@@cagsanozbek4210 If you had watched the video you'd know. As James says; N/A 4,2 V8, 420HP. More or less the engine from the RS4 of the time, but with a dry sump.
The early 2nd gen cars were a bit meh for me. But the facelifted one... I genuinely love it. Especially in striking colours like Arablau, Javagrun or Vegasgelb.
@@Samaldoful Gearstick or shifter, same thing. Different countries use the different terminology and you ask me to use my brain before correcting someone yet you tried to correct someone who used THEIR correct term 🤦🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️ duuuuuuurrr... You don't need a brain cell to realise you don't correct someone when you're wrong, you'll do well to remember this next time.
This car has such a timeless and unique design, I would say iconic at this point even. I’ve owned two first generation V10’s, one in 2011 (R-Tronic) and one manual transmission car years later (present). Loved the original ownership experience so much that even after later owning a 997.2 Turbo S, McLaren 570S and other exotics, I bought a manual first Generation version 8 years later after selling my first R8. I would do it all over again.
I remember from my earlier years, when I was 10 or so) that I wasn't fascinated with the R8, especially because everyone else loved it. But now, 15 years later, I must admit that this car was part of my childhood and I look back at it with fond memories. I remember that in GT4 the Le Mans Quattro was one of the latest cars featured, and still today everything came out after 2002-2003 feels like a novelty to me, like it was in 2005 when playing that game.
I've owned one of these for the last year or so now in an identical specification to the press car. I must admit that at first, I echoed your driving impressions almost exactly, however these really are cars you learn to get the most out of over time. The first time I tried pushing it a bit down a road I was greeted with colossal understeer I couldn't really predict due to the steering that felt as though it doesn't talk to you very much at all. As time goes on however, you do learn to listen to the steering and do learn to lean on the chassis properly. They don't like at all to be chucked around and they don't like to coast at speed through corners. To get the most involvement out of it you need to brake late, get the weight on the front wheels to grip before getting smoothly and quickly back on the throttle for the four wheel drive to hook everything up. Be exceptionally smooth/delicate with the steering and you'll start to feel everything more and more. Based on my experience, I'd say to anyone driving one of these early R8's and finding it frustrating, you're in a spot where you're driving it hard enough to push the limits of tyres but really aren't driving it fast enough/smoothly enough to get the chassis working. They're brilliant cars with a depth of character just not found in most others which will simply lay their hand of cards in front of you and that's what you get. Some people might like that ease of accessibility but personally, I've found the long journey to be far more satisfying.
"...Drive it home and discover that your neighbor has one!". Yeah, that happened to me with my 911, and then we discovered that another neighbor has one too! Then we started to wave at each other, and help each other find needed parts or fix our cars. We'd exchange drives and compare notes, and buck each other up when something bad happened to our cars. We kind of became a small club, and life long friends. And then there are the guys that I met in the next town with their 911s, and the other Porsche drivers who wave when passing. Even the 911 owner who broke down on the side of the road who I stopped to check in on. It's kind of nice sharing 911 ownership. 😊
The R8 is a pretty car. Worth mentioning regarding movie presence, the RSQ - a futuristic spinoff of the Le Mans quattro. Featured in "I Robot" four years before the R8 was shown in Iron Man.
I'll never forget the first time I saw one of these on the road, at dusk on similar roads you're driving on here. It was coming in the opposite direction, with the LED sidelights basically on the tarmac, looked like nothing else!
Fair play for swerving the TH-cam crowd and going against the grain by buying a Lotus. Love your content, every video you seem to grow a bit more. Thank you.
Another great review mate, apart from the fact that you made me realise what I thought! I made a real mistake selling my almost identical R8. Needless to say I’m trolling autotrader for another. Keep doing what your are doing with your review style Jay....
Only Audi I ever lusted for. Beautiful car, never asked about the specs, just thought it was well done. AND congrats on getting the same car that one my heroes drove - Cheers!
Ever since I first saw this car, it's always been my absolute dream car. I really like how you present it in a clear way that it all comes down to a matter of taste, not facts. I've watched this video quite a few times cause I like the way you talk about it and to just look at the car. The first times it was just to dream, but now, I own one almost identical to the one in this video. Yet I still come back here and keep enjoying it. Thank you for that!
That particular R8 is so iconic, it was in the beginning build-up of the Top Gear intro before Hammond's 911 powerslid into view and music kicked off to segue into Jeremy's legendary "Tonight...".
