@Nickolai Siegfried the "new edge" Mustang (99-04 model years) came from the factory covered in fake vents or whatever you want to call them. Thankfully the current factory Mustangs don't, I would know because I drive a 2015 GT.
Nickolai Siegfried you mean fake exhaust tips, probably. Nowadays, almost every sports car has that (e.g. LaFerrari, Aventador SVJ, R8, P1, GT2 RS) and there are construction wise good reasons for that. Not so for fake air intakes.
I am happy Harry calls out designers for fake grills and exhaust tips fake noises etc. It is just unacceptable and cheapens any sporting pretentions of a car. I will not consider a car with any of that fake garbage. Ruins the car.
ChaosphereIX - I also don't like the fake grilles, fortunately there's no danger of my ever being able to afford one, so its not something I'm going to have to wrangle over when I consider my next car!
Funny, just as I was thinking that the first-released R8 had the most stunning looks, you went ahead and said the very same thing... VW also regressed aesthetically with the Touareg / Golf... Why do companies have to endless fiddle until nothing is left but soul-less straight-lines a faux-aggression... Knowing when to stop is the secret to great art.
Fair comment, i'm only making an observation on the concept of it being touted as a limited run. Well given that Harry stated that Audi sells 2000 R8s per year, i'm not certain that we can define 999 models as limited. The social media marketing around this car appears to have been that people longed for a rear while drive version of the R8 to make it 'wilder', or what have you. So the expectation from Audi was that this would pull in some new buyers from other brands. We'll see if the secret spice pitch works or not.
Rear Wheel drive and a naturally aspirated V10. She's a rare beast. Even if the handling is bit stability minded and the steering a bit vague I still think this is the current highlight of the R8 range. Another proper review from a serious petrolhead. Cheers Harry, there's a reason why I still read Evo and Octane (even without you they're still brilliant)
I don't think he said it was vague.At low speeds it is ridiculously annoyingly unbelievably uncomfortably worryingly LIGHT.Once it gets moving it is made heavier.Maybe I missed something.
Completely agree with your design remarks. Always liked the original one, the first and only truly sympathetic Audi ever, IMHO. Especially since it had such a petite face. They've ruined that now.
I would not be surprised if values of previous models of the R8 (and the Porsche Boxster/Cayman) hold their values as many owners prefer driving them more than current cars.
+Underbird [former X8X8]. Couldn’t agree more about the 996. I think that sometime in the future they will indeed be worth more. The currently loathed headlights may continue to grow on people until they become the desirable ones to have.
I was thinking the same thing. I think it amounts to - if spending over £100K on a car, this may not be your best bet. Having said that, a fantastic screaming V10 - what an engine that is.
The original R8 managed to be curvy and edgy at the same time. It was a fantastic design. This seems a step back in all areas. The white paint and black wheels really dont do it any favours either. Give me the Alpine in the latest review instead.
They have listened to you lol. I got a 2021 RS5 Sportback and the steering feels better than what you are describing here. Talk about an awesome car, drove 8hrs straight and no fatigue at all with the nice extension they put on the seats to distribute your weight out. So much space in the sportback, I am taking her camping this year at Virginia International Raceway for the IMSA GT3. Love your videos and thanks for introducing us to Tyrrell's Classic Workshop. He's awesome.
That is a weird quirky feature hearing the audi advert end sound as you open the door. Annoying after a while I imagine. Good in depth review as always Harry.
Coco, I love the way, as SOON as you give the Audi some beans, the camera view goes from Speedo to your face shot, we know you NEVER exceed 60, apart from motorways/autobahns ect , I know I take the piss out of your cycling pedal position, but you know your stuff on cars AND bikes, and NEVER fail to deliver......
I think that's the most critical I've seen you be of a car yet. If you're dropping 120 grand on a car there is zero excuse for fake plastic grilles. Zero. Great video as always.
The first-gen R8 is a dream car of mine, either v8 or v10 but especially as a manual and/or convertible. This one, not so much. Thanks for putting the truth out there Harry!
Looks like a prime example of botched electrically assisted steering.. Sad times. Like the automatic gearboxes of the naughts, we can only hope they get better - and there are already companies which are able to do it well!
The Quattro badge is not on the front grille for this R8 because it is rear wheel drive. The Quattro badge is only for all wheel drive model Audi’s so the Quattro badge is on the normal R8.
