First Drive: 2017 Audi R8 V10 plus
The Newest Version of the Audi Supercar Left Us Impressed and Smiling
“What are you doing Saturday?”
That was the text we received from one of our fellow automotive reviewers on the way to Frisco, Texas for the unveiling of the 2018 Ford Expedition. We were driving at the time so we didn’t have a chance to reply. We didn’t need to.
Our friend Bryan followed up with: “I know what we’re doing… driving an R8!”
He was right. That’s exactly what we did, thanks to him and a friendly Audi dealership in south Austin. It wasn’t just any R8, though. It was a 2017 Audi R8 V10 plus, the flagship performance version of the four-ring brand’s flagship performance car. We only had an hour or so with it, but that was enough time to come away with unforgettable strong first impressions.
-Strong Genetics
What a difference seeing the R8 in person makes. Before we saw our Tango Red test vehicle right in front of us, we thought Audi’s designers had used too many harsh lines to create it, that they made the headlights and the grille frame too pointy. Up close, those looked as sharp as they did in the pictures we’d seen, but at that distance we also noticed how the R8’s design team balanced those lines with curves. The front fenders had a soft arch to them and flowed right into the lines of the concave surface of the doors. That gentle curve reappeared right behind the lower section of the carbon sigma sideblades and disappeared once more right above the mesmerizing, jewel-like sequential LED taillights. Overall, it’s hard to call the new R8’s exterior styling more than an evolutionary change. That’s OK. Its looks and beautiful, intricate 20-inch wheels gave us no desire for a revolution within Audi’s studios.
-Not Just a Car
The R8 could’ve been painted flat gray and still been noticeable. When we shot it down the street or highway, it was more than an automobile. It was an event. People stared. One woman took a picture of it while she was stopped next to us at a light. A couple of fellows in a heavy duty diesel pickup watched us take our pictures of the R8, then proceeded to floor it and blow out huge plumes of black soot on their way out of the cul-de-sac we were in, perhaps to show the folks who got out of the supercar just how super their truck was. We would’ve coughed from the unprovoked, blatant act of airborne aggression if we weren’t too busy shaking our heads.
-The Drama
Two years ago, we were fortunate enough to drive the 2015 R8 V10 plus. It was a beautiful machine with a gorgeous quilted leather and carbon fiber interior, but it was so planted that it had the tendency to take the high out of high speed. The 2017 model didn’t seem to have that problem. Our friend Bryan let out all 610 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque in Dynamic mode. As the number on the speedometer increased, the resulting g-forces squeezed a long “Fuuuuuuu…” out of him. He didn’t need to say more. We were already thinking the same thing.
-The Sound
The last R8 V10 plus’ engine would let out an addictive, raw, mechanical wail. There were times when the V10 in the 2017 R8 sounded throatier than its predecessor, like a huge jungle cat with a bloodlust – more beast, less bot. When we put our right foot down hard, those 10 cylinders spoke in a frenzied machine voice that filled our ears and the cockpit. We didn’t just hear it, though. We felt it all around us.
-“You’re Going to the Moon!” Or the Grocery Store
At speed and in corners, the R8 felt bolted to the road. We took it over rough streets that were either under or in need of construction and its ride quality was surprisingly pleasant, especially when the Drive Select system was set to Comfort or Auto mode. We started calling it “An Everyday Rocketship.” We could blast off or take the R8 down the block at a leisurely pace in equal comfort.
Our time with the 2017 Audi R8 V10 plus was all too short. The time we’ll spend waiting to hear if Audi will loan us one for a week to review will feel like an eternity.
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