R8 delivery times....

[RXBG]

deliveries in UK expected april/may 2007. only about 6 months away! i assume germany and switzerland will get it even before. very nice.

the official release date for the USA is sept 2007 (from an internal memo at AOA i have come to know about through three sources). chances are the car will get in a month sooner though. makes the dealers look swell

bummer because i'd hoped to drive it to sebring in march. oh well.

whoever of you in the EU plans on ordering one please keep us updated as to the progress and availability of the full LED headlights.

here in the USA- i'll be keeping you abreast of my order. and of all the gory details.......


BTW- who of you went to paris? let's have a competition for the manufacturer with the hottest models!

[KresoF1]

Here is update from today:

-Ceramic Brakes-380mm(6caliper) front/rear, end of 2006 12000Euro(app.)
-Bucket seats(Leather) end of 2006 3500Euro
-Corsa tires on 19" spring 2007 3000Euro
-Audi Exclusive leather packages spring 2007 from 7000Euro

No info on app. price for front LED lights, but intro is October 2007.

[RXBG]

i ask everyone to make sure of their sources so none of us get any bad surprises

and i'm not necessarily referring to you K....

[KresoF1]

My info is directly from one of the German dealers.
BTW, most of inaccurate info here on rs6.com about R8s weight, power and other unbelivable stuff came from "most reliable deep throats"...

I also have an German R8 brochure and most of the info is also there.

As a 34years old lawyer I think I know what I am talking about...

[RXBG]

i was not doubting what you posted. i was just documenting for all posters that they please verify info. for future reference only. for new posters. that is all. as always we are very thankful for your contributions!

[Leadfoot]

I heard that the reason for the weight of the R8 is down to the fact that Audi have given the green light for a light weight R8 to compete with the GT3 types. When this model will see the light of day is anyone's guess.

How they are going to lighten a car that is already made solely from alloy beats me. I know they could use carbon-fibre, but it's very expensive and this would push the price out of the reach of it's customers.

The biggest surprise to me is that Magnetic Ride suspension is an extra. If ever there was an Audi that should has the best possible suspension set-up as standard, the R8 was the one. It looks like Audi aren't content with making us pay an arm and a leg for the car, they want the other side as well.

[chewym]

I think that most weight reductions can come from taken away stuff in the interior.

[grant]

I heard that the reason for the weight of the R8 is down to the fact that Audi have given the green light for a light weight R8 to compete with the GT3 types. When this model will see the light of day is anyone's guess.

How they are going to lighten a car that is already made solely from alloy beats me. I know they could use carbon-fibre, but it's very expensive and this would push the price out of the reach of it's customers.

The biggest surprise to me is that Magnetic Ride suspension is an extra. If ever there was an Audi that should has the best possible suspension set-up as standard, the R8 was the one. It looks like Audi aren't content with making us pay an arm and a leg for the car, they want the other side as well.

I would love to see a lightweight version. Usually, this is achieved by de-contenting the car (remove luxuries of which there are many and noise insulation).

The Magnetic Ride is not the "Best" suspension. It is merely the one that provides the most comfort and best compromise for some. Just look at the Corvettes (first car to use this system): It's an option on the standard Corvette, but the Z06 uses a "regular" suspension for its better peformance (although comfort is lessened)...

[noushy]

GM has been using this system for a while. I actually think Cadillac had it first. It has now migrated to other vendors in GM and outside including Ferrari for their bigger cars (612 scag I think, also 599). It is true this offers a compromise but for most people it is much better than just hydraulic control of strut valving. In an all out sports car you worry about weight and complexity as well which could explain Audi and the R8.

Noushy

[Benman]

I would love to see a lightweight version. Usually, this is achieved by de-contenting the car (remove luxuries of which there are many and noise insulation).

Grant, welcome to the forum.

Yes, usually by "decotenting" as you say. With Audis, I don't know if this will be a likely option. Also, the easiest way to take out 200lbs or so without even sacrificing the tiniest of convienances would be to take out quattro... needless to say, this would be "sacriledge" for Audi, so I doubt that as well. Given Audi's modus operandi, I can't see how a lightweight R8 will ever be aproved, unless of course privateers decide to hack one and go racing with it. Now there's an idea!

Ben

[Leadfoot]

Grant, welcome to the forum.

Also, the easiest way to take out 200lbs or so without even sacrificing the tiniest of convienances would be to take out quattro... needless to say, this would be "sacriledge" for Audi, so I doubt that as well. Given Audi's modus operandi, I can't see how a lightweight R8 will ever be aproved, unless of course privateers decide to hack one and go racing with it. Now there's an idea!