Really enjoyed this video it was like watching a telly docimentary and you had a teleprompter giving you the lines as there was so much info. Thanks for putting it together. I really enjoyed it and yes i still want one if it's a V10 manual.
i honestly think you're one of the best car review channels out there. i respect your opinion over a lot of others. i am 31 now and gone are my days of wanting more horses, it's now about the drive and the event of cars which sells it to me. maybe it's a mid life crisis... haha a lot of what you say i agree with though. i have an RX8 and my mate has just bought an S2000, looking forward to some nice drives out in the summer to enjoy some twisty roads. P.S, thanks for not slagging off the rx8! nice to know others appreciate them for what they are :D
Jay beginning to scare me . Whatever car I spend the last 2 days looking at , jay makes a video on. Even the obscure ones like the fiat coupe , GTV cup v6 , Ferrari 360 , 306 rallye, v12 vantage and even the CITROEN C6 fgs! It’s like you are reading my mind and dropping videos about the cars I am thinking of, literally .
Great video James. I had the opportunity to drive a 997.1 GT3 back to back with a gen1 V8 R8. It was the R8 that left the lasting impression. It might be inexperience but at no time in that drive did I think that 414hp was too little.
In 2002 after winning Le Mans Audi revealed the R8 that year had a trick up its sleeve: a new direct injection system, the FSI. Yes, FSI was born on track. Two years later it hit the roads.
@@borisjohnson7553 not that easy here, its a pain in the hole. I was in the market 2 years ago and searched high and low, but a more sensible opportunity arose.
James, you need to drive one with an aftermarket exhaust, its a completely different animal. As you know I also have a 996 Turbo, but I must say I really love the R8V8 with the manual gate. And as far as looks are concerned I think it's one of the most beautiful designs of all time. I agree the steering is probably one let down, but apart from that its a joy to own and drive - I am really surprised by it. I mean just the tactile experience of how you change gear using that manual gate makes the driving experience quite unique and very special.
Nice video, but disagree on the design. The new R8 is way too convoluded and aggressive for no good reason. It almost looks like a cartoonish Mansory bodykit. The first generation R8 remains a design classic, with odd design solutions but weirdly it works. It has a certain gracefulness and curvature to it. The current one is a bit of a mess.
Perfectly said! But remember style can be subjective, and as eloquent and thorough as this gentleman “jayemm” seems to be, his personal personal style/attire is indicative of his taste of car design…..lacking.
When I was consulting in Kentucky, I was driving a Red Cayman. I stopped at a grocery in a small town to take a break. It was 8:30 at night an a mother and her daughter walked up to me and said, "My daughter loves your car, can she have a picture in front of it?". Of course she can, and I was happy to watch them take a picture. I don't even think they knew it was a Porsche...but it was a young person that had a dream. Dream now, and become that person in the future. If a car does that to a person...that's a great thing.
Surely that V10 dyno advert was the more important cinema outing than Iron Man? The older I get the more I think a V10 manual would be the perfect car for me to buy in terms of price, specialness and running costs.
I have a vivid memory of touching one of these when it first came out, it was in my local Audi dealer and locked of course! I was only about six but I still vividly remember it was the Iron man spec.
You are absolutely correct James, in that R8's do drive very differently and this mostly depends on mileage, and how well looked after and treated they have been over the years. I bought one 2 years ago and almost gave up looking as most, even from reputable garages were terrible. Fortunately, I have a lot of experience being an engineer and I eventually found one privately owned with very low miles and that was that. It drove beautifully and was everything it should be. Thankfully its a well designed super car that won't make you feel like you've been "rogered" every time you take it to the garage... P.S. I have also owned a number of Porsche including some 911s and I would take the R8 over a 911 any day. As you say, no matter where you take the car it creates a lot of interest...
You shattered my dreams (wanted this to be an amazing driver’s car!) and you still get a like for the honest, thorough review! Keep up the awesome work - love tuning in (rants and all!). Curious to know whether you think this, the 997C2S or the Vantage V8 is the best driver’s car of the three??
Idk man, much more experienced journalists and professional drivers have a very different take than his. And I believe the vast majority of them are in fact giving honest reviews.
@@thezerastora Nice! Great to hear an owner’s feedback! I tried one but was to tall - 6ft5 - so head touched the ceiling. Ended up getting a 997 C2S instead. Have that same feeling re always wanting to drive it, although I’ll admit it didn’t look as special as the R8. Drives amazingly though! PS like the hill stream loach!
