New Audi R8 V10 Plus review, test drive

Is the new supercar a step up from the impressive last-gen R8 V10 Plus?

Published on Jun 08, 2016 12:28:00 PM

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But this car isn't just built for straightline thrills; there's much more here. And the way to exploit it fully is to show it a nice set of corners. Yes, the new electric steering isn't great and that dulls the experience a bit, but rest of the package is so good, you can't help but enjoy the R8, especially once you get your head around its huge pace and mind-bending grip. Yes, the earlier R8 drove well and the V8 still is better balanced, but this one, with its stiffer chassis and harder suspension, generates so much confidence and connect from corner to corner, it feels a lot like a track car. You can brake hard, flick it into a corner and even get back on the accelerator early, without upsetting its balance too much. And the great thing is, the harder you go, the better it seems to get; all accompanied by the trumpeting blare from the engine. Even the four-wheel-drive system feels much improved. There's almost no understeer, the car feels beautifully balanced and adding a bit of extra throttle while powering out of corners gets the tail to start sliding too; quite addictive.

Ride quality, however, isn't great. This is especially true if you encounter some bad sections, where the R8's inherent stiff suspension causes it to thud and thump over ruts and holes. And even on some of the smoother sections, you can still feel the stiffness in the springs, as the car hops up and down incessantly over even small ridges. The ride does improve, once you cross around 80kph, and it does settle down a bit more after that, but at city speeds, expect to be pummelled around a bit.

What the R8 did manage to do, and quite easily at that, is clear every speed-breaker in sight. Yes, we babied the car over almost all of them, and sometimes jinked right and left, but it didn't touch anywhere. Not even once, and that gave us plenty of confidence to drive it everywhere.

Should I buy one?

Absolutely. It may not be the fastest, most charismatic or the best-riding supercar around and, in the rarified atmosphere in which it operates, it may not have the most alluring badge either. But as an all-round experience, there's very little that can take on and beat Audi's new R8. It's blisteringly fast, drives like a track car, is beautifully built on the inside and looks just stunning. It's even good value, what with prices starting at Rs 2.55 crore and competition like the Huracan costing in the region of Rs 2.5-3.43 crore. It's even likely to be better looked after, especially with a long list of dealers spread across the country and service stations now in many small towns. So, if a supercar is on your shopping list, make sure you test drive one of these.