Ben

Ben,

No actually the lose of awd would be an excellent way of lightening the R8. Think about it, how many race car do you know have awd systems, if Audi brought out a Club Sport version of the R8 which was really for gentlemen racing no one would expect the car to have awd.

I think this is a great idea.

Regarding Magnetic Ride, this is an amazing system when used by knowledgeable engineers. The system is great because it's so programmable.

[grant]

Ben,

No actually the lose of awd would be an excellent way of lightening the R8. Think about it, how many race car do you know have awd systems, if Audi brought out a Club Sport version of the R8 which was really for gentlemen racing no one would expect the car to have awd.

I think this is a great idea.

I think it's a great idea for performance, but lousy for Audi's marketing effort, as Ben mentioned (thanks for the welcome, Ben). The RWD version would be great to drive, but Audi has built their reputation on Quattro technology.

The R8 is their flagship product - to exclude their trademark technology from their flagship product would cast suspicion on all their other cars (the opposite of why the R8 has been built).

I know several Porsche owners who have removed the FWD from their 911 Turbos (993) to decrease weight and increase fun at the track and surely some adventurous R8 owners might give it a try, but don't expect it to come that way from Audi...

[Benman]

Ben,

I think this is a great idea.

I think all of us agree it is a good idea, but we also realize that short of privateers, this ain't gonna happen anytime soon... We need teams like "Flying Lizard" to buy these cars, gut them, take out the quattro and enter them into ALMS or FIA Euro LM. These cars could clean up, but I don't expect Audi GmbH to do so... they're too focused on the R10 program to care about "lesser" forms of racing. Same reason Audi pulled support from "World" Speed Challenge GT class and no RS 4s racing in that series... We need privateers! Where are you?

Back on Topic (sorry for straying waaaay off)...

IF there was ever a lightweight track biased model of the R8, it wouldn't be out till at least MY2010 would be my guess...

Ben

[QuattroFun]

I think Ben and grant are onto something.

A track-biased R8 might be nice to have - but do we need it, would it be core Audi and would it sell enough when taking the extras costs into account? We have not yet seen even a lightweight and rwd of the rawer Gallardo, so a "stradale/gt/csl" R8 must also be quite someway off for reasons Ben cited. And to be fair the new GT3 is not really much lighter than the standard 911 S (only 25kg) - so apart from other technical improvements & tweaks, a much lighter R8 has to either be very spartan (and awd) or skip awd (and still be pretty spartan) to lose a lot of weight. Goes against quattro promise I think...

[Leadfoot]

I think Ben and grant are onto something.

A track-biased R8 might be nice to have - but do we need it, would it be core Audi and would it sell enough when taking the extras costs into account? We have not yet seen even a lightweight and rwd of the rawer Gallardo, so a "stradale/gt/csl" R8 must also be quite someway off for reasons Ben cited. And to be fair the new GT3 is not really much lighter than the standard 911 S (only 25kg) - so apart from other technical improvements & tweaks, a much lighter R8 has to either be very spartan (and awd) or skip awd (and still be pretty spartan) to lose a lot of weight. Goes against quattro promise I think...

You say that it goes against quattro promise. But for over 5 years or more Audi in motorsport has done without awd and I for one am not complaining. Everyone knows that in motorsport awd's advantage of grip is not enough to overcome the extra weight and power sapping it entails. Of course I am excluding rallying here.

The promise in my opinion is only valid for serious production cars not very low volume track-based models. We all prefer the advantage of awd on our family saloon and sportier models because of the added safety it provides for our families and other road users, but on something that will mostly be used on the track there would be no advantage or necessity. A very focus R8 would prove to the establishment that Audi can not only produce one of the best N/A engine ever but also one of the best handling rwd chassis of any road car and best a lot of the big hitters a long the way, that would be a good thing in my book.

And worth the sacrifices.

And think if instead of using a N/A engine and they used a diesel, well now that would put the cat among the pigeons.

[grant]

Quattro Fun - I agree with you. Just one note: The GT3 is about the same weight as a 997Carrera S because the GT3 has a much beefier dry sump race-bred motor and Getrag racing LSD gearbox with oil cooler, third central radiator, and much larger brakes.

The 997S has a lighter Japanese gearbox (without LSD) and a Boxster-derived lighter one-piece crankcase wet-sump motor without the massive construction (and bolt-on cylinders ala aircooled 911's in the GT3).

[Leadfoot]

Are you sure that a 997 doesn't had a LSD, I thought only the Boxster and Cayman were without one. Though I might be wrong.

[grant]

Are you sure that a 997 doesn't had a LSD, I thought only the Boxster and Cayman were without one. Though I might be wrong.

You are correct where you live in N. Ireland, but we in the US cannot order an LSD with any Porsche, except the GT3 and Turbo...