458 and R8

Great car,not as fun as 458 but a better daily driver

 

Hey trofeo. I have a v10 manual as well and really enjoy it. It's no 458, feels heavier, not as nimble but is more comfortable and as Burak mentions a better DD.

After driving the 458 the R8 lacks some excitement for me, this is something that is making me consider a supercharger just to even that up a bit. I don't think you need to worry about this but it's a fantastic winter car too and looks great while at it.

It's a car you could put 100.000 miles on and not worry about for a moment.

If you're looking to up the excitement from the 458 I would pass. If you're looking for a comfortable, great looking car to use when you want to leave the 458 home or as a DD, I wood say go for it.

If you're buying new, you may consider to wait a few months as the new model will be announced shortly and it may be worth considering that over the rather old technology that is in the test car you have.

 

I think R8 has a much lower ground clearance, and the trunk is smaller capacity than 458, how come it's a better DD?
The sound of 458 is by far better. And that go-kart feeling (electric throttle response and sharp steering), you just don't have that in R8.

 

Mik, yes there is much less trunk space in the R8. As a DD I'm not filling the trunk up ever. My bag goes in my car and that's it. as for ground clearance, it is lower but that has not once been an issue for me.

The R8 is more tame, smoother and more comfortable. While it's looks attract attention it still is not as flashy as the 458.

The steering on the R8 is much slower making it a more relaxed drive as well as the throttle response. The car is heavier and makes it feel less nervous on the road and more substantial. I have ceramic brakes on my R8 and I think they have a better feel and modulation than the 458's.

The Bluetooth on the R8 cancels noise far better than the 458. I can be on the phone and somebody will think I'm in my Q5. In the 458 they'll hear nothing but the engine.

There is no comparison between the cars in terms of comfort of the seats and seating position especially on longer distance runs.

I could go on with many other areas where I feel the R8 makes a better DD.

AWD, soundproofing, better climate system, ISOFIX or Latch for car seats and an engine bay that is nearly sealed and actually stays clean as examples.

At the end of the day it's up to you what you like. I've already said that I enjoy driving the 458 more, it's more exciting, agile and sharper looking inside and out. However it's all a matter of the situation as to which I want to have at any given time. All of the things that I mentioned above making the R8 a simpler DD in my opinion make the 458 a more exciting drive outside of daily tasks.

 

I agree with all of the previous comments about the R8. If you enjoy the experience of rowing through the gears the demo you have will probably be your last opportunity to do so. As a manual transmission is not available in the Huracan I can only guess that Audi will drop it from the new R8 as well. And, the sound of that V10, with the right aftermarket exhaust - I had an Akrapovic installed - is intoxicating. Different from the 458 but, just as enjoyable.

 

If you want low key R8. If not get a Gallardo six speed. I believe they only made 300 ish for the entire run gated 6 speed. And we all know they are going bye bye.

 

No point in owning both. R8 is sedate, get a Lamborghini or last gt3 or Hyundai.

 

The manual shift makes it.

 

I would vote for 458 Italia and 997 GT3 with manual gearbox in one garage. Those two cars are very different in so many aspects and every morning when you take one of those you will get totally different pleasure driving them.

458 Italia and R8 are great cars, but honestly its kinda waste to have those two in garage, since in essence they are mid-engine sports cars.

Now we should wait for 458trofeo to tell us his plans

 

I think rather that the choice is between a V10 R8 and a 991TT for a DD, with the 458 in the same garage. The R8 is more distinctive than the 911 and with the manual you have a completely different driving experience.

 

The current R8 has old technology compared to my 2014 S4 with MT.
Just does not have the options the newer models have. Big question is a MT on the replacement. My fear is no.

My RS5 will be here in a few days after it clears customs. Has more HP than R8 V8 at 450 but only comes in an 8 spd DCT.

RS5 is winter dd and 458 spider is my summer ride.

If a MT is vital you better move fast.

 

Phil// Let us know what you think of the 8 speed DCT. When I drove the BMWs with 8 speed autos, I hated it because the thing is always shifting and the extra gear in manual mode does not seem to add anything. Enough already!

 

Great car, a notch below the 458 on the excitement meter, the gated 6 speed is a blast and the car can't be beat for $$/fun ratio.
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The 458 is arguably a better looking car but the Audi R8 V10 is a better drivers car. I just love the way it drives and I am also addicted.

My only regret is I did not buy the R8 GT. It has slightly more HP. A few of my sports car fans think it is the best car they have ever driven. I am not sure about that but no doubt it is high on the list.

Lee

 

I have both, but they are very different cars. My R8 V10 with Larini exhaust is much more aggressive sounding than the stock exhaust on my 458. The V10 at 8700 RPMs is pretty cool. I have the R-tronic and it's much more aggressive shifting (some call it jerky) with the single clutch and more dramatic on the down shift rev match. It shifts like more like a 430 Scud. In fact my 458 feels more refined with the double clutch transmission and stock exhaust.

The steering on the 458 is much quicker than the R8 which is much heavier weighted. It does make the R8 seem easier and more forgiving to drive. It's also what makes the 458 more exciting. The engine make revs much faster in the 458 than the R8. It's also a small nudge quicker from a roll. From a standstill the R8 is much quicker. The suspension on the R8 is more comfortable than even the bumpy setting in sport mode on the 458. Seats are a toss up. I like the 458 race seats more than the R8. Both cars are good for longer drives.

My R8 is much more the daily driver for me than the 458 which I tend to save for the weekends. It's more about the 458 getting too much attention and I don't feel as comfortable leaving it just anywhere. The R8 gets almost as much attention, but the Audi doesn't seem to get the Haters quite so mad since it's just another Audi.

Love them both, but just drive my R8 a little more because it seems a little less pretentious to my employees too.

Otis

 

Absolutely the gate shifter makes the R8. Having owned one before the 458 I can describe it as a "refined" sports car that would make a great daily driver. The two cars are not in the same league however. The 458 is a seriously great sports car.

 

I had the oppurtunity to buy 2013 r8 v10 s-tronic with only 2500 miles.Waited for a long time just to convince myself that it would be a better all around car than the italia.458 is immensly fun,with novitec exhaust after 5.5k rpms its just nuts,nothing i have ever driven.But the inability to put some miles(resale) and too exotic look of 458 is getting my way sometimes.R8 on the other hand,i can put 20-30k miles because r8's have that kind of mileage.And with a bolt-on twinturbo kit,i just cant imagine how could it be less fun than 458.
My next car will be either the new amg gts or r8 stronic v10

 

Has anyone heard a rumor if the new R8 will be double clutch only? I talked to an audi sales guy today and he mentioned that this will be the last gated shifter

 

I traded my Scud for an R8 V10 manual. After 1 month I parked it at a dealer on consignment and recently am trading it in for a 12C. I usually keep my cars for around 1 year at least. Had the Scud for almost a year but at the end for reasons of it being really unusable, I was looking for something less raw and more usable. The R8 I first test drove was a 14 S-tronic, I loved it. The car I bought was the manual, mainly because my wife liked it more and the sepang blue matte was really rare and amazing looking. I love manual trans but in the R8 it is not good. The throws are very long and the gated shifter loses it appeal after many mis-shifts. The car needs an exhaust too. It really lacks any exhaust note. The is the first and biggest car purchase I have regretted. It has taken me 2 months of searching and contemplating about the 12C.

The R8 is much more usable and is a great DD, but I have a modified S6 which is quite a bit faster than the R8 (or at least it feel that way). So for my special weekend car it was just not very special. I would highly recommend the S-tronic over the manual in this type of car. Just like the 458 or Scud would not be that epic with a real manual.

 

My dealer told me the same thing. I love the Audi Manual shifter. Both Ferrari and Lamborghini only offer automatics now. My 360 Ferrari was a manual I wish I kept that car.

Best

Lee