Oh look, a sad little troll who can only make himself feel clever by trawling through month old youtube comments, pointing out mistakes that others make. What a wonderful life you must lead, sir.
Do be kind enough to provide a time stamp where, as you claim, this was explained. Thanks. Also, your statement requires a '?', otherwise it's a statement and makes no sense in this context.
Great to see you back, Harry! Missed your video over summer. Agree 100% on looks: original R8 topped this one. The blade made it. German 2nd thoughts are sometimes a mistake e.g. the first generation Mercedes CLS still the best of the 3! Love your grounded reviews. Shrewd analysis not just marque hagiography!
The R8 RWS will undoubtedly prove itself as the best R8 in terms of driving dynamics and value for money. Wouldn’t a limited run of RWS with a manual gearbox be glorious? Thank you for your real world reviews and expertise.
Harry's style and knowledge make this a video to greatly enjoy.... if he doesn't like something, you will know!! I am amazed fewer than 200K subs, but this seems to be a watershed number which "hockey-sticks" onwardly.... thank you Harry.
Agree with Harry on the styling-- The first cars especially after the quick face lift (when they introduced the V10) were stellar. Elegant and gorgeous. The new ones are just too agro.
The original R8 looked Glorious. The new one looks like a TT that's been to the Gym. Regardless of everything else though, that engine note is absolutely Biblical.
Totally agree, original manual R8 is a much more desirable car. New one's focus has shifted to interior tech which is great in city traffic but something you ignore when lost in a drive. Totally with you on the fake grills too. Audi have turned a distinctive, interesting sports car into a big TT.
some simple facts for you harry. audi needs to put its design language into every model of their cars. hence the necessity of a large hexagonal grill. r8 is a mid-rear engine car, so they don't need much air coming through the front. that's why they blocked most of it for aerodynamic reasons.
And now, they've neutered the engine with a particulate filter and soft rev limiter. Just put it out of its misery already. It's like they're deliberately making sports cars shite to make us accept electric stuff
The heartbeat sound played when you open the door would get old after about a day. Can that be turned off? Great review...the R8 seems to be slightly underwhelmng (esp. with the loss of the contrasting side blades and phony intakes). The R8 is probably a fine car, but it needs to stand out more, not less as the number of super/hypercars grows. Doesn't seem that special....
Yeah I’m not overly excited by this incarnation of the R8 compared to the first . It’s all marketing gimmicks isn’t it . Great review Harry . Btw try putting your phone into airplane mode so your camera doesn’t pick up it searching for signal 😉
Overall an honest review; but that fact that you even mention a McLaren and the 488 in the same sentence speaks volumes for the RWS value for money. You would pretty much need to double you budget for a 488 taking into account typical Audi discounts (10% plus now on a new R8) . Meanwhile the Mclarens are great if you don't mind problems with the instrumentation or windows not working etc. You can have the RWS for about the same money as 911S. The heart beat doesn't bother me at all. A couple of corrections :- 1) the loud exhaust on cold start-up is nothing to do with vacuum build-up - it's emissions related and will hold the revs at about 1500-2000, with exhaust valves open and secondary air blowers on - this is to heat up the cats. 2) The RWS is not available with magnetic ride even as a option - you will need to "upgrade" to the V10 or V10+ if you want that option
Great review Harry & very fair criticisms. Most of the issues would annoy me too, plus i can't help thinking the current R8 just looks like a large TT. On the plus side there's a nice Merc W124 at 9:02. Looking forward to the next review.
Thank you for the review .. I think at this price point a 911 gt3 would make much more sense. The 911 gt3 seems more driver focused than the R8 RWS. Thoughts?
Harry, are you aware that this is a base model R8? This generation has already proven itself back in 2017. Audi only produced 999 of this version for a reason, and that is price. This is the cheapest way to get into a new R8, so I wouldn’t expect it to be the best representation. The R8 to get is the most sold version (V10 Plus). It addresses all of the things you complained about.
Great vid Harry! So conclusion might be something like “a V10 with the steering of a Golf , the paddles of an A3 and the ride of a kid plastic toy car “ I don’t understand why they make fake “things” like those air vents , it looks like it’s something across the vw family , like golf fake escapes and that sort of thing . In a “supposed” super car . A lot of work to do Audi !
