Audi R8 V8 Test Drive since 2007 compartment

Satan

Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro. Price: Not defined. On sale: From the first half of 2009.
According to the evil irony of fate, or by the insistence of the organizers, but part of the route of the Audi R8 Premier Drive with a new 5.2-liter V10 engine was laid on rocky serpentines Costa del Sol, past the nursing home. The German athlete made an indelible impression on the Spanish pensioners, as well as on us

Test pilot
Vladimir Makkaveev, 31 years old, automobile journalist, driving experience of 12 years, personal car - Volvo C30
It is unlikely that Audi was seriously expected to expand the number of potential buyers of the R8 V10 due to Spanish old people. But by the will of chance, the company from Ingolstadt gave them the opportunity to fully evaluate the advantages of an updated sportsar with a 525 -horsepower engine. By the time of our arrival in Marbelly, the variegated flocks of the R8 had been ironed for several days for several days for the winding asphalt paths around Okhon, scaring off the seniority of pensioners. Satan, hissed alone. Looking around with horror eyes to the next Audi R8 flying over the cliff, they first grabbed the heart, and then to the pipe of the mobile phone to dial the trembling fingers of the police station. Others, on the contrary, delightedly raised up their thumbs, pronounced the same word Satan, but with genuine enthusiasm. And the mobile phones were not taken out for a call to the police, but only then to photograph the Bavarian beauty.
The most powerful serial sports car in the history of Audi is quite worthy of this loud title! Compared to a car with a 4.2 -liter V8 engine, the 10 -cylinder heart of the R8 has become more voluminous. This, however, gave an increase in a weight of 31 kg. But the game cost a candle: power increased to 525 liters. with., and torque up to 530 nm. At the same time, the vice of the moment is very gender: already at idle (from 1000 min-1) more than 80% of the maximum moment is reached, i.e., more than 400 nm. And the speed of the piston V10 even reaches 27 m/s, which practically corresponds to the characteristics of the Formula 1 motor. As a result, up to 100 km/h Audi R8 V10 accelerates in just 3.9 seconds by 0.7 C faster than a 4.2 -fraud. So not a single serial Audi has started briskly. For comparison, the prototype of the road sports car, the Audi R8 racing prototype, on which there were five wins in Le-Man in 2000-2005, accelerated to a hundred only 0.5 s faster.
The lubricant system with a dry carder made it possible to significantly reduce the center of gravity of the classic 90-degree V-shaped motor. The designers managed to achieve ideal for the average engineering car through the axes in the proportion of 44 to 56. The suspension, however, became a little tougher. To level excess weight, all four wheels had to be installed more viscous shock absorbers, and also hard springs from behind. However, it is very difficult to feel the difference on the road. Moreover, the adaptive adaptive system for adjusting the Audi Magnetic Ride shock absorbers is already familiar to the nature of the roadway and the driver control of the driver constantly changes the viscosity of the amortization of the magnetic field on the suspended magnetic particles, which are saturated with a reoological fluid.
The standard brakes of the R8 with 365 and 356 mm disks diameter are enough to provide Audi acceptable dynamics of braking, but if you profess an aggressive pilot style and why otherwise buy this car?! It is better to immediately equip R8 with optional ceramic brakes. Carbon-cream discs with a diameter of 380 and 356 mm not only by 9 kg are easier than steel, which reduces unsubstantiated masses, but also more durable (a resource of about 300,000 km), are effective and resistant to overheating on hard braking.
Compared to the Italian brother Lamborghini Gallardo, the R8 wheelbase is 90 mm longer. However, the heart on the heart should be recognized that there are not so many constructive differences between the German and the Italian. Yes, Audi is an order of magnitude more comfortable. But Italian influence is still felt. And first of all, in the work of a robotic box R Tronic. Actually, some tensions in the automatic work of the KP were also traced on the previous version, and the 5.2 -fraud engine only aggravated the situation. With a calm manner of driving along the highway, it is more or less good, but it is worth adding aggression a little, and each switch begins to surrender to tangible blows in the back. For the Spartan half-year nature of Lambo, this is where it went, but for the Audi, shocks oriented towards the comfort of Audi are still too strong. In the mountains, a solid delay in Kikdown is added to this trouble, especially noticeable at the exit of slow studs. The gas has to be opened, not reaching the apex, trying to guess that the moment when the car finally jumps forward, coincides with the highest point. The slightest error and unloaded front bridge sharply rearrange at the exit.
In manual mode, the box behaves much better. Lightning -fast (in total 0.1 s) switching transform the character R8. But you have not to strain at the same time not a box, but to the driver. Perhaps Audi would be happy to improve the characteristics of the KP. But stuffing in R8 DSG with two clutches is simply impossible due to lack of space.
However, the flaws in the work of the Italian robot are probably the only thing that you can seriously complain about the design and behavior of the Audi R8 V10. Acute steering, strict neutral rotation, magnificent adhesion with asphalt and fully predicted, and therefore the most safe sliding of all four wheels again convince us that we have a very worthy car for fans with a breeze. Moreover, unlike Porsche 911 Turbo or Lamborghini Gallardo, with similar dynamic characteristics, Audi forgives much more errors, which facilitates its daily operation. So the Satanic character of the Audi R8 V10 is not as terrible as it might seem to Spanish old people!

We do not love
Ceramic brakes with a diameter of 380 and 356 mm, installed on the R8 as an option, significantly improve the dynamics of braking. Reliable
The maximum sound insulation of the cabin from the noise emanating from the motor compartment is provided with a transparent screen made of two -layer glass. Quiet
Thanks to the large number of cellular structures of hardness of the R8 body, many racing cars can be envied. Hard
Driving
Great dynamics, acute steering. However, some errors in the work of the KP do not allow the highest score.
Salon
For sports car, quite free and ergonomic. Behind the chairs you can place up to 90 liters of baggage a little less than the trunk accommodates.
Comfort
Great sound insulation and comfortable suspension Audi Magnetic Ride.
Safety
At the speeds developed by the R8 V10, it is simply impossible to talk about 100 percent security of the car.
Price
Not determined.
Advantages and disadvantages
+ Excellent dynamics, good handling, the highest level of comfort.
- The robotic gearbox clearly does not correspond to the overall level of comfort and handling.

Specifications
Mark and model - Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro
Dimensions - 4435/1930/1252 mm
The engine is gasoline, 5204 cm3, 525 liters. S./8000 min--1
Transmission - robotic, 6 -speed
Dynamics - Max 316 km/h; 3.9 C to 100 km/h
Competitors - Porsche 911 Turbo, MB SL 600, MB SL 63 AMG, Jaguar XKR.
Our opinion
A great gift to Audi fans for the 100th anniversary of the company! A sports car for every day, maximally adapted, in terms of controllability and safety, both for experienced and less sophisticated speed fans. A successful combination of comfort, a powerful motor and all -wheel drive.

Author: Vladimir Makkaveev
 
 
 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [March 2009]