Talk:Audi R8 (road car)

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oppose suggested Merge of Audi R8 and Audi Le Mans. Audi have yet to confirm that the sportscar will be called R8, and since it won't be in production for at least 2 more years, i think the page for the Le Mans concept car should remain intact, perhaps with any coming detials abotu the production car. Once the R8 name is confirmed, and production has started, or a lot more info is made available, then it would be appropraite to merge the pages, but not yet. Spute 17:41, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

agree Audi DID confirm that the name was R8. Series production will commence in the fourth quarter of 2006 at Audi’s Neckarsulm facility. Audi R8 is a go 83.157.228.37 12:43, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Background

• I removed this section because it had the statement 'whilst it is not mentioned so often' - which is very subjective. Every article I've read about the R8 references the Gallardo! I've incorporated most of what was said in this section into the Techincal Details section, although removed the speculative statement about the R8 being a testbed completely. Walter88 21:02, 24 January 2007 (UTC)

I have a problem with this quote in the article under "Future Upgrades": "Audi is currently in the process of developing a new turbocharged 5.2 L V10 engine for the future Audi RS6, and there is a possibility that this engine will make its way into the R8, dependent on marketing decisions. Test mules of this vehicle are developing well in excess of 600 bhp with the turbocharged 5.2 L V10. If this were to happen it is almost certain that this would create an RS8." That Audi is developing a turbocharged 5.2 liter V10 for the upcoming RS6 (an unannounced vehicle) is pure speculation as far as I know, especially mentioning how much power the "test mules" are making. You'd need inside information to know these things. Enthusiast speculation on details when repeated many times over may start to sound true, and may even end up being true eventually, but that doesn't make them facts. Also, if this were to happen, the vehicle would not be called an "RS8" as an RS8 would technically be a very high performance version of the A8 slotted above the recent S8 (which many doubt Audi would ever build).

I oppose merging the R8 Le Mans page with this one because they are 2 seperate cars, though one inspired the other. The R8 is much closer, if not totally, a stock car, and the Le Mans R8 certainly is not "stock". ~Kodey

[edit] US Pricing

While the press release states the price will be 104,400 Euro, this does not mean the US price will be 1.3 X 104,400.

The R8's closest competitor is the $106,000 Porsche 911 GT3 with nearly identical specs and performance characteristics (actually slightly better).

A 5.0L 10cyl Gallardo engine with 512 HP will be competitive with the Porsche 911 Turbo and will therefore have to be priced similiarly.

Therefore, I expect base US prices for a 425 HP R8 to be between $105,000 & $110,000 and the US prices for a 500+ V10 R8 to start at about $120,000 - $130,000.

Of course, the must have all LED lights are going to cost some additional coin. The Bang & Olufsen sound system, even at $6,300 will be hard to resist, and rear visibility in the R8 isn't spectacular so the parking assist option is a good investment. Since this is an exotic car to be driven every day, it would be foolish not to get the premium seats, Sirius sattellite radio and iPod integration. So the take-home price will be about $125,000 + tax, but that's fully loaded. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.20.104.230 (talk) 23:12, 2 March 2007 (UTC).

UPDATE: Both Road & Track and Car & Driver's April 2007 issues have feature articles on the R8. They both estimate a base US price of $110,000.

Both of these articles have useful information but unfortunately both magazines decided to compare the $100,000 Audi A8 to the substantially less expensive Porsche 911's Carerra's instead of the similarly priced 911 GT3. Audi probably forbid a comparison to the GT3 (or 911 turbo) since the GT3 edges the R8 slightly on performance (0-60 in 4.0 seconds, quarter mile in 12.0 sec, and top speed of 193 mph).

Unlike the GT3, though, the R8 is truly exotic and sexy with a totally unique look that is recognizably Audi. It's that flying car from the future in "I Robot", not that car in "Risky Business" where Tom Cruise plays the part of an 18 year old boy. It turns heads even when next to a Ferrari. A race car driver once told me, "Everyone wants a Ferrari until they have one. Then they want a Porsche." Finally we can have both in a single car.