The_CEO_Magazine_ANZ_-_December_2016

MOTOR TORQUE

slotted in literally quicker than you can blink.
The acceleration is immense and relentless,
and thanks to the R8’s carbon-ceramic
brakes, deceleration is just as ferocious.

This car is like an onion — peel back the
layers of luxury and you discover more and
more ability. Specifically, cornering ability.

On one downhill run, the turns tighten
quickly, yet the electronic brain sorts out the
best split of torque, sending power where
needed, while the suspension crushes the
tyres into the road. The pin-sharp steering
tells you exactly what’s going on underneath.
Without even realising it, we’re out the other
side and the car is begging us to drive it
even harder.

Despite this dynamic prowess, all the
qualities that made the original R8 great are
still evident. The new car is still as simple to
drive as a hatchback. In Comfort mode the
gearbox is smooth, the engine is quiet and
the magneto-rheological suspension
smothers the worst of the bumps giving a
remarkable ride.

Inevitably, though, comparisons will be
drawn between the R8 and the Lamborghini
Huracán, and it’s easy to see why. The two
share the same engine, the same gearbox, the
same space-frame chassis, drive layout,
instrumentation screen and a similar
infotainment system. But the differences are
more marked than you’d expect.

The Huracán is more flamboyant. It has more

drama, more volume. It wears its heart on its

sleeve. The Audi is more measured in its

approach. It’s quieter, more comfortable and

actually a bit quicker through corners.

Where the Huracán reaches understeer,

the R8 supplies a seemingly endless amount

of grip. Sure, there are limits, but the all-

wheel-drive system diverts all the power to

the rear when the front grip has run out,

tucking the nose in and bringing the tail

around. Because of this, the R8 is actually

more playful.

Inside, though, the Audi is comparatively

austere. There’s none of the flair, with

simple dials and buttons, versus the

Lambo’s aircraft-style toggle switches.

Put simply, Huracán is Italian and the

R8 is German. The Audi R8 V10 plus

proves the Germans haven’t lost their

sporting passion, yet it’s been combined

with everyday accessibility.

The combination of the two is a very rare

thing in today’s world. It has been said that,

“Compromise is a word found only in the

vocabulary of those who have no will to

fight.” Audi clearly hasn’t given up the fight,

creating a machine with both dynamic

prowess and daily driveability.

To borrow an oft-used phrase, the new

R8 proves you can have your trout and eat

it, too.