Audi R8 5.2 FSI qu plus S tronic Review: Tony Stark's ride

What we like:

Timeless design that looks as ‘fresh’ today as it did seven years ago. A hoon worthy engine that encourages anti-social behavior! Delectable steering feel while remaining comfortably well-balanced on the edge.

What we dislike:

Carbon ceramics tend to be grabby at the top of the pedal travel but works just fine when warmed up.

Of course the R8’s brilliance extends beyond the Lamborghini sourced V10. In the bends, the R8 surprises with the amount of oversteer it can achieve despite its Quattro system. The system can send as much as 65% of its power to the rear wheels when needed. We even managed to get its tail out a couple of times during our drive and it remained balanced while we adjusted our exit with the throttle.

While most manufacturers have gone on with an electric rack, Audi has stuck to a hydraulic system for which we’re thankful for. The steering weight is perfect while the flat bottomed steering wheel allowed us to point the supercar exactly where we wanted. Taking the car through an unintentional (We swear!) power slide, the steering communicated exactly what the front wheels were doing and allowing us to correct the slide confidently.

The Plus comes with Audi’s vaunted carbon ceramics. We found that the brakes lacked feel when driving around town at low speeds. Once we got them up to temperature though, we could apply braking force accurately without the ‘full on/off’ effect when they were cold.

Ride quality in the R8 is what you’d expect in a supercar. But the Plus model does ride harder than lesser R8s. At low speeds, the ride can get quite busy when pottering around town which might induce some complaints from the passenger. Once up to speed and cruising on the expressways though, the damping becomes well-controlled and is far from uncomfortable. Showing off the brilliant suspension work done at the factory.

At S$963,700 (based on 10th October), the Audi R8 V10 Plus is still a bargain over its Italian brother but no less capable. While it might be considered the ‘underdog’ in the supercar league, it can still turn heads and keep up (even outdo) with the best of them.

Now with the brilliant S-tronic gearbox attached, the Audi R8 can once again proudly reclaim its title as the ultimate ‘Everyday supercar’.

Credits: Story and Photos by Benjamin G. Kline