Pulled the trigger...

Nice car! Congratulations.

The R8 isn't boring, a V10 supercar CAN'T be boring. It might not bring the thrills of the F355, but it definently brings different thrills to the table, such as the Sub 4s 0-60 punch in the stomach with the launch control, or the phenomenal cornering speeds.


I do love my F355, but there are somedays that I wake up in the mood of something more modern, that can achieve obscene speeds across a street block. When it is one of those days, I choose another car.

Well, if you were on a budget for a 458, you can easily get the R8, drive it like you stole it for a few months, and when the "supercar specialness" wears off, buy youself a tidy 355. I do recomend though a 6 spd. I have a F1 360, and it is one of the weakest points of the car for me, feels very outdated, specially for you, that will get used to the lightning speed of the audi DSG.

6spd 355's are more rewarding, fun, and helps hide the age of the car a little bit. As a plus, it comes with the clackclack everyime you change gears, which is amazing.

 

Wow... and Audi R8. I am just gutted. I can't imagine having to put up with some soulless VW day in and day out. So what if it's rare. So what if virtually everything written about the car praises the way it drives. So what if it has a 500+ hp V10. BOOOORING.....



I just can't imagine it at all.

 

The R8 is also a great long distance cruiser. I spent a good 12 hours in one a week ago. Comfy (unless you plan on napping) and with creature comforts.

 

I sell Beetles for a living and I'd have no problem with an R8 in my garage. Interesting note though. Owner here has a new C4 Black / Black 911 and there is no way I way trade my 355 for it. Looks cool for a min and then I'm over it. I get excited every sec I see my girl. She is expensive is keep but what gorgous woman isn't? She does it for me everytime and can do things I've never experienced before time and time again. Congrats on your purchase. Can't wait to see the pics!

 

At the end of the day the R8 will always be simply an Audi, sold off the same floor as the A1, A3, etc. You could buy two 355's for R8 money.

Whenever I see an Audi R8 I always think of the old saying, a fool and his money are soon parted. Audi must be rubbing their hands every time they sell one at the ridiculous money they have the cheek to ask, they're nice, but not THAT nice.

 

Sold off the same floor yes, but not built in the same plant or in the same way. At all.
That is the same logic that people used when the Ford GT hit the market. They were $160k new and now trade at over $200k, one sold recent for $350,000. Where Scuds were 300k at the same time and now are down to nearly half that.

And I think you can buy THREE 355s for the price of a new R8 (well with the V10).

And you can buy 2 R8's for the price of a 458. You can't possibly be a Ferrari fan and even begin to care about things being overpriced...Someone has to pay the F1 team's bills.

$2500 for a 355 hub bearing? Well, you do get the entire upright. But still....

I remain a huge Ferrari fan. But I have never understood the "If it's not Ferrari, it's crap" mentality.

 

Hey now, watch what you are saying there! This is a Ferrari forum.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lltGYGvodHw]Ferrari Quality - F355 - YouTube[/ame]

 

Not sure anyone is saying that. I drove past a R8 yesterday. From the front 3/4 view it looks OK IMO, the side view is Blah IMO.

I have lots of respect for other non-Ferrari's but I just don't think the R8 is a great looking car and I will bet went it's 15-20 years old like the 355, no one on the planet will be talking about it.

 

what is an Audi??

 

Salmon, I didn't say the R8 was crap because its not a Ferrari, you pulled that one out of thin air.

Its just that being an Audi, the R8 is not worth what they ask. I could see £60k in it (uk pounds) but that's as far as it would be for me, for any 'Audi'. It wouldn't matter to me if the R8 were built on a factory on the moon.

If we need to talk cars other than Ferrari's, I'd rather spend the same money on either a Porsche or an Aston, at least they have plenty of history and panache, unlike the R8 that just doesn't...simples.

 

I can't argue with any of this. I personally like the R8, but many share your views. I have not yet met someone who did NOT like the 355. It was a home run, and it will always be a beautiful car, probably even more so in 30 years than it is now. I love pop-up headlights.

I didn't mean to ascribe the quote to you, but there are many on this board that have had large doses of the Ferrari Kool-aid. I admit I have been unable to completely cure myself of the addiction. But I am an Audi fan too, so I don't have the same reaction to the brand name that you do. I see it as the least expensive mid-engine normally aspirated V10 powered car on the market. And one of the last sports cars to be offered with a manual.

And sometimes, being a little visually quieter is a good thing. There are many reasons I could never drive my 355 to work. Everything has it's ups and downs.

 

When you don't have an innie, you have an audi?

 

Perlease take your eurotraveller audi away
In 15 years will be forgotten

 

Looks like a modified audi tt to me.

