Test Driving the Unreleased Audi R8, the Supercar Even Women Fantasize About (Plus: A Favor)

I love fast cars. Enter the Audi R8 supercar. OMFG.

I get a massive amount of e-mail — almost 300 per hour at one point during major media — which is why I outsourced my inbox in the first place to virtual assistants.

Sometimes, though, comes a snort-worthy e-mail — a zinger exciting enough to make me choke and spurt morning coffee out of my nose like a fire-breathing dragon (not recommended).

Here is one of them, received last week, from James Tate of Traction magazine:

“I’ve got a gray six-speed Audi R8 booked from the 28th through the 4th of Feb. and can do any of those dates. Any chance you’ll be in town?”

…

The Audi R8 – The supercar the US market is still waiting for.

Let me keep this simple. I’m not a car person and don’t expect you to be. I just don’t care about most cars. BUT, there are a few cars that put me in an odd state of 200+ mph-induced euphoria. I am a racer at heart.

James’ e-mail had good timing, as I had just read a review of the R8 as the best Audi ever built.

More convincing still, the reviewer reported that it was the first car of the dozens he’d reviewed to make his wife and all the women who rode in it drool like blubbering fan boys. WTF was going on? That’s not supposed to happen.

It would be like a bunch of men crying while watching Whale Rider. [Postscript: OK, I did, but only the scene where she’s reciting the story for her grandfather… Man, that’s a rough one.]

This was the car I wanted to drive.

Due to massive pre-orders and other factors, the Audi R8 supercar isn’t even available in the US until April or summer of 2008. Its 420 HP of power is transferred to all-wheel drive and its design, based on the Lamborghini Gallardo, allows you to drift and do all manner of things impossible in normal street cars.

“So let me get this straight,” I wrote. “I get to drive the machine at faster than 25mph?”

Here’s the sequence, leaving out the parts that would get me a nice sit down with fine gents in uniform…

Magnetic suspension and introduction of the R8.

First acceleration test.

Second acceleration test. Smoother than butter at triple digits within a 1/4 mile — I can only assume, of course 🙂

For more shots of the test day, check out Flickr.

I suspect this will not be the last time you see me in an R8.

If you like speed and the feeling of commanding the road (not to mention the ego-driven but still fun experience of having EVERYONE gawk at the car), I recommend you take this one-of-a-kind dream machine for spin.

Just put yourself on the waiting list and be forewarned… mixing testosterone with this Audi could be hazardous to your bank account.

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Odds and Ends: I Need Your Help

I want to revamp and redesign this blog beginning next week.

What changes/improvements should I make? Please let me know in the comments! Whether features, new layout, better design, plug-ins, regular features, guest posters, or content… I want your suggestions! This blog is for you, so please tell me what changes to make.

What do you like most and what do you dislike most?

Related links:

The Official R8 Page – Audi of America

Meet the Real Fast and Furious: 130 MPH, Creating Supercars, and Breaking Records

Chapter 15 – Filling the Void: Adding Life After Subtracting Work

CA Speeding Tickets and Fines