieter than the Stasis? How does the new exhaust sound compare to the Stasis?
* How does your oil and water temp look after a spirited drive?
Thanks

[Orion Quest]

Hopefully I can help answer some questions and didn't forget any:

* How is the acceleration like starting around 2500 - 3000 rpm?

The car actually drives the same at lower RPM's if you are driving it normally. At WOT you can really feel the difference as the turbo's spool up. At higher RPM's it is amazing, the car just goes and goes.

* How does the acceleration compare to your stock LP640?

I would have to say that the acceleration in the stock LP640 is a little more linear. The R8 is like a kick in the head when the full 6psi kicks in. Depending on how you drive it and how you accelerated, it feels like a kickdown effect. The car just dropped a gear and moves forward without hesitation. I don't really consider it turbo lag since the 4.2 is so good at low-mid rpm's the turbo's just fill in that bit that was missing at the top.

* At what rpm do you feel the most difference?

On the highway it is around 5K-5.5K, the acceleration is insane. One thing I have to worry about now is bouncing off the rev limiter (R-Tronic in manual/sport) since it comes up so fast. I never had this problem before. In sport auto it is a mind blowing experience.

* Did you have a Stasis exhaust on? If yes, is the new sound louder, same, or quieter than the Stasis? How does the new exhaust sound compare to the Stasis?

I didn't have an aftermarket exhaust on the car before. I just unhooked the valves. I have a friend with an aftermarket exhaust on his R8 and I think the TT exhaust sounds so much better, and he does too. I think it has to do with the turbo whine/scream that accompanies the exhaust note. Going through a parking garage it sounds like there is a tornado following me.

* How does your oil and water temp look after a spirited drive?

Funny you ask, it is one of the things I was looking at and I have not noticed any difference, nor does the car fan stay on any longer than it did after I shut her off, before the TT's were installed.

* Do you feel it's a bit over the top for daily driving?

Not at all, there is a lot of power there but unless I want to use it, it is as civil (minus the noise) as it was before. You just have a lot more cool sounds to go along with the looks.

Hope that answers everyone's questions for now and I promise to post an update once I get more time in over the weekend. On a side note this guy in a souped up Trans-Am wanted to run on the highway. I let him go first in the left lane, waited a few seconds and floored it. I was on his tail in seconds. This happened 3 more times before he gave up. The highway acceleration on the R8 now is truly amazing.
-O

[Heffner Performance]

Hieu,

It's great to hear that the car made it home safely and you are having some fun with your new toy. It was an absolute pleasure to work with you and I can't wait to see your videos. Drive carefully.