Audi R8
Price: £76,825 (six-speed manual), £82,025 (R tronic semi-auto)
On sale: July 17
0-60mph: 4.6 seconds; top speed 187mph
Average fuel: 19.3mpg
Standard equipment: Fine Nappa leather trim, quattro four-wheel drive, 19-inch alloys, power front seats, LED side lights, Bi-Xenon Plus headlights with headlight washer system, choice of six-speed manual or six-speed R tronic sequential manual transmission with steering-wheel paddles, parking radar, single CD stereo with 140-watt output, retractable rear spoiler.
Tiscali verdict: 8/10 Still want that Porsche 911?
Possibly the ultimate expression of Vorsprung durch Technic, the Audi R8 is the latest model from this fast growing German brand. The R8 is one of a range that has increased from just 7 in 1996 to 25 now, and it should be a great car - right? Audi don't usually make mistakes. After all it does have a controlling interest in the legendary Italian sports car maker Lamborghini, but I don't mind admitting that I was bit cynical when the R8 was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show last year. Could a car company best-known for producing a range of saloons, estates and sports cars such as the TT make a credible rival to the performance establishment? After a weekend at the wheel I have my answer.
Designed to commemorate the most successful sports-racing car at Le Mans, the R8 is Audi's new aluminium-bodied, mid-engined Porsche 911 and Aston Martin Vantage rival. Styling-wise the R8 can trace its roots back to the Audi Quattro Spyder concept first seen in 1991. In reality this car is basically a toned-down, road-going version of the Audi Le Mans Quattro concept first shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003.
From the front, the R8 is really exotic, yet still follows the Audi family look. Worthy of particular mention are the delicate front lights with their band of LED's for driving lights - they're particularly bright and mean you couldn't mistake the car for any rival on the road. Other design highlights from the front include the R8's take on the corporate family grille which is well-integrated and the clam-shell front boot. At the back, there are rear lights with LED technology and a pop-up spoiler that operates at speeds above the national speed limit. The rest of the design is equally special, but models fitted with the optional carbon fibre sideblades, which channel air to the engine, look particularly good. The shape flatters most colours, but my personal favourites were silver, black and Jet blue.
Inside the R8 is equally special. There's the usual quality feel; the sports seats are comfortable and supportive and the dashboard architecture is unique and attractive. There's enough headroom and adjustment for the seats so that even the tallest drivers can get comfortable. Boot space at the front is just 100 litres, but there's a further 90 litres available behind the seats when loaded to window level.
