By Gerard Griessel
The Audi R-8 is a complete departue of everything Audi has produced in the past. This car is riveted with new technology, including a mid-mounted engine. It's fast, it growls like a cougar, and it's hot, smoking hot...
There's no point in denying the fact that this car was built for nothing but speed. It possesses a large amount of racing technology, but at the same time it seems that this car could actually also be comfortable. But one feature that really stands out when looking at the car, is the fact that it's a looker. The car's headlights are surrounded by LED fog lamps, which in itself gives the R-8 a very mean look once lit up. The overall design of the body is to say the least, magnificent. The designer really managed to design a very beautiful car, while at the same time leaving it aerodynamically sound.
While one could come to the conclusion that the car's looks alone can't make you decide to buy it, Audi it seems, haven't relied on the looks at all. The car's performance would make you want to buy it. Full stop.
The R-8's mid mounted 4.2 litre V8 engine can push it up to 100KM'H in 4.6 seconds at 8250 RPM (read - 4.6 SECONDS). And once it gets there, it hardly breaks a sweat in achieving a maximum speed of 301 KM/H. The engine delivers 420 Break Horse Power (BhP), 309 kW, and 430 Nm, all of which is enough to pull your face off in the pull away.
The R-8 comes with an R-tronic gearbox on request, which was created for racing purposes, with either a stick shift or paddle shift on the steering wheel.
But what really makes the R-8 a good racing car, is the fact that it can go around corners without you worrying about life ensurance in the bend. The mid-mounted engine and quatro all wheel drive system produces mind blowingly good grip in corners.
Other features include the Audi Space Frame body technology, which built out of Aluminium and Magnesium. In addition to this the car is fitted with a thing called "Audi Magnetic Ride". Sound expensive? It is. It is a ride adaptive damper system, and instead of using normal damper oil, the shocks are filled with fluid whose viscosity can be adjusted via electromagnetic field in accordance with the ride situation.
The R-8 seems to be a very beautiful, performing car, and is the envy of just about every super car enthusiast out there. The sad thing is it might just stay an enviable, exclusive car, since it costs R1.3 Milion.
