R8 5th gear car of the year

[Damienr8]

Time to cool down? (!)

I'd say that the Audi R8 is a sportscar, not a supercar.

Hi Everyone, how are you all doing?

I agree. While I believe that the AudiR8 is a 'sports car', It does have 'supercar performance'. I look at the R8 as I looked at the NSX when it SHOCKED the sports car industry over a decade ago (you know the reasons)

In describing a supercar, performance, price, engineering, exclusitivity, history & heritage etc. all come into consideration. Therefore, judging among all cars, i would for instance call the Gallardo and F430 supercars.

I describe the ZondaF, LP640, Veyron, etc 'HyperCars' because of their iconic stature performance, engineering, design and exclusivness. But then again, the term 'supercars' would work with them as well.

Its all debate, this is just how i see it.

[nene]

I think it is extremely short minded to expect others to take one's opinion, expect it as gospel, and get bent out of shape if that does not take place.
I simply expect others to accept it as my opinion and nothing else, regardless of how many facts back it up. If I am convinced of my own opinion, that is great, and if others agree, it is gravy! I surely don't expect all to agree.

Do I believe the R8 to be a 'sports car'? Sure do.
Do I believe the R8 to be a 'super car'? If I was buying one, I'd sure hope so! I am sure all Ferrari owners buy their cars because they believe it so, but what do I know? I don't own one of those either.

So half of us believe it to be 'super car' status, the other half does not. In the grand scheme of things, my heartbeat did not increase one tick.
Instead, I'll just say that I think the R8 is a 'super sports car'. Or is it a 'sports super car'?

[Erik]

Debate is fine, that's why this is an open discussion forum.

But name calling etc. is not allowed.

"While I believe that the AudiR8 is a 'sports car', It does have 'supercar performance'." - Excellent sum up.

[RussianM3_dude]

Man, I would say no more... but somebody has a REAL anger problem. I've been on the net for... years and I have never met anybody who gets so worked up over the stuff on the net and so angry. Repeat after me
Inhale slowly... then slowly..........
Woooooooooooo-zzzzzzazaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[KarlMarx]

Definition of "stim" from the urban dictionary (direct quote)
"verb - to get fcuked up on ritalin, usually through insufflation

derivatives: stimmmed out, stims, stimnut"

Not my words! Just a dictionary definition...

[Leadfoot]

I stayed off hoping things would cool down but the abuse Erik received was similar to my own. I hasn't a problem with people calling it a sportscar/supercar or anything else, the term is so removed for the original that many a car meets the requirements.

The original term for a Sportscar was a two seater convertible and a coupe was a Grand Tourer, now a days these two mean something totally different.

I think calling the R8 a Sportscar with Supercar abilities is quite possibly the best description one could give this car so well done for that.

[RussianM3_dude]

I guess it depends also on the country. In Monaco even a Ferrari 430 is the local equvalent of the civic. In say... Albania or Denmark even a Z4 might be considered a supercar.

[RussianM3_dude]

Also, one of the posters, mentioned that the terms "supercar" and "daily driver" cannot co-exist. So what about an LM002??? Supercar engine, outrageous looks and price tag... You can use it for shopping runs, herding sheep in the depths of the Snowdon, runs to the wine bar, dune hopping.

The was a dude in London who drove a McLaren F1 EVERYDAY to work. So for him it's a daily driver and perfectly useable.

[Damienr8]

So to get back on topic, which car would you choose to be the runner up for Car of the Year.

[nene]

CLK Black Series for Runner-UP!

[Leadfoot]

Audi S5, just to keep it in the family.

[Damienr8]

Audi S5, just to keep it in the family.

I was thinking the S5, but my choice is the Alfa 8C which just takes sexiness to a level that nothing on earth can achieve!!! lol. Just look at it OMG Hot!!!

[KarlMarx]

Amen to that.

[Leadfoot]

I must admit the Alfa I had forgot about but then again it hasn't been released as yet so technically can't be included.

[RussianM3_dude]

I'd say the M3/500

The S5 while a fine car, just doesn't push the envelope in any way.

