Comments on: Road Trