I went for a test drive

[BigRick]

Couple of things to say.

1) looks sooo much better in real life. If you have a chance get to a dealer and see it for yourself.
2) Driving dynamics are extremely good. Rev-maching is a charm. The throttle response is marvellous and the breaking is fantastic.
3) I was a bit disapointed of the sound (inside the car) you just can't hear the growling of the RS4, I was really expecting much deeper sound than what I got.
4) Gear box is exceptional (I got the manual version)

That's about it (only 10-15 minutes in the car)

Here are the goodies for all of you:
(click on image for full size)

http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2441.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2441.JPG)

http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2442.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2442.JPG)


http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2443.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2443.JPG)

http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2444.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2444.JPG)

http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2445.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2445.JPG)

http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2446.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2446.JPG)

http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2448.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2448.JPG)

http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2449.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2449.JPG)

Finally I'm in! :thumb:
http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2455.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2455.JPG)

Ready to go
http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2457.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2457.JPG)

Lift off (there are no other ways of saying that):R8:
http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2464.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2464.JPG)

http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/thumbnails/IMGP2465.JPG (http://www.ebisolutions.ca/R8/IMGP2465.JPG)

So overall I really enjoyed it but maybe it a question of taste (and they can't be discussed) but I'd say I like my RS4 better. But that was only 10-15 minutes in it! Maybe if I had one for a day :)

Cheers!

[LU-RS6]

I think one has to take this one to a track to fully understand it's capabilities!

Glad to hear you enjoyed it! :thumb:
























you lucky bastard :hihi:

[BigRick]

I'm pretty sure you're right. On the road it's really hard push these marvells to their limits (not that even think I would be able to achieve that) and really enjoy their great potential.

[jinglis]

I agree about the pictures, this car looks much better in person. Somehow it looks out of proportion in a photograph.

[Ruergard]

Lucky man!

The looks of the car is so much better in real life as you write, it's a must to see it in the real world to really understand how good this car actually looks! :D

To really enjoy the chassie of this car, I think a track is needed. Thanks for sharing this with us! :)

[Leadfoot]

BigRick,

Regardless of how quickly you thought you were going and knew that the car was capable of so much more and no doubt you enjoyed those belief 15mins, bear a thought for the poor sales person along side you because I doubt they felt the same way and reckon his/she was sitting on clenched butts cheeks for the entire duration of your tests. :hihi:

I have always felt Audi sales staff were tight-assed when it came to striking a good deal but this gives a whole new meaning to it. :p

[Mori]

Once the exhaust warms up on the R8, the RS4 purrs like a kitten in comparison

[BigRick]

BigRick,

Regardless of how quickly you thought you were going and knew that the car was capable of so much more and no doubt you enjoyed those belief 15mins, bear a thought for the poor sales person along side you because I doubt they felt the same way and reckon his/she was sitting on clenched butts cheeks for the entire duration of your tests. :hihi:

I have always felt Audi sales staff were tight-assed when it came to striking a good deal but this gives a whole new meaning to it. :p

I had the chance to go ride with a young sales man and I think he really enjoyed it. I made sure everyone in the parking lot envy him on our ride back to the dealer! :thumb:

[BigRick]

Once the exhaust warms up on the R8, the RS4 purrs like a kitten in comparison

The car had been running all day (7:30 to 17:30 when I got my turn) I think it was hot enough... from the outside it sounds really good but from the inside it lacks the deeper growling of the RS4. Probably due to the position of the engine, in a front mounted engine the exhausts are somewhat going just under the cabin and that produce a nice note within the car. Something I was expecting to be even better in the R8 but didn't get. But you know, I had to find something to feel better in my RS4 :hahahehe:

[Julz RS4]

You are really lucky BigRick to have drove the new Audi R8. Sadly for me, I only had a passenger ride onboard the beast this week for the R8 promo...they were too busy with "real" customers. :hihi:

Here some shots of the R8. The blue was at Prestige and the Artic silver was at Popular. You did your test drive at Les Automobiles Niquet right ?

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1158/cimg6458un6.th.jpg (http://img222.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cimg6458un6.jpg) http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/7568/cimg6485kh0.th.jpg (http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cimg6485kh0.jpg)

A funny thing about RS4 & R8, After a salesman from Prestige Audi told me the Audi R8 is the best practical supercar. He asked to me: Hey buddy which every day Audi sport car you would like to get for first choice ? At his great astonishment I answered him: That I would take an B7 RS4 all the way...sorry I'm an RS4 Fanboy. :hahahehe:
:rs4addict

But no question about it, the new R8 is simply astonishing ! :R8:

P.S. Do you have notice two small add-on on the front bumper ? It appears that it's an requirement of Canada Transport. :noshake:

[RussianM3_dude]

Which Montreal dealer was that???? Laval?

[BigRick]

Yes it was at Niquet.

And I agree the everyday sports car is definetly the RS4 (at time of writing) on a track I would most probably choose the R8 but for my daily commute it must be an RS4.

You're also right about the two additions but I think it's all North American that are going to get these. I think it relates to the regulation about low speed impact resistance (30km/h)

[RussianM3_dude]

Niquet!!! When you say it out loud it sounds like "niquer" or to "f&^*k" in French argot/slang. Although it's appropriate since all dealers do is f*(&*k you.

[raulg]

You are really lucky BigRick to have drove the new Audi R8. Sadly for me, I only had a passenger ride onboard the beast this week for the R8 promo...they were too busy with "real" customers. :hihi:

Here some shots of the R8. The blue was at Prestige and the Artic silver was at Popular. You did your test drive at Les Automobiles Niquet right ?

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1158/cimg6458un6.th.jpg (http://img222.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cimg6458un6.jpg) http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/7568/cimg6485kh0.th.jpg (http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cimg6485kh0.jpg)

A funny thing about RS4 & R8, After a salesman from Prestige Audi told me the Audi R8 is the best practical supercar. He asked to me: Hey buddy which every day Audi sport car you would like to get for first choice ? At his great astonishment I answered him: That I would take an B7 RS4 all the way...sorry I'm an RS4 Fanboy. :hahahehe:
:rs4addict

But no question about it, the new R8 is simply astonishing ! :R8:

P.S. Do you have notice two small add-on on the front bumper ? It appears that it's an requirement of Canada Transport. :noshake:

Whould you really take an RS4 over the R8?
I drove both on the track, about 40 mins total time in the R8, it's clearly a better track car, you can feel it in te first two corners :)
I think I would take the RS4 also but only cause the R8 attracts way to much attention for my taste. Otherwise the R8 is great on the track and is really nice as a daily car. You can definetely drive the R8 everyday, with no issues what so ever. :rs4addict:R8:

[BigRick]

Whould you really take an RS4 over the R8?
I drove both on the track, about 40 mins total time in the R8, it's clearly a better track car, you can feel it in te first two corners :)
I think I would take the RS4 also but only cause the R8 attracts way to much attention for my taste. Otherwise the R8 is great on the track and is really nice as a daily car. You can definetely drive the R8 everyday, with no issues what so ever. :rs4addict:R8:

Agreed on the attention it attracts but I would add that it's not very practical of a car for a daily driver.

Yes it's a superbe piece of machinery no doubt about that. But if you don't plan to do track days very often or you don't like too much attention than the RS4 is a much better fit. On the road it feels pretty much the same (you just can't push it enough to feel the difference) and you get attention only from the "connaisseur". In my case I track once or twice a day and I don't really like when people gathers around my car in the parking lot!

So I guess I made the right choice in this case.

Cheers!