Fascinating, as I was never 100% a fan of the the Gen 1 design when it launched....but seeing it again all these years later with that fabulous sounding V8, well it’s very appealing. I agree with James that the R8 is possibly a more special alternative to the ubiquitous 911 as it is far less numerous than its Stuttgart competitor.
I think it’s important to note that the depressing the Sports button, in an R-Tronic model, totally transforms the behaviour of the car, unleashing a surprising level of sharpness and directness to the chassis and awakening the engine to rev what seems like 3x faster than it did when it was just pottering about town. It really turns what is a lumbering beast at slow speeds into a proper quick and sure-footed sports car that shrinks around you the faster you go, and the steering just fills you with confidence. The car really has 2 personalities when you’ve experienced this and experiencing it maybe reveals why Jeremy Clarkson thought so much of it on his first go. It’s looks surprisingly have aged far better than anything out there from it’s time and I think that it really has kept a lot of its charm successfully through the years. But it’s true. It lacks the cache of marques like the Lambo and McLaren, and it can’t hold a candle to the purity of the Porsche GT cars…. But it was never trying to! What Audi set out to do with the R8 V8 was to challenge the 911’s supremacy at its own game at that segment of the market. And I’m afraid I have to agree that given the option of a 997.1 C4S or an R8 V8… the R8 wins.
This is a really excellent review; well researched, well rehearsed, well edited, well presented. I guess this takes a lot longer to do, but it's well worth it. Really good stuff.
I like these more than when they were new. I considered buying one about 8 years ago but I realised that running costs are much, much higher than a comparable Porsche 911, which - if it doesn't go wrong - could be ran for very little.
I’ve had several early NSX’s and two later model Caymans…. It’s time for an R8… one of my dream cars since first seeing it in Iron Man Buying a low mileage minty V8 gated next week!!! Can’t wait!!!
Hard to believe that the Audi R8 is almost the same age as the Honda S2000 and 10 years younger than the Acura NSX. The first generation production R8 has been my favorite R8 so far.
I first saw one of these scything through traffic on i-285 in Atlanta. It was so low and wide and purposeful looking. I would still love a manual v8 model.
Dude, idk what he or you are talking about. The original is the one that is highly regarded by most of the respected ppl in the auto industry. I watched this video for a second time and he is seems to be on another planet (relative to any other highly respected journalists). Not just youtubers.
an interesting place to start is the Audi "Rosemeyer" concept car of 2000. Look at a picture and you will see the Bugatti Veyron. So the Audi and Bugatti design teams were sharing ideas it would appear and Bugatti got first bibs.
On the interior, it's very spec-sensitive. The extended leather and carbon fibre with alcantara headlining feels premium. In that way I can't relate to what Jay says here at all about the interior.
Had a red V8 r8, actually the one that was in the “1 gallon of petrol super car race” on top gear. Had to sell to buy a house 💔 I’ll have another. But probably a 911 lol
the Audi R8 1st gen V8 Manual is like wine, the older it gets, the more special it becomes, this car been on my maybe possible super car dream for a long long time, the sound alone, look, i adore V10's, but if I was to get a R8, would def be 1st gen V8, this 1st gen V8 is like what Honda NSX was back in the day, tick all the boxes w/out having to sell your kidney. Monterey Green, thank you very much.
As always good review. If memory server me right Clarkson was/is not a Porsche fan... Taste is very personal of course. Me, I prefer the far more elegant (in my view) sport(ing) cars with the engine where it belongs: up front...
In year 2023, April, finally tried the R8 on GT7. Such a friendly car to tune. Hope it can run synth fuel later. For new, I hope more hybridization for the MPG.
Also I actually really like the interior design, aside from the dated screens of course. Someone needs to make a retrofit LED screen for the dash and radio to mimic the factory look just crisp and fresh.
I must admit, I struggle to follow the logic of "it's a bit of a boring design with very little design features" and then in the next breath mention a love of 997. I know the Porsche 911 will be a fantastic drive that would beat the majority of competition, but they are just so dull to look at and so uninspiring. They're the Ford Mondeo of the sports car/super car world in my eyes.
Fairly new to the finance and economic side of things here in depreciated sports/supercars. What would be a recommendation for fairly cheap to run/economical car? Obviously with a focus more on running costs more than mpg.