I love new almost neo art deco look with new tt and this one... but when i saw fake intakes ... it is just a shame. They could do it really on a different way. Great video as usual :)
Good video as usual. Interesting that these cars are often referred to as drivers cars yet they are not much fun at legal road speeds. The best fun I ever have in cars or on motorcycles is the ones that you have to ring their necks.
It’s no usual to hear so clear conclusions about the odds of a car in any TH-camr. Everyone talks about the hype and how extraordinary cars are, but no one speaks so clear as Harry does
Hi Harry, see my comment of 2 weeks ago. I checked with other car reviews and did a test drive myself. Nobody mentioned your complaints. The "fake" radiator and other "fake"design errors don't disturb me. The test car did not have " the heart beat" and the steering was perfect in" Dynamic" mode. You feel very clearly what the frontwheels are doing , this is the big difference with the AWD and you did NOT recognize it!!! In " Comfort " mode I agree with you the steering is as you demonstrated. But this car you can set up also to your "Individual" preferences which every owner will do. I traded my 6 month old RS 5 on the spot for this perfect R 8 AWS drivers car according to plan . Your test however almost made me forget about the car. Although I am a great fan of your videos I think you made a mistake this time.
I believe that designers make oversized grilles and such for the same reason they make the glass so much bigger than it needs to be - then paint a 2-inch-wide black edge so you don't notice how small the opening actually is. It's a simple case of function following form: who cares if there's excess heavy glass up high on the car that isn't actually needed and can't be used - they like the _idea_ of bigger windows, even if we don't actually get them in any functional, meaningful manner.
Great review Harry as always. Fake grills - if you want the aneurysm check out a Civic Type R rear 'mesh'. Question is, this one with compromise and V10 or an early V8 with manual gearbox (and a decent cash saving). Actually think the latter...
Brilliantly entertaining vid as always. Audi are going in a very weird direction with their false grilles on their smaller cars too, especially trying to make a 'shopping' A1 look like an 80s quattro. Bizarre and a long way from their original Bauhaus philosophy. Saw an older A4/Audi 80 the other day and it really looked a great timeless design. Not any more, Audi. Too many creases and distractions.
5:08 Don't worry, there are some good bits to this car. Oh dear. First 2 minutes in a car is so important and this is like a limp sweaty handshake. Passive lumpy dampers. 550bhp 390lbsft. That is a bad ratio in a road car. Takes until 10 minutes until he's happy. Finally, but after driving it, it's no better than the first 4WD R8 v8, hmm! Kept watching for tips on previous R8s
i dont understand why so many manufacturers are putting the start button on the steering wheel. You only press the button twice per journey. What next put a seat belt release button on the steering wheel?
I'm always surprised to see harry dry steering in so many of his videos. Perhaps he is just demonstrating for the sake of the video but i doubt he would dry steer any of his own cars like that.
The amount of gadgets & gizmos delivered with this car really makes it look/feel like an expensive toy... Interesting marketing strategy from Audi, guess they know their audience.
Compared to the first generation, it is clearly a less exciting car with less attention to detail. And I always wondered why it is only available with the V10. It is a fantastic engine, but it would be suited better as a top version above a more daily-driveable option. My answer: The VW management blocks the full potential of the R8. An R8 without those ridiculous compromises Harry pointed out and with a reasonably economical yet powerful drivetrain would be a true 911-killer!
Ok, i'm not buying any car anymore before Harry tested it...The R8 v10 with its manual box seems like a playstation. The only thing I like about it is the engine noise, would be so much better with manual box and without stupid "Vorsprung durch Technik" noises and plastics to make any environmentalist swear about. In summary, the R8 v8 with manual box was and is still the R8 to have
Don't think Audi will be to anxious to loan Harry another any time soon, but I believe his critique is spot on.
There isn't a car reviewer on TH-cam who is as engaging as Harry Metcalfe. Another brilliant review.
Chris Harris is #1
That fake intake grill behind the window ahead of the gas cap is egregious. Screams new edge mustang
Yeah, fake intakes are ridiculous.
Yes it feels very "Yankee".
@Nickolai Siegfried the "new edge" Mustang (99-04 model years) came from the factory covered in fake vents or whatever you want to call them. Thankfully the current factory Mustangs don't, I would know because I drive a 2015 GT.
