I got to spend some time looking at and sitting in the new Audi R8. Overall, the car is a very handsome and pleasing shape, though in some ways its design is overdone and a little gimicky. I'm not sure whether the "side blade" works as well as Audi wanted, but it is certainly a striking element. The engine looks very cool under the glass hood, surrounded by alot of carbon fiber pieces. The car doesn't seem to have much luggage room, less than a 911 or a Boxster. The interior is very initimate and cozy with a vertical glass window right behind the two occupants separating the interior from the engine compartment. The interior itself uses materials of different textures, shapes, etc - I'm sure one would get used to it after a while but when you first get in the overall impression is interesting but overdone. It is the antithesis to Porsche's stark interior design. On the other hand, the amount of carbon fiber used in this car, if fitted in a 911 would have Porsche charging 20K extra (it's all around the engine compartment, the interior etc).
When they started the car, the exhaust sounded just great - a real bark to it and I'm sure at th 8K redline this car really must shriek.
I came to think of it as a "poor man's" Ferrari - it is more like an Italian car in design (but a F car, not a Lambo - probably on purpose). When compared to a 911 C4S, the R8 seems like alot of car for the money. Assuming it drives as well as it would seem based on the specs, I think it will be a very serious car to consider in the 110K price range and it may be the car that forces Porsche to change a bit.