2009 major US magazine review on track where race car driver Randy Pobst noted the R8 was unlikely to be bested, and then he drove Cayman PDK and said “race car, race car, race car. Wow” Meanwhile, R8 v8 sounds fab but widely rated as a sports car, whereas v10 vaulted it into super car class. Jay hits that square though re super car not necessarily better drivers car; r8 v8 vs v10 review w Catchpole and other = similar conclusion. Yes, I’m a 911 and Boxster owner, they are great, but from idle to 2,700 rpm few hear a flat-six and say “that sounds better than a v8”. It’s great to have these choices vs crap we had in 1970s-1980s....
I really enjoyed this video James. Informative, constructive and enjoyable. For most, me included, a Mk1 R8 Manual, would be my only way into R8 ownership. I think they sound great, better than the Vantage, but the vantage looks better IMO. Yes, I'd agree the interior is a little poor, but in 2007 when released, it probably wasn't then. Put an aftermarket exhaust on one, like Paul @Supercarsoflondon did with his, and it will wake the gods!! Great vid...
So, as you said James, if you do have £30-40k to spend which would you choose from the following : Audi R8 - Aston Vantage - BMW i8 - Lotus Evora S - Jag F-Type - Nissan GTR - Porsche 997.2 - BMW M's - TVR ? Decisions decisions. Just add an alternative if I've missed anything interesting out.
i lust for the r8 but my s5 tuned is a sleeper and quite amazing...and more hp.. when i was younger i liked the flashyness of aerodynamic cars, but now my s5 does it all under the radar..just need stealth technology..
I have an r8 v8. Tbh i cant relate to the negatives apart from quiet exhaust (fixed with an aftermarket). Jays probably right but i honestly think only a pro race driver could pick up on these things like steering... feels awsome to me, and im no audi fanboy
The early R8 V8 is the only R8 that's ever spoken to me. ..and it still does. The looks, the sound, the wheels. I really like this car.
Does this model has turbo ?
@@cagsanozbek4210 If you had watched the video you'd know. As James says; N/A 4,2 V8, 420HP. More or less the engine from the RS4 of the time, but with a dry sump.
@@cagsanozbek4210 no r8 had ever had a turbo
@@dylanwakley2553Thanks God
Agreed... I hope I can achieve this one day!
First gen is still the most beautiful, imo. Unlike the later gen it has more harmonious shapes, round surfaces, i hate angular shapes on cars.
Put them side by side and the Gen2 is an absolute weapon. Gen1 looks soft.
@@dlg78 It really depends on your taste. Some people prefer softer curves rather than sharp angles.
The early 2nd gen cars were a bit meh for me. But the facelifted one... I genuinely love it. Especially in striking colours like Arablau, Javagrun or Vegasgelb.
Weapon? Relax.
I agree! 1st gen is so smooth!
This R8 is one of the best looking cars ever, and hands down the best audi
This car will always be a classic, the look, the driving experience and the cool factor.
And the gated shifter :)
I think you mean gear stick!
@@Samaldoful No, it's gated, that is what he's talking about. Like the old Ferrari 355.
@@azlean5323 we are English it’s a gated gear stick! We don’t say shifffterrrrr! Use your brain before trying to correct people!
@@Samaldoful Gearstick or shifter, same thing. Different countries use the different terminology and you ask me to use my brain before correcting someone yet you tried to correct someone who used THEIR correct term 🤦🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️ duuuuuuurrr... You don't need a brain cell to realise you don't correct someone when you're wrong, you'll do well to remember this next time.
I own a white v10 manual spyder gen 1 , been nothing but a pleasure for the last 4 years.
Probably the pick of the crop
Good choice. This is a hold till you die car
This car has such a timeless and unique design, I would say iconic at this point even. I’ve owned two first generation V10’s, one in 2011 (R-Tronic) and one manual transmission car years later (present). Loved the original ownership experience so much that even after later owning a 997.2 Turbo S, McLaren 570S and other exotics, I bought a manual first Generation version 8 years later after selling my first R8. I would do it all over again.
If you don’t mind sharing, what’s your job and how long did it take for you to buy one?
This design should never have been abandoned. New ones are bland
I remember from my earlier years, when I was 10 or so) that I wasn't fascinated with the R8, especially because everyone else loved it. But now, 15 years later, I must admit that this car was part of my childhood and I look back at it with fond memories. I remember that in GT4 the Le Mans Quattro was one of the latest cars featured, and still today everything came out after 2002-2003 feels like a novelty to me, like it was in 2005 when playing that game.
