Automotive

During the Pebble Beach Automotive weekend I joined several of my PuristSPro moderators on a cloudy morning for a test drive of the Audi R8. Our picturesque drive was along the famous 17-mile drive with twisty roads, a few straightaways, and spectacular v...  

A lot of people told me the same about the R 8. A superb car, but with a too linear power... And sensations. I think I prefer the Coupé, with its magic view on the engine. Maybe you hear the engine more on the coupé than on the sypder? Best, Ed. Nicolas. ... 

Thanks Nicolas. I agree, the view of the engine in the coupe is magical. Wind buffeting was minimal in the spyder so I think the coupe would be very similar. Regards, ED-209

regarding the Paddles, in my car the seven speed dual-clutch transmission works like on the Corvette you are describing both side have the same function which I much prefer. The car is really nice but I still prefer the coupe, besides here in Perth (Down ... 

Thanks Francois, hope all is well down under. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the paddles, I agree with you about having it on both sides. On the R8 it was easy to transition and 're-learn' shifting on one side or the other. Plus the full manual mode ... 

It always makes me turn my head whenever I see one on the road. I think the coupe version looks much better than the convertible version but I wouldn't mind having either one :) Too bad the exhaust isn't that loud. A Tubi on that V10 should sound very nic... 

Hi Anthony, Thanks for reading the post on the R8 Spyder. The exhaust was quiet during normal acceleration and idle. But was much louder when pushed. Definitely a tubi would sound great on it. I tried sport mode but didn't really feel to much of a differe... 

. . . high-performance car. Long been a fan of Audi, though - their intrinsic build quality is equivalent to the best Germany has to offer, and usually for less outlay than comparable vehicles from M-B and BMW. Thanks for the vicarious experience, Ed. The... 

And surprisingly would make for a great daily driver. Hope you have a chance to drive one of these cars (or even one from the RS models). Regards, ED-209

I totally agree. It's a fast car, but one that accelerates from 0-60mph without drama and excitement. Thank you for the very comprehensive write-up Ed!

Thanks Patrick, looking forward to reading your driving impressions of the R8 Spyder. Regards, ED-209

great pics, btw. The color of that Spyder is beautifully captured... TM