2009 Audi R8

The most high-performance road going Audi ever. If there were any questions about what the Audi R8 is, it is the answer. Designed to give Audi an honest competitor to the best species the world has to offer, the R8 is the first production vehicle midengine Audi has ever sold, and it includes all the brand has taught more than 70 years of racing history.

Audi R8 happened as a production version of Le Mans Quattro concept car. The name itself references Audi R8 racecar, which won several 24-hour Le Mans races. Performance of the R8 road car starts with a rigid and light all-aluminum space frame chassis. Much of it resembles the space frame used for the Lamborghini Gallardo. The R8 is advanced in other areas as well as having a direct injected V8 engine with dry-sump lubrication, two-mode active dampers, and of course, Quattro all-wheel drive.

Although many high-performance species can be challenging to drive, Audi took action to ensure its R8 is comfortable enough for everyday use. The R8 really stands out from its interior, which is spacious and high quality while maintaining a modern design flair, not normally associated with high-performance species.

Current Audi R8

Audi R8 debuted for the 2008 model year. It is powered by a 4.2-liter V8 that uses direct injection to produce 420 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. Transmission choices are a standard six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed "R Tronic" sequential-shifting manual with an automatic function. Power is sent to all four wheels via Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, specially tuned for the R8 to provide a genuine rear-wheel-biased power delivery.

As with most vehicles, which has the engine mounted behind the driver, the R8 has a shortened nose, which is adorned with the current corporate Audi grille and Bi-Xenon headlamps. The exotic appearance of the R8 is further enhanced through a series of 12 LED lights that underscores the headlamp housings and act as daytime running lights. The styling of the aluminum body is composed of chiseled flanks, which leads the eye to the "side blades" to highlight the mid-mounted engine. The rear styling is accented by a glass engine cover and further use of LED lighting.

Standard equipment on the Audi R8 is comprehensive, just a short list of available options. Standard features include active dampers, 19-inch alloy wheels and power and heated leather / Alcantara sport seats. Major options include a premium Bang & Olufsen audio system, navigation, upgraded leather upholstery and other clothing to hand blades.

In declarations, we have found the R8 sublimely balanced in terms of handling. This is one of the rare vehicles with enough straight-line traction and cornering grip to match its high-performance engine, so the Audi's V8 actually feel less powerful than it is. It is also worthy of a sports car, thankfully free of those elements that make other super cars impossibly taxation in the real world use. It has not Goofy Scissor doors, and 6-footers will fit comfortably with room to spare. Audi R8 even rides surprisingly well, thanks to its two-mode adaptive dampers. Meanwhile, the interior is typical Audi, with strong controls and an ergonomic design.

Audi plans to import only a limited number of R8s in the United States each year. As can be expected, demand is currently greater than supply. But for those lucky owners who have the financial means to acquire one, Audi has produced a vehicle that proudly live up to the legacy of the Auto Union badge.