Its the same for me, its styling and sound have appealed me since I was 10 or 11
One of those people. Everyone likes it so I’m gonna hate it. What a way to love. Sad
First car to come with LED daytime lights, this was the new NSX. An affordable and practical supercar
I've owned one of these for the last year or so now in an identical specification to the press car. I must admit that at first, I echoed your driving impressions almost exactly, however these really are cars you learn to get the most out of over time.
The first time I tried pushing it a bit down a road I was greeted with colossal understeer I couldn't really predict due to the steering that felt as though it doesn't talk to you very much at all.
As time goes on however, you do learn to listen to the steering and do learn to lean on the chassis properly. They don't like at all to be chucked around and they don't like to coast at speed through corners. To get the most involvement out of it you need to brake late, get the weight on the front wheels to grip before getting smoothly and quickly back on the throttle for the four wheel drive to hook everything up. Be exceptionally smooth/delicate with the steering and you'll start to feel everything more and more.
Based on my experience, I'd say to anyone driving one of these early R8's and finding it frustrating, you're in a spot where you're driving it hard enough to push the limits of tyres but really aren't driving it fast enough/smoothly enough to get the chassis working.
They're brilliant cars with a depth of character just not found in most others which will simply lay their hand of cards in front of you and that's what you get. Some people might like that ease of accessibility but personally, I've found the long journey to be far more satisfying.
I agree with what you are saying but I changed mine to rear wheel drive and for me the car is so much better now😊
"...Drive it home and discover that your neighbor has one!". Yeah, that happened to me with my 911, and then we discovered that another neighbor has one too! Then we started to wave at each other, and help each other find needed parts or fix our cars. We'd exchange drives and compare notes, and buck each other up when something bad happened to our cars. We kind of became a small club, and life long friends. And then there are the guys that I met in the next town with their 911s, and the other Porsche drivers who wave when passing. Even the 911 owner who broke down on the side of the road who I stopped to check in on. It's kind of nice sharing 911 ownership. 😊
30min video from you on a Saturday winter morning, couldn't ask for more
The R8 is a pretty car. Worth mentioning regarding movie presence, the RSQ - a futuristic spinoff of the Le Mans quattro. Featured in "I Robot" four years before the R8 was shown in Iron Man.
I'll never forget the first time I saw one of these on the road, at dusk on similar roads you're driving on here. It was coming in the opposite direction, with the LED sidelights basically on the tarmac, looked like nothing else!
Fair play for swerving the TH-cam crowd and going against the grain by buying a Lotus. Love your content, every video you seem to grow a bit more. Thank you.
Always loved this car. Only Audi can make a car design look fresh even after 13 years. I have a S5 V8 and my next step is the R8, of that I’m sure.
Don't sell the S5 when you get an R8, it's not a practical car. I have both.
This beauty looks so good even by today...😍
I manage to disagree completely with Jay about the R8, i think the 1st gen is the most beautiful one.
I appreciate you also mentioning the metric numbers. Keep up the good reviews!
Another great review mate, apart from the fact that you made me realise what I thought! I made a real mistake selling my almost identical R8. Needless to say I’m trolling autotrader for another. Keep doing what your are doing with your review style Jay....
Only Audi I ever lusted for. Beautiful car, never asked about the specs, just thought it was well done. AND congrats on getting the same car that one my heroes drove - Cheers!
Ever since I first saw this car, it's always been my absolute dream car. I really like how you present it in a clear way that it all comes down to a matter of taste, not facts. I've watched this video quite a few times cause I like the way you talk about it and to just look at the car. The first times it was just to dream, but now, I own one almost identical to the one in this video. Yet I still come back here and keep enjoying it. Thank you for that!
I believe also that the RSQ from 2004 film I Robot was a huge influence on the final design!
Personally, I prefer the sound of the V8 over the v10.
same here, but with aftermarket exhausts for the V8. Stock exhausts muffled too much.
The V8 just sounds muscular with aftermarket exhausts. Love em.
The V8 is a fine sounding machine
Can't beat the howl of a V10!
Both sound equally amazing.
That particular R8 is so iconic, it was in the beginning build-up of the Top Gear intro before Hammond's 911 powerslid into view and music kicked off to segue into Jeremy's legendary "Tonight...".
Really enjoyed this video it was like watching a telly docimentary and you had a teleprompter giving you the lines as there was so much info. Thanks for putting it together. I really enjoyed it and yes i still want one if it's a V10 manual.
i honestly think you're one of the best car review channels out there. i respect your opinion over a lot of others. i am 31 now and gone are my days of wanting more horses, it's now about the drive and the event of cars which sells it to me. maybe it's a mid life crisis... haha a lot of what you say i agree with though. i have an RX8 and my mate has just bought an S2000, looking forward to some nice drives out in the summer to enjoy some twisty roads. P.S, thanks for not slagging off the rx8! nice to know others appreciate them for what they are :D
I just stumbled upon your channel and I’m so glad I did. Such great content! Keep it up, you really have a unique way to way to tell a story.
Jay beginning to scare me . Whatever car I spend the last 2 days looking at , jay makes a video on. Even the obscure ones like the fiat coupe , GTV cup v6 , Ferrari 360 , 306 rallye, v12 vantage and even the CITROEN C6 fgs! It’s like you are reading my mind and dropping videos about the cars I am thinking of, literally .
Great video James. I had the opportunity to drive a 997.1 GT3 back to back with a gen1 V8 R8. It was the R8 that left the lasting impression. It might be inexperience but at no time in that drive did I think that 414hp was too little.
After just watching all your videos relating to the R8 .... I just had to go and give my old A5 a hug.
I have such a soft spot for the original A5
In 2002 after winning Le Mans Audi revealed the R8 that year had a trick up its sleeve: a new direct injection system, the FSI. Yes, FSI was born on track. Two years later it hit the roads.
Top Gear and royalty in the same sentence 😁👌🏻
Gran Turismo, Sega Rally, and Need 4 Speed introduced Audi to me as a kid in the USA
Would just love a V10 manual. Have never seen a manual V10 here in Australia.
You can always import one!
They do exist. There have been 1 or 2 for sale
@@borisjohnson7553 not that easy here, its a pain in the hole. I was in the market 2 years ago and searched high and low, but a more sensible opportunity arose.
@@Matthew-ll9ke haven’t looked in a while but spent about a year lookin.
@@superdooperoofer8941 oh they're certainly rare. Just got to get lucky with the timing I suppose.
Awesome video James learned so much in the last 30 mins!
Yet another brilliant video.
Thank you James
James, you need to drive one with an aftermarket exhaust, its a completely different animal. As you know I also have a 996 Turbo, but I must say I really love the R8V8 with the manual gate. And as far as looks are concerned I think it's one of the most beautiful designs of all time. I agree the steering is probably one let down, but apart from that its a joy to own and drive - I am really surprised by it. I mean just the tactile experience of how you change gear using that manual gate makes the driving experience quite unique and very special.
This look of R8 with the V10, gated manual will always be something I will lust after
You are producing amazing videos, period
Thankyou
The fact that this car still looks particularly modern today just shows that Audi know what their doing although underdogs in the super car market.
One of your best reviews, seeing a lot of the car and not just driving and talking was great. Good stuff 👍
love the 2 tone panel combo over the newer ones and convertibles
I have the 2009 in Monterey Green and loving it! Great feature, thanks for sharing!
Another great history lesson in how the r8 came to be and what a lucky guy you are James to drive car royalty
Nice video, but disagree on the design. The new R8 is way too convoluded and aggressive for no good reason. It almost looks like a cartoonish Mansory bodykit. The first generation R8 remains a design classic, with odd design solutions but weirdly it works. It has a certain gracefulness and curvature to it. The current one is a bit of a mess.
Perfectly said! But remember style can be subjective, and as eloquent and thorough as this gentleman “jayemm” seems to be, his personal personal style/attire is indicative of his taste of car design…..lacking.
When I was consulting in Kentucky, I was driving a Red Cayman. I stopped at a grocery in a small town to take a break. It was 8:30 at night an a mother and her daughter walked up to me and said, "My daughter loves your car, can she have a picture in front of it?". Of course she can, and I was happy to watch them take a picture. I don't even think they knew it was a Porsche...but it was a young person that had a dream. Dream now, and become that person in the future. If a car does that to a person...that's a great thing.
I like it!............great homage to the traditional top gear vocal inflection too. 10/10
JayEmm you're on fire in this video. Very slick, very professional.
Surely that V10 dyno advert was the more important cinema outing than Iron Man? The older I get the more I think a V10 manual would be the perfect car for me to buy in terms of price, specialness and running costs.
Nice review this, the build up was excellent. Never been an Audi fan though, I'd always take a Porsche or Aston for the price range.
I have a vivid memory of touching one of these when it first came out, it was in my local Audi dealer and locked of course! I was only about six but I still vividly remember it was the Iron man spec.
You are absolutely correct James, in that R8's do drive very differently and this mostly depends on mileage, and how well looked after and treated they have been over the years. I bought one 2 years ago and almost gave up looking as most, even from reputable garages were terrible. Fortunately, I have a lot of experience being an engineer and I eventually found one privately owned with very low miles and that was that. It drove beautifully and was everything it should be. Thankfully its a well designed super car that won't make you feel like you've been "rogered" every time you take it to the garage...
P.S. I have also owned a number of Porsche including some 911s and I would take the R8 over a 911 any day. As you say, no matter where you take the car it creates a lot of interest...
Perfect summary James 👌 thank you
You shattered my dreams (wanted this to be an amazing driver’s car!) and you still get a like for the honest, thorough review! Keep up the awesome work - love tuning in (rants and all!). Curious to know whether you think this, the 997C2S or the Vantage V8 is the best driver’s car of the three??
Idk man, much more experienced journalists and professional drivers have a very different take than his. And I believe the vast majority of them are in fact giving honest reviews.
@@thezerastora Nice! Great to hear an owner’s feedback! I tried one but was to tall - 6ft5 - so head touched the ceiling. Ended up getting a 997 C2S instead. Have that same feeling re always wanting to drive it, although I’ll admit it didn’t look as special as the R8. Drives amazingly though! PS like the hill stream loach!
Fascinating, as I was never 100% a fan of the the Gen 1 design when it launched....but seeing it again all these years later with that fabulous sounding V8, well it’s very appealing.
I agree with James that the R8 is possibly a more special alternative to the ubiquitous 911 as it is far less numerous than its Stuttgart competitor.
I think it’s important to note that the depressing the Sports button, in an R-Tronic model, totally transforms the behaviour of the car, unleashing a surprising level of sharpness and directness to the chassis and awakening the engine to rev what seems like 3x faster than it did when it was just pottering about town.
It really turns what is a lumbering beast at slow speeds into a proper quick and sure-footed sports car that shrinks around you the faster you go, and the steering just fills you with confidence.
The car really has 2 personalities when you’ve experienced this and experiencing it maybe reveals why Jeremy Clarkson thought so much of it on his first go.
It’s looks surprisingly have aged far better than anything out there from it’s time and I think that it really has kept a lot of its charm successfully through the years.
But it’s true. It lacks the cache of marques like the Lambo and McLaren, and it can’t hold a candle to the purity of the Porsche GT cars…. But it was never trying to! What Audi set out to do with the R8 V8 was to challenge the 911’s supremacy at its own game at that segment of the market.
And I’m afraid I have to agree that given the option of a 997.1 C4S or an R8 V8… the R8 wins.
Brilliant video James, especially the driving
This is a really excellent review; well researched, well rehearsed, well edited, well presented. I guess this takes a lot longer to do, but it's well worth it. Really good stuff.
P.S. How do you sync all your cameras up to one audio feed? You can't be doing that manually, surely?
I like these more than when they were new. I considered buying one about 8 years ago but I realised that running costs are much, much higher than a comparable Porsche 911, which - if it doesn't go wrong - could be ran for very little.
Mat Watson from Carwow has this car today
I like your channel. And I love the R8. I think one off the most beautiful Audi’s and ‘supercars’.
I’ve had several early NSX’s and two later model Caymans…. It’s time for an R8… one of my dream cars since first seeing it in Iron Man
Buying a low mileage minty V8 gated next week!!! Can’t wait!!!
For me the proportions are perfect
Hard to believe that the Audi R8 is almost the same age as the Honda S2000 and 10 years younger than the Acura NSX. The first generation production R8 has been my favorite R8 so far.
The s2000 was 99 build released in 2000
I first saw one of these scything through traffic on i-285 in Atlanta. It was so low and wide and purposeful looking. I would still love a manual v8 model.
I loved these back when they first came out then completely lost track of these cars. Now thanks to your videos I want one again 🙄
Great review James!! I felt similarly about the R8 for years... Then, that special one comes along and changes everything... The R8 GT. 😍
Dude, idk what he or you are talking about. The original is the one that is highly regarded by most of the respected ppl in the auto industry. I watched this video for a second time and he is seems to be on another planet (relative to any other highly respected journalists). Not just youtubers.
an interesting place to start is the Audi "Rosemeyer" concept car of 2000. Look at a picture and you will see the Bugatti Veyron. So the Audi and Bugatti design teams were sharing ideas it would appear and Bugatti got first bibs.
