Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Audi R8 - Second Generation

Since its launch in 2007, the Audi R8, named after a prize-winning Le Mans racing prototype, is engineered to be Audi's first bona fide supercar that can tackle against supercars in its ranks, but weirdly, it's just a toned-down version of the Gallardo. With the rise of the Lamborghini Huracan, looks like the Audi R8 supercar is ready for its make-up transformation by regenerating it to an all new model.
2016 Audi R8

At first look, you will notice that the new model looks similarly the same as the previous model it replaces but Audi insists that this is a brand-new car engineered from the ground up and it features some of the components derived from the Lamborghini Huracan. It's got a toned-down version of the same 5.2L V10 engine from the Huracan, a brand new space-age bodywork, and lots of brand new features. So the question now is, does this new model now have the sense of humor that the old model can't?

2016 Audi R8

Judging by the way the new model behaves, this new model still doesn't laugh in a comedic manner every time when it sees an old rich lady and her mute yaya tagging along on the public, and don't even think about finding the fun factor inside because for this all-new model, the manual gearbox has been thrown away and the only gearbox you can find is Audi's 7-speed S-tronic double clutch gearbox, the same as you can find on the Lamborghini Huracan. While enthusiasts are pining themselves on the manual gearbox's demise, this double-clutch gearbox works brilliantly with its 5.2 V10 engine developing 610PS of power and 560Nm of torque in the range-topping Plus variant. It will do 0-100kph in 3.2 seconds and onwards to 330kph, which is blisteringly more than what the Huracan pulls out in the bag. For fuel efficiency, the new model also comes with a device that can shut off its engines at a set of lights.

Thanks to the new Audi Space Frame, the new R8's tub features a blend of carbon fiber and aluminium, making it easier and repair and durable when you ding it on the bumps. It's the same blend that you can expect on the Huracan as well.

2016 Audi R8 interior

You might imagine that all four-wheel drive cars are more grippy than rear-wheel drive cars but for the new R8, it isn't. Thanks to its midship-engine 4WD layout, it still manages to be as tail-happy as possible and well-communicative on the bends thanks to its responsive electromechanical power steering system. Some say that this new R8 behaves like a sportscar rather than a supercar but that's just a compliment because even though it's a bewitching machine you can take out on the open roads, it's still very civilized.

On the interior, it's all about being driver-focused and nothing else because the sat-nav system is now located on the instrumental panel rather than a separate screen. That's sounds nice but be wary though that even though it features a blend of science-fiction and brute force, its sat-nav remains rubbish even when driving on ancient cities like Bologna or Intramuros or Jerusalem or any other ancient cities in history. You have to rely on your local knowledge get through your destination rather than relying on its sat-nav because pretty soon, you'll feel like you've been left behind in traffic or small gaps.

2016 Audi R8

Yes, the new interior can be somewhat problematic but nothing's more problematic than the price tag itself and it starts from 165,000 to 187,400 Euros. That's quite a lot for a supercar and you're going to spend more for some optional extras. So, despite the pricing, the all new R8 is a potent supercar that drives fast than the old model, handles better, and in the real world, well-mannered. The loss of the manual gearbox and its questionable interior sounds more of a let-down for some but nevertheless, the new R8 can surely be one of the best cars to drive this year.

Available colors: Dynamitrot, Ibisweiß, Vegasgelb, Camouflagegrun Metallic, Florettsilber Metallic, Mythosschwarz Metallic, Suzukagrau Metallic, Daytonagrau Perleffekt, Arablau Kristalleffekt, and Camouflagegrun Matteffekt.

Photo: Audi AG

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