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Audi’s go-faster portfolio is loaded with some very serious machinery.
It runs from the RS6 Avant and RS7 hatch through to a hidden gem that’s sadly not available in Canada. The RS3 has to rank as one of the best mid-priced super-sports cars available.
This storied lineup, however, is anchored by the mighty R8. While it is available as a hard-top, it’s the Spyder that makes the riders feel so special.
With an as tested price of $246,900 it’s not for the faint of heart, but if it’s a memorable drive you seek, the 2022 Audi R8 is the one and my lotto-winning treats to me!
When it’s time to get topless, the fabric top takes just 20 seconds to open. It starts with the entire back-end lifting as the top drops gracefully down into its cubby before the back-end slides back into position. It looks so complicated, but the precision of the intricate ballet is masterful. The bonus is the top can be opened or closed at speeds of up to 50 kilometres an hour.
The cabin is best described as a finely crafted cockpit. It has but two Nappa-wrapped bucket seats. These things are form fitting, yet long-distance friendly. However, where the R8 differs is the fact it does not have a stand-alone multimedia screen. In this case, all infotainment functions are housed within the 12.3-inch instrumentation screen.
At first, it looks complicated and a little squished given the enormity of the infotainment screens found in many new vehicles. The MMI (multi-media interface) setup can be operated through controls on the centre console or switches on the left side of the steering wheel. In the end, what seemed counter-intuitive became second nature very quickly.
The other difference is all the key controls, from the push-button start and drive mode selector to the paddle shifters, sit on the steering wheel. The clever layout means there’s never a need to take one’s hands off the wheel. The problem is many of Audi’s advanced driver safety aids are missing — blind spot monitoring being key.
As is to be expected, storage space is at a premium. There is a 110-litre well under the front hood and a few cubbies dotted around the cabin, but that’s it. Mind you, if you’re away for a kid-free weekend, it’s all you really need.
The heart and soul-stirring part of the R8 is the 5.2-litre V10 that resides behind the riders. It’s a work of art that loves to rev and is a reminder of the heady days of big-bore vee engines that relied on displacement for power. In this case, the V10 twists out 602 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque.
To state the obvious, it has get up and go to spare. It also uses dry sump lubrication to prevent the precious internal components from starving for oil when the car is pulling its mind-numbing lateral g-forces.
When first started, the R8 barks and burbles before calming down to rolling rumble. In standard mode, the exhaust system is quiet to the point it slides by all but unnoticed, at least from a sound perspective — it’s tough to miss any R8, never mind one dressed in brilliant Vegas yellow.
Pick the sport exhaust mode and it adopts a louder, prouder siren altogether. However, the true tonal quality arrives when the gas pedal is exercised. Whenever the V10 sprints towards its 8,700 rpm redline, the howl it elicits is simply sublime.
Nail the gas and the R8 hunkers down and blasts from rest to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds. That’s very quick, but it’s the mid-range where the R8 really catches fire — hammer the gas at 60 km/h and the gearbox drops a number of cogs and warps up to speed in what feels like the blink of an eye.
A word to the wise: Let the passenger know you are about to goose the gas, as the combination of the acceleration force and the exhaust howl will catch an unsuspecting rider out!
In this case, the V10 drives all four wheels through a sweet-shifting seven-speed twin-clutch transmission with a true manual mode. The R8’s quattro system uses an electro-hydraulic multi-plate clutch to distribute the power. It does not have a defined power split, as it is always looking to send the power to the wheel(s) with the best traction.
It also works with a limited-slip rear differential. This and the P245/30R20 front and P305/30R20 rear tires give the R8 prodigious grip, so it’s basically impossible to put a wheel wrong.
This notion is underscored by the suspension and the manner in which it keeps things eerily flat without beating up the riders. The magnetic ride suspension continuously adjusts the dampers in response to the driving situation and it does so in fractions of a second. Comfort mode eases the ride and is perfect for a top-down cruise. Crank up the tone of the drive and Sport firms things noticeably and sharpens the response to input.
The beauty of the balance is the fact it’s surprisingly easy to explore the R8’s extraordinary limits, yet it remains an easy city drive. Part of the credit goes to the steering, as it responds instantly without feeling twitchy. Unlike some setups, it does not need constant correction when cruising the highway, yet when turned off-centre, the R8 dives into a corner with a zeal that’s only matched by the driver’s grin.
The icing comes in the fade-free ceramic brake rotors. When the six-piston calipers bite, the R8 is hauled down from speed so fast it makes the acceleration rate seem almost slow — this being said tongue in cheek.
The allure of the 2022 Audi R8 is not difficult to grasp. Beneath the oh-so seductive body, it’s packed with the leading-edge technology needed to make it a world-class super car.
On the flip side, it caters to a lazy Saturday night cruise equally well. At the local drive-in, it was as big a hit as the main attraction.
Few cars make the riders feel so special!
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