$100,000+ For An Audi?

by Erin Mays (RSS feed)
May 22nd 2007 at 9:03AM

Sure, if it feels like it should cost $200,000. The always-funny Ezra Dyer got to take a spin through Beverly Hills in the 2008 Audi R8 for the New York Times, where he bemoans the car's sideblades (or "sideburns," as Dyer calls them) but not much else.

Despite the price tag of $110,000 and up, the DNA shared between the street-bound R8 and Audi's lauded race car R8 -- midengine layout with most of the torque going to the rear wheels, dry-sump lubrication, etc. -- makes the 2008 Audi R8 one of the few cars allowed on municipal pavement that truly feels like a race car. In effect, the R8 is more like its Lamborghini cousins (also owned by VW) than like its other Audi siblings.

Unlike most Audis, which Dyer says are criticized for lacking any soul, the R8 offers up plenty of meat to get us grunting like cave men -- yes, even the women -- from an exhaust note that gets your blood rushing to optional LED lights that appropriately light up the engine under its transparent cover when the parking lights are on (should you be showing things off under the hood after dusk).

Click through for the full review, and watch this space in the coming months for more news about the R8, including rumors that it will soon be packing an optional V10 courtesy of Lamborghini.

[Source: The New York Times]

Tags: audi, audi r8, AudiR8, ferrari, lamborghini, maserati, porsche, r8

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

luciano May 22nd 2007 9:11AM

The car looks great! Maybe a bit expensive....but great Design.
http://www.lucianobove.blogspot.com/

Harry Maugans May 22nd 2007 7:32PM

Beautiful car. Here are some more wallpapers of it for those who are interested:
http://cars.desktopnexus.com/tags/all/r8/

Craig May 23rd 2007 11:13AM

I don't understand the title "100K for an Audi?" Why couldn't and Audi cost 100K, especially one that is essentially a rebadged Lambo. Anywhere in the world except for the US Audi is considered every bit the luxury brand the and MB and BMW are. Both of those companies have multiple vechiles that reach well over 100K. I could see a question mark at the end of the title if this were a VW but Audi has every right to put out a 100K car and from what I read if you really want one you better get on the waiting list because it's going to be a long one.

Henry May 23rd 2007 12:40PM

Actually BMW only has two (M6 and 760iL). Notwithstanding, a senior Audi exec admitted off the record that this is essentially a Lambo for 'our wives.' That said, I wouldn't order it with the V8, I'd wait for the V10 version that recently caught on fire on the Nurburgring.

Aside: the only thing this shares with the (now 7 year old, replaced by the R10) R8 ALMS car is four interlocking circles

sean May 26th 2007 5:52PM

The new Audi R8 is one of the most high tech 'super cars' avaiable. Audi is every bit as quilified to offer a car in this price range as any other brand. Audi currenlty has two V10 madels in the S6 and S8, the RS4 is a 420hp V8 and the new Q7 TDI has over 700 pounds of torque. Audi is a top shelf brand!