Nickolai Siegfried you mean fake exhaust tips, probably. Nowadays, almost every sports car has that (e.g. LaFerrari, Aventador SVJ, R8, P1, GT2 RS) and there are construction wise good reasons for that. Not so for fake air intakes.
Agreed. I remember my dad had a 91 camaro with two functionless "power blisters" on the hood. But on audi's 2018 top sports car? What the hell?? N
The heck is that "heartbeat" noise?
I am happy Harry calls out designers for fake grills and exhaust tips fake noises etc. It is just unacceptable and cheapens any sporting pretentions of a car. I will not consider a car with any of that fake garbage. Ruins the car.
ChaosphereIX - I also don't like the fake grilles, fortunately there's no danger of my ever being able to afford one, so its not something I'm going to have to wrangle over when I consider my next car!
Dear Harry, we are dying for a review on the f355 manual. By the way, thanks for your channel, a true one and greetings from Spain.
Eduardo Aparicio agree
disagree
Eduardo Aparicio
Undecided
Funny, just as I was thinking that the first-released R8 had the most stunning looks, you went ahead and said the very same thing... VW also regressed aesthetically with the Touareg / Golf... Why do companies have to endless fiddle until nothing is left but soul-less straight-lines a faux-aggression... Knowing when to stop is the secret to great art.
The massive Chinese market demands big front grilles and extravagant styling. The front of this car just looks like a TT to me.
Limp, sweaty hand shake. Great start to a review
Love the limp handshake comparison :-) Great stuff as usual! Thank you!
The tone with which he described his daughter and her Fiat 500 made it sound like she was a five-year-old with a pedal car!
Made me laugh so hard, just cause it's such a recognizeable thing. :D
I'm shocked! A car manufacturer makes a limited run version with bits removed but actually charges less!
Fair comment, i'm only making an observation on the concept of it being touted as a limited run. Well given that Harry stated that Audi sells 2000 R8s per year, i'm not certain that we can define 999 models as limited. The social media marketing around this car appears to have been that people longed for a rear while drive version of the R8 to make it 'wilder', or what have you. So the expectation from Audi was that this would pull in some new buyers from other brands. We'll see if the secret spice pitch works or not.
Porsche: "We shall teach Audi our way of doing things"
Rear Wheel drive and a naturally aspirated V10. She's a rare beast. Even if the handling is bit stability minded and the steering a bit vague I still think this is the current highlight of the R8 range. Another proper review from a serious petrolhead. Cheers Harry, there's a reason why I still read Evo and Octane (even without you they're still brilliant)
I don't think he said it was vague.At low speeds it is ridiculously annoyingly unbelievably uncomfortably worryingly LIGHT.Once it gets moving it is made heavier.Maybe I missed something.
Completely agree with your design remarks. Always liked the original one, the first and only truly sympathetic Audi ever, IMHO. Especially since it had such a petite face. They've ruined that now.
Give any car to Harry to use for a week and his review is all you need to know about the car.
Job done.
I would not be surprised if values of previous models of the R8 (and the Porsche Boxster/Cayman) hold their values as many owners prefer driving them more than current cars.
I am sure they will rise again. I predict the same for the 996 especially.
+Underbird [former X8X8]. Couldn’t agree more about the 996. I think that sometime in the future they will indeed be worth more. The currently loathed headlights may continue to grow on people until they become the desirable ones to have.
Unusual to see such a negative review from harry. Must be quite horrible.
hahaha)))
Sure...lmao
His opinion doesn't mean right or wrong.
Harry is honest and with his wealth of experience he's never far out with his opinion.
I was thinking the same thing. I think it amounts to - if spending over £100K on a car, this may not be your best bet. Having said that, a fantastic screaming V10 - what an engine that is.
The original R8 managed to be curvy and edgy at the same time. It was a fantastic design. This seems a step back in all areas. The white paint and black wheels really dont do it any favours either. Give me the Alpine in the latest review instead.
Auto makers could save a fortune on focus groups and whatnots just by letting Mr. Metcalf drive their car around and report back.
THANKS, HARRY!
please test the new alpine a110
Geert ter Harmsel He has!! It’s nice.
Please test the new john deere.
They have listened to you lol. I got a 2021 RS5 Sportback and the steering feels better than what you are describing here. Talk about an awesome car, drove 8hrs straight and no fatigue at all with the nice extension they put on the seats to distribute your weight out. So much space in the sportback, I am taking her camping this year at Virginia International Raceway for the IMSA GT3. Love your videos and thanks for introducing us to Tyrrell's Classic Workshop. He's awesome.
That is a weird quirky feature hearing the audi advert end sound as you open the door. Annoying after a while I imagine. Good in depth review as always Harry.
Thank you harry for never saying "quirks"!!!
Nobody 'gets' cars like this man. Best reviewer out there.Audi always seem to dumb-down their most original designs.
Nobody speaks about your shirts , Harry. I love them
Coco, I love the way, as SOON as you give the Audi some beans, the camera view goes from Speedo to your face shot, we know you NEVER exceed 60, apart from motorways/autobahns ect , I know I take the piss out of your cycling pedal position, but you know your stuff on cars AND bikes, and NEVER fail to deliver......
Great Video...
Did you ask James May to use one of his shirts? ;)
I think that's the most critical I've seen you be of a car yet. If you're dropping 120 grand on a car there is zero excuse for fake plastic grilles. Zero. Great video as always.
Fake vents have no place on a Korean supermini let alone a european supercar. Built to appeal to the limp wristed?
By limp wristed do you mean ignorant straight dudes? Or those fools who JO 5 X a day, 24/7/365?
A car for the instaface influenced
The first-gen R8 is a dream car of mine, either v8 or v10 but especially as a manual and/or convertible. This one, not so much. Thanks for putting the truth out there Harry!
Looks like a prime example of botched electrically assisted steering.. Sad times. Like the automatic gearboxes of the naughts, we can only hope they get better - and there are already companies which are able to do it well!
The Quattro badge is not on the front grille for this R8 because it is rear wheel drive. The Quattro badge is only for all wheel drive model Audi’s so the Quattro badge is on the normal R8.
Warren Francis You make a good point, which had passed me by until you mentioned it.
lazaglider
Even though it’s in the video!
Oh look, a sad little troll who can only make himself feel clever by trawling through month old youtube comments, pointing out mistakes that others make. What a wonderful life you must lead, sir.
lazaglider
Instead of dishing out pathetic insults why don’t you just simply pay more attention next time.
Do be kind enough to provide a time stamp where, as you claim, this was explained. Thanks. Also, your statement requires a '?', otherwise it's a statement and makes no sense in this context.
Great to see you back, Harry! Missed your video over summer. Agree 100% on looks: original R8 topped this one. The blade made it. German 2nd thoughts are sometimes a mistake e.g. the first generation Mercedes CLS still the best of the 3! Love your grounded reviews. Shrewd analysis not just marque hagiography!
Thank you ever so much for not sugar-coating this review!
The R8 RWS will undoubtedly prove itself as the best R8 in terms of driving dynamics and value for money. Wouldn’t a limited run of RWS with a manual gearbox be glorious? Thank you for your real world reviews and expertise.
Having driven one I agree, however at the price point it get's more attractive. You can't compare to 570s or 488. It's priced against a 911 GTS.
Thumbs up and a firm Handshake from me for you Harry !
Harry's style and knowledge make this a video to greatly enjoy.... if he doesn't like something, you will know!! I am amazed fewer than 200K subs, but this seems to be a watershed number which "hockey-sticks" onwardly.... thank you Harry.
Agree with Harry on the styling-- The first cars especially after the quick face lift (when they introduced the V10) were stellar. Elegant and gorgeous. The new ones are just too agro.
The original R8 looked Glorious. The new one looks like a TT that's been to the Gym. Regardless of everything else though, that engine note is absolutely Biblical.
10:15 Haha like that. "Very soon gets illegal"
Totally agree, original manual R8 is a much more desirable car. New one's focus has shifted to interior tech which is great in city traffic but something you ignore when lost in a drive. Totally with you on the fake grills too. Audi have turned a distinctive, interesting sports car into a big TT.
some simple facts for you harry. audi needs to put its design language into every model of their cars. hence the necessity of a large hexagonal grill. r8 is a mid-rear engine car, so they don't need much air coming through the front. that's why they blocked most of it for aerodynamic reasons.
Harry's class is immense
Ooh, that exhaust note. It just makes you smile!
So...