[Leadfoot]

Well regardless of which car came second, the rightful winner was the R8 which if I may used M3_dude words, it pushes the envelope and blurs the barrier of what is a Sportscar and what is a Supercar.

It's in it's own sector as a Super-sportscar.

[r8ian]

Hi Guys, must admit to have been a reader of the site for quite a few months now but not posted as i was after information really regarding the R8.

I have sold my 996 Turbo and still have my M5, but that will go in 5 weeks when i take delivery of my R8, will def post pictures when it arrives, i went for Black/carbon manual B&0 Magnetic ride engine bay lights rear spoiler

Anyway i have read this thread with great interest and some good points are made and some thinks i would like to add. The R8 is not a supercar, i totally agree with stim on this. I also feel like him the term supercar is being totally de-valued by people and car makers wanting to deem their car a 'supercar' pretty much for marketing reasons. A fast, 2 seater car, that handles well both on the road and a track does not make a car a supercar.

There are lots of different things that make a car a supercar, the main ingredient is that X-Factor that very few cars on the road can give you. The R8 falls way short of that. Where i do dis-agreeing with stim is on the 'comfort' side of a supercar. True, pureists will always claim that most modern day supercars do not live up to the term supercar in its most basic form, simpy due to this comfort factor. F40, F50's and as raw as you can get, but i feel that the comfort factor in terms of a Zonda for example, is more down to the development of design and modern day methods. F40 interior was created to save as much weight as possible and i do agree that some 'comfort' items on a Zonda add weight and do not need to be there, but, and its a big but, with the world economy the way it is, there are many people out there with the means to fund cars like this. Without the customers, cars like a Zonda wouldn't even exsist and people want to actually use these cars, so a degree of comfort is a small price to pay for cars such as Zonda to exsist in the modern age. So yes, they are compromised, but not to the extent where they are not considered supercars.

Back to the R8, i have bought an R8 for a couple of simple reason. I am not married and i have no kids. I don't want to run two cars, so im selling my 996 Turbo and my M5 and replacing them with an R8. Its not that big, it looks classy, it has enough power for what i will use it for, it handles very well, good warranty, hoping for no serious problems and not something i would worry about leaving on a London street. So it seems a good fit for me.

I'd also like to quash a theory that this R8 will be totally reliable in comparison to Ferrari or Lamborghini. This simply isn't true. I have friends with 430's and Gallardo's, who haven't had a single problem in years of ownership. I have a friend who's A8 is an absolute dog and goes wrong every few weeks. What im saying is, the stereotype of Italian sports cars being weak and un-reliable are a thing of the past, sure they do go wrong, but so do any BMW's or any Audi's. The only consideration is that the hourly rate of a Ferrari service tech will be much higher than an Audi tech. You get lucky and unlucky with cars. I hope to god my R8 is reliable as my neighbours 430 Spider has been in 2 years.

On another side point, i Never like to see members banned, especially those who actually buy and have ownership experience of the cars most of us like to talk about but don't have the means to buy. I think what happened on this thread is that stim is obviously a very passionate super car guy and an early insult thrown his way on this thread put him on the defensive. Then it seemed it was him vs the rest. IMO a lot of the stuff he has said on this thread i agree with. Its sad to lose a member who is passionate, knowledgable and willing to share thoughts and experiences because he's a little less PC and more opinionated than others. I love my Scuba Diving and use a diving forum to find out about the latest spots and we always get arguments and spats, but if you let things be, people get to know other people and generally, everyone turns out to be good people who contribute a lot to the forum, which is what we all want. I think this forum has lost someone who may have added a lot to the site. You guys are in charge and you make the calls but just my 2p worth.

Anyway, good site, will continue to read and will post pics up of my lovely R8 when it arrives. Supposed to arrive about now, is Audi usually this far out with projected delivery dates??

Thanks Ian

ps would anyone have an e-mail for stim as my business partner is looking at a DB9 Volante and would like to hear more about his electric problems and also his thoughts that the R10 with seriously effect R8 residuals. Thanks

[r8ian]

Oh yeah and for car of the year - drive the new Fiat 500 - i love it, thinking of a possible purchase, but im torn between getting a new one or going for the proper old version