If you ever have the chance to drive or at least ride in a mid-engine sports car you should absolutely grab the opportunity with both hands. This is especially true when it comes to the Audi R8. This vehicle is the highlight of the entire Audi line-up making the R8 the real Lord of the Rings. There are over 430 horses on tap lurking right behind your head causing you to experience speed like you never have before. The Audi R8 costs a little over $118k making it a pretty affordable sports car considering options from Lamborghini and Ferrari can cost 2 to 3 times as much. Plus the Audi R8 comes as a convertible if you choose.
A walk around the Audi R8 with its sexy curves and sport intake ducts provides insight to the performance nature of this high end car. You can see the engine in the rear through the transparent glass top which is uber cool! The seating position is relatively low but the well-contoured sports seats fell great. The interior is “Made in Germany” meaning that it is perfectly finished and since the R8 is still an Audi at heart, the car comes loaded with tons of luxury items. The seats and steering wheel are easily adjustable to fit drivers of any size. Simply start-up the potent V-8 to experience the sound and fury of the engine. It is enough to make the hair on your neck stand up.
Performance wise the Audi R8 is nothing short of spectacular besting cars that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more. This is why many people call the Audi the “poor mans sports car” even though it is still over $100k. The Audi R8 is powered by a 4.5 liter V-8 engine that makes 430 horsepower and 316 lb-ft. of torque. This power rockets the car from 0-60 MPH in 4.4 seconds and the opt speed is 187 MPH.
You sit in the middle of the Audi R8 and the engine is located behind you. This design is called mid-engine and many top sports cars use this thanks to the optimal weight distribution. The first few miles are run at a pace Sunday drivers would appreciate. Once the engine reaches operating temperature and the city streets are far behind it is really time top open thing up and see what this beast has to offer. A light step on the gas pedal pushes me into the seat with considerable force and in no time the speedometer reaches a point where I could go directly to jail. The acceleration is astonishing, talk about an adrenaline rush!
The V-8 engine revs easily and the 6-speed manual transmission is silky smooth. This is a ride that will make your hands sweaty and your heart beat strongly. Driving the car is like riding around with some super famous celebrity. Everyone looks at you with their mouths open and their eyes full of envy. Driving the Audi R8 is something every car lover dreams about. There is now an available V-10 engine that pushes power up to over 525 horsepower but that also tacks on $35k to the overall price.
Most of us cannot afford a $100k car. You can see some great lease deals on the R8.