I drove Audi’s R8 last week. Yes, yes, I know it was launched ages ago but I somehow missed every opportunity to drive it over the past 18 months. And every R8 road test that I read – and hell, it seemed there’s been a new one each week – only whetted my appetite for a punt in Audi’s first supercar.
Initially, I was caught up in the initial rush of excitement: here was a car to shake up the established order at a price sure to furrow brows in Germany and Italy.
But then the endless flow of lavish praise began to grate. It couldn’t be that good, could it? I mean this was Audi – maker of fine-looking cars that, with the exception of a few Quattro models, too often fail to deliver dynamically on their visual promise. Surely it would be just as I’d expected it to be: beautifully finished with plenty of technology and muscle but ultimately remote and unsatisfying.
So when I finally wrangled my way into the R8, I did so in a fairly sceptical frame of mind. And everything I read was right and everything I thought was wrong. The R8 is brilliant. The way its goes, corners and stops is a revelation – its excellent body control, accurate steering and super-smooth powerplant make it such an easily exploitable car. I drove the manual and loved the light clutch and wristy gearshift action, but even more astounding was the beautifully damped ride quality.
The R8’s trick magnetic suspension set-up sponged away intrusions and flowed the car along the road with more skill and sophistication than any other four-door saloon in the Audi line-up. Fine visibility, a spacious and intelligently configured cabin, decent stowage space and an air of complete civility made a mockery of most supercar norms.
Everything about it just clicked – it felt beautifully cohesive and integrated. Its badge may not have supercar kudos, but everything else is spot on. It’s all the more impressive when you realise it’s well over two years old now – time has not aged the brilliant Audi R8 one jot.
Let’s hope I don’t have to wait as long to drive the V10 version…
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