 

Agreed. Congratulations on a fantastic car. When BB prices started to get a little overcooked, I sold mine (had it 8 years, loved it) and got a '10 R8 6 speed plus a 11k mile 328 with the BBi proceeds.

I wanted a capable cruiser I could take on long trips with my wife, with luggage space, reliability and TONS of soul. The R8 has an exhaust note second only to my Euro headered Pantera. Handling is other-wordly.

The 328 is my Italian fling when that desire hits. I require SOME trouble in my life and this mistress offers only a trifle of that compared to some others I've owned. Sexy as all heck, and very rewarding to drive.

With any luck, the appreciation of the 328 will offset the depreciation of the R8, which means I'm driving free, and that ain't bad.

I congratulate the OP on his acquisition. BTW, of the cars I own, by FAR the largest number of 'new' car guys drool on the R8. It has got a presence.

 

Hey Eric - where in CT are you? Tough crowd for sure. R8's are just Audi's, blah, blah, blah.

Not sure why everyone compares it with an A4 and not a Lamborghini, but whatever.

Congrats on your new car. If you're close by, I'd love to see it.

 

Hey guys - R8 now in hand for a few days!

First impressions? It's a ridiculously impressive machine! The 0 - 60 is fast... very fast - we know that much. But the handling? No way to describe it - this thing just holds the road in a way that feels surreal. Steering and cornering is accurate to the point of being uncanny.

The sounds of a naturally aspirated V10 climbing up to 9k behind your head? Intoxicating! The sound of the exhaust blips on downshifts - heavenly. Soul? In EVERY WAY shape and form. Put this car into "sport" mode, and the 7-speed dual-clutch sequential rips through gears with such a fury that it's nearly impossible to tell where one gear ended and the other began. Stomp on the gas while you're at it, and the entire car transforms from a well-behaved cruiser to a complete mad-man... enough to get scary very quickly, in fact.

The interior is beautifully executed - leather and carbon fiber covers every surface. Everything you touch feels solid, tightly screwed together, and luxurious. From the outside, love it or not, in person the R8 is an eye-catching car. I've yet to go anywhere without people stopping to talk about it, drool over it, take pictures, and ask questions. The V10 under glass in the back looks like a work of art surrounded by carbon fiber inlays everywhere. Pretty much every driver with a high-enough seating position who passes it seems to hang out in my rear quarters having a good, long, admiring look.

In short, I couldn't be happier. There's a reason why this car has won nearly universal praise from every reputable car journalist and magazine. It brings together what Lamborghini and Audi both did so right into one machine. And not surprisingly, as a result, there are plenty of Ferrari owners over at the R8 board who are owners of both... and nearly every other exotic brand, as well. I love Ferrari, and I love the 355, but there's no denying that Audi made something incredible with the R8.

Is it worth nearly $200k? Every single penny. If you haven't driven one and you're skeptical, go find one and drive it. There's no way you're walking away from a drive thinking, "no soul" or "boring" unless you're in a comma. Is it iconic? More than I ever knew. Little kids shout as they point, "Iron Man's car!" Adults, both guys and girls, seem to immediately recognize it - "an R8!" at gas stations, restaurants, and stop lights.

At the end of the day, the 355 and R8 are completely different animals separated by almost two decades now of technology. They're both fantastic cars... as are dozens of others I wouldn't mind having in my garage. But the R8 ticked the right boxes for me - styling I absolutely love, supercar performance, mid-engine layout, and modern convenience, reliability, and comfort. The 355 is a special car to me, so I don't doubt I may still pick one up down the road, but for now I have my fix.

Some pictures:
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Congratulations, a wise choice, that was your head over ruling your heart.

 

Thanks Matthew! Yes, the parts bin at Lamborghini was raided in a significant way to build this car, and it shows - the V10 engine is just the start as multiple components underpinning the R8 are from the Gallardo and now Huracan (this year's sport exhaust, I believe).

I'm in the south-west end of the state in Fairfield County near NY.

 

The interior is with out a doubt top notch. I was behind one all last weekend on some aggressive country driving after the Studio47 meet. I thought it actually sounded better then the McLaren out in front of the group. But then everyone behind me told me how well the 355 sounded!

 

It's too German and too ugly.
Take the photos away.

 

"The 355 is a special car to me, so I don't doubt I may still pick one up down the road"

Enough said, case fully rested, thank you and goodnight.

 

Eric, congrats on your new car, I'm glad you found something to make you happy, just in time for winter

Seriously, good deal - enjoy.

 

Ugliest....

Steering wheel
Foot pedals
Handbrake lever
Gear knob

I've ever seen
Looks like they came out of a German WW11 tank
And that nose
And those headlights

Ugh
Take it away

 

Alright, enough man. We know you don't like the R8. Stop bashing this nice guy's new toy, he obviously loves it.