Poor steering
Bad ride
Dodgy styling
Naf marketing details
Gearing too long to enjoy
But good engine
It's an alternative to a 911 for sure
And now, they've neutered the engine with a particulate filter and soft rev limiter.
Just put it out of its misery already. It's like they're deliberately making sports cars shite to make us accept electric stuff
@@visionist7 electric cars are good, but they shouldn't strangle ice cars.
Love your videos Harry. Always honest and detailed, wish I had the chance to drive so many awesome cars, thanks for doing what you do!
Thank you for this very honest review. Quite interesting. Best wishes from Germany!!!
well its one of those i guess where audi have tried to compensate for the casual drivers, another great vid!
The original was SICK. This looks sick :(
The heartbeat sound played when you open the door would get old after about a day. Can that be turned off? Great review...the R8 seems to be slightly underwhelmng (esp. with the loss of the contrasting side blades and phony intakes). The R8 is probably a fine car, but it needs to stand out more, not less as the number of super/hypercars grows. Doesn't seem that special....
Yeah I’m not overly excited by this incarnation of the R8 compared to the first . It’s all marketing gimmicks isn’t it . Great review Harry . Btw try putting your phone into airplane mode so your camera doesn’t pick up it searching for signal 😉
Overall an honest review; but that fact that you even mention a McLaren and the 488 in the same sentence speaks volumes for the RWS value for money. You would pretty much need to double you budget for a 488 taking into account typical Audi discounts (10% plus now on a new R8) . Meanwhile the Mclarens are great if you don't mind problems with the instrumentation or windows not working etc. You can have the RWS for about the same money as 911S. The heart beat doesn't bother me at all. A couple of corrections :- 1) the loud exhaust on cold start-up is nothing to do with vacuum build-up - it's emissions related and will hold the revs at about 1500-2000, with exhaust valves open and secondary air blowers on - this is to heat up the cats. 2) The RWS is not available with magnetic ride even as a option - you will need to "upgrade" to the V10 or V10+ if you want that option
Great review Harry & very fair criticisms. Most of the issues would annoy me too, plus i can't help thinking the current R8 just looks like a large TT. On the plus side there's a nice Merc W124 at 9:02. Looking forward to the next review.
Thank you for the review .. I think at this price point a 911 gt3 would make much more sense. The 911 gt3 seems more driver focused than the R8 RWS. Thoughts?
Awesome , honest, informative review as always! nice one Harry.
0:00 wow! Harry's back in town!
I laughed out loud at 'did I really have that handshake?'.
Harry, are you aware that this is a base model R8? This generation has already proven itself back in 2017. Audi only produced 999 of this version for a reason, and that is price. This is the cheapest way to get into a new R8, so I wouldn’t expect it to be the best representation. The R8 to get is the most sold version (V10 Plus). It addresses all of the things you complained about.
Damn... I was actually really considering getting a 2nd hand RWS. That steering seems too big of a let down
Harry. Isn’t that engine the one they borrowed from Lamborghini when they bought them out?
Great noises. Good video. Thanks for posting.
Greatly explained Harry! Keep it up!
Great vid Harry!
So conclusion might be something like “a V10 with the steering of a Golf , the paddles of an A3 and the ride of a kid plastic toy car “
I don’t understand why they make fake “things” like those air vents , it looks like it’s something across the vw family , like golf fake escapes and that sort of thing . In a “supposed” super car . A lot of work to do Audi !
awesome Panerai as well :)
I love new almost neo art deco look with new tt and this one... but when i saw fake intakes ... it is just a shame. They could do it really on a different way. Great video as usual :)
This guy needs a hug
Good video as usual. Interesting that these cars are often referred to as drivers cars yet they are not much fun at legal road speeds. The best fun I ever have in cars or on motorcycles is the ones that you have to ring their necks.
It’s no usual to hear so clear conclusions about the odds of a car in any TH-camr. Everyone talks about the hype and how extraordinary cars are, but no one speaks so clear as Harry does
Thanks for a realistic real world review Harry. I could see you weren't thrilled with this car.
Best start of a video EVER!
Brilliant as usual ! I would love to see you review the 991.2 GT3 in stick form
I've never considered Audi as a super car builder rather a good quality mass market car with great build quality.
It's an alternative to a 911 for sure
Hi Harry, see my comment of 2 weeks ago. I checked with other car reviews and did a test drive myself. Nobody mentioned your complaints.