On the interior, it's very spec-sensitive. The extended leather and carbon fibre with alcantara headlining feels premium. In that way I can't relate to what Jay says here at all about the interior.
An excellent review indeed ! Thank you.
Had a red V8 r8, actually the one that was in the “1 gallon of petrol super car race” on top gear. Had to sell to buy a house 💔 I’ll have another. But probably a 911 lol
Great vid Jay
I see that SF Giants championship luau shirt, Jay 😎
Now I want one. Auto trader here I come
the Audi R8 1st gen V8 Manual is like wine, the older it gets, the more special it becomes, this car been on my maybe possible super car dream for a long long time, the sound alone, look, i adore V10's, but if I was to get a R8, would def be 1st gen V8, this 1st gen V8 is like what Honda NSX was back in the day, tick all the boxes w/out having to sell your kidney.
Monterey Green, thank you very much.
I remember driving the concept on GT4 back on the ps2 in 2004 haha
great intro - great
wish there was more colour variety in these...... green, red etc
They did green and red, but nobody really bought them!
Love these early examples.
Great critique
Brilliant. I’m really warning to these.
As always good review. If memory server me right Clarkson was/is not a Porsche fan... Taste is very personal of course. Me, I prefer the far more elegant (in my view) sport(ing) cars with the engine where it belongs: up front...
In year 2023, April, finally tried the R8 on GT7. Such a friendly car to tune. Hope it can run synth fuel later.
For new, I hope more hybridization for the MPG.
that's actually a decent sounding v8
I always forget how good that Audi 4.2 v8 sounded in this car
Clarkson drove that exact car on Top Gear back when it was new 🔥
yes , thats what JM said
Also I actually really like the interior design, aside from the dated screens of course. Someone needs to make a retrofit LED screen for the dash and radio to mimic the factory look just crisp and fresh.
I must admit, I struggle to follow the logic of "it's a bit of a boring design with very little design features" and then in the next breath mention a love of 997. I know the Porsche 911 will be a fantastic drive that would beat the majority of competition, but they are just so dull to look at and so uninspiring. They're the Ford Mondeo of the sports car/super car world in my eyes.
Fairly new to the finance and economic side of things here in depreciated sports/supercars. What would be a recommendation for fairly cheap to run/economical car? Obviously with a focus more on running costs more than mpg.
9:38 where is this?
2009 major US magazine review on track where race car driver Randy Pobst noted the R8 was unlikely to be bested, and then he drove Cayman PDK and said “race car, race car, race car. Wow” Meanwhile, R8 v8 sounds fab but widely rated as a sports car, whereas v10 vaulted it into super car class. Jay hits that square though re super car not necessarily better drivers car; r8 v8 vs v10 review w Catchpole and other = similar conclusion. Yes, I’m a 911 and Boxster owner, they are great, but from idle to 2,700 rpm few hear a flat-six and say “that sounds better than a v8”. It’s great to have these choices vs crap we had in 1970s-1980s....
Gen 1 V8 manual is one of my goals
Nice intro👍🚘
The clutch and brake pedals are exactly the same as my Mk1 TT 225 and they charged extra for these in the R8?
I really enjoyed this video James. Informative, constructive and enjoyable. For most, me included, a Mk1 R8 Manual, would be my only way into R8 ownership. I think they sound great, better than the Vantage, but the vantage looks better IMO. Yes, I'd agree the interior is a little poor, but in 2007 when released, it probably wasn't then. Put an aftermarket exhaust on one, like Paul @Supercarsoflondon did with his, and it will wake the gods!! Great vid...
So, as you said James, if you do have £30-40k to spend which would you choose from the following : Audi R8 - Aston Vantage - BMW i8 - Lotus Evora S - Jag F-Type - Nissan GTR - Porsche 997.2 - BMW M's - TVR ? Decisions decisions. Just add an alternative if I've missed anything interesting out.
i lust for the r8 but my s5 tuned is a sleeper and quite amazing...and more hp..
when i was younger i liked the flashyness of aerodynamic cars, but now my s5 does it all
under the radar..just need stealth technology..
I remember seeing the concept in the cinema watching AI, loved it then and love it now!
Love these..
I have an r8 v8. Tbh i cant relate to the negatives apart from quiet exhaust (fixed with an aftermarket). Jays probably right but i honestly think only a pro race driver could pick up on these things like steering... feels awsome to me, and im no audi fanboy