This revamped model is faster, lighter, and meaner than its predecessor
I couldn’t have asked for a better first-time supercar experience than this. Though I have driven some of the most sizzling cars with massive motors in the past, to drive something whose sole motive is to keep that speedometer needle in an offensive mode is truly special.
One look at the R8 and you are bound to get hooked by its sheer beauty. The updated design is sharper thanks to the meaner laser headlights, massive air dams, and large hexagonal grille.
Turn to the sides and the large 19-inch wheels and carbon fibre side blades give you a hint of the aggression this German piece carries. The rear profile is equally alluring with a smart spoiler sitting on the deck.
The supremacy of the R8 is evident from the fact that the supercar shares 50 per cent of its parts with the Le Mans racecar. This is reflected as soon as you step in the car. The cockpit is driver-focused, hunkered low to the floor with barely a foot off the ground.
Based on the ‘monoposto’ concept, the captain seat just cocoons you in. All that the driver is able to see are the leather-clad steering wheel, a TFT display that houses the maps and the meters, and a tip of low-slung nose.
Not very surprisingly, the R8 is filled to the brim with tech features. However, with our time constraint, we decided to adjust the seat, hit the big red button on the steering, hear the engine growl, and just set off.
Ahh, the engine. It’s a V10 affair, the same manic beast that also does duty in the Lamborghini Huracan. It generates an earth-shattering 610PS of power along with 560Nm of torque. The responsibility of harnessing all that power is handed off to a dual-clutch S-Tronic automatic gearbox.
The famed Quattro technology ensures this power is delivered to all the four wheels.
So what do you do when you are handed the keys to this marvel of a supercar, and a 1.7 kilometre-long closed circuit invitingly opens itself up for you under the balmy Bengaluru sun? Yes, you stretch it to its limits. And that’s exactly what we did.
The set-up with which we zoomed around included the engine set in its most volatile state - performance, while the gearbox was put in Sport mode.
It was just a matter of pushing the pedal to the floor: I did, and the excitement followed. Throughout the ride, there was a stiff competition between the V10 symphony music and the drive itself so as to who engages more. In the end, I had the best of both the worlds.
Here, we have to admit that the all-wheel drive of Audi is unmistakably the best. It ensures the vehicle stays dead straight like a dart no matter how you play with the revs. The naught to 100 mark was done and dusted in just 3.2 seconds, and before you could figure it out, you are driving at speeds that would frankly be illegal on public roads.
Lucky then that we were on a closed track.With a staggering top speed of 330kmph, the Audi R8 never falls short of being called as a typical supercar, and braking is just as inspiring as the acceleration. Our unit was equipped with the optional ceramic brake package as well, so that was doubly reassuring.
Taking the ‘more power to the people’ slogan quite literally, Audi has ‘empowered’ the common man (although, with a price tag like this, “common” is still a relative term) with its ravishing new R8 plus.
This revamped model is faster, lighter, and meaner than its predecessor. On the downside, we only had the chance to drive it on a linear patch so we can’t comment on its ride and handling abilities at present. We are desperate to have a go again in this beast to bring a more exhaustive review for you. Stay tuned!
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