The "fake" radiator and other "fake"design errors don't disturb me. The test car did not have " the heart beat" and the steering was perfect in" Dynamic" mode.
You feel very clearly what the frontwheels are doing , this is the big difference with the AWD and you did NOT recognize it!!!
In " Comfort " mode I agree with you the steering is as you demonstrated. But this car you can set up also to your "Individual" preferences which every owner will do.
I traded my 6 month old RS 5 on the spot for this perfect R 8 AWS drivers car according to plan . Your test however almost made me forget about the car.
Although I am a great fan of your videos I think you made a mistake this time.
I believe that designers make oversized grilles and such for the same reason they make the glass so much bigger than it needs to be - then paint a 2-inch-wide black edge so you don't notice how small the opening actually is. It's a simple case of function following form: who cares if there's excess heavy glass up high on the car that isn't actually needed and can't be used - they like the _idea_ of bigger windows, even if we don't actually get them in any functional, meaningful manner.
has the engines get better they cheap out on materials .,Great review Harry's love your honest opinion
Good review as always Harry, when is the Thema 8.32 review coming ?
Another honest review, a bit different to some vloggers. Great video as always :)
Great review Harry as always. Fake grills - if you want the aneurysm check out a Civic Type R rear 'mesh'. Question is, this one with compromise and V10 or an early V8 with manual gearbox (and a decent cash saving). Actually think the latter...
I can’t stand limp handshakes either Harry. Great comment! 😂
Someone with good video-editing skills should make a video full of Harry slamming doors. Just a straight 8 min video.
Ive always wondered what its like when two people with limp handshakes meet each other
Great review. Focus is on the key points and all non-relevant information is kept away.
Brilliantly entertaining vid as always. Audi are going in a very weird direction with their false grilles on their smaller cars too, especially trying to make a 'shopping' A1 look like an 80s quattro. Bizarre and a long way from their original Bauhaus philosophy. Saw an older A4/Audi 80 the other day and it really looked a great timeless design. Not any more, Audi. Too many creases and distractions.
Good honest review as always .
5:08 Don't worry, there are some good bits to this car. Oh dear. First 2 minutes in a car is so important and this is like a limp sweaty handshake.
Passive lumpy dampers. 550bhp 390lbsft. That is a bad ratio in a road car. Takes until 10 minutes until he's happy. Finally, but after driving it, it's no better than the first 4WD R8 v8, hmm!
Kept watching for tips on previous R8s
Excellent review Harry.
i dont understand why so many manufacturers are putting the start button on the steering wheel. You only press the button twice per journey. What next put a seat belt release button on the steering wheel?
Great video, keep going Harry
Great review your information is great i love the classic cars.
My humble TT does the same heartbeat/music jangle. Agree its ridiculous.
I'm always surprised to see harry dry steering in so many of his videos. Perhaps he is just demonstrating for the sake of the video but i doubt he would dry steer any of his own cars like that.
The amount of gadgets & gizmos delivered with this car really makes it look/feel like an expensive toy... Interesting marketing strategy from Audi, guess they know their audience.
Compared to the first generation, it is clearly a less exciting car with less attention to detail. And I always wondered why it is only available with the V10. It is a fantastic engine, but it would be suited better as a top version above a more daily-driveable option.
My answer: The VW management blocks the full potential of the R8. An R8 without those ridiculous compromises Harry pointed out and with a reasonably economical yet powerful drivetrain would be a true 911-killer!
They were hardly going to put a quattro badge on the front grill of a rear wheel drive car Harry!
Nice face during the heartbeat.
really enjoy your road trips in the most inappropriate super cars
Nice shirt Harry!
What a fantastic honest review 😉
What year is this car? Now I have to look elsewhere for a great car.. BMW M2 comp?
Looks like we are not going to get an R8 "Performante". I get the analogy but sometimes a weak handshake is down to arthritis.
Great review as always!
why would you have the door panels the same colour as the door, thats the main design point of the R8 and what set it aside when you think of it :(
Ok, i'm not buying any car anymore before Harry tested it...The R8 v10 with its manual box seems like a playstation. The only thing I like about it is the engine noise, would be so much better with manual box and without stupid "Vorsprung durch Technik" noises and plastics to make any environmentalist swear about. In summary, the R8 v8 with manual box was and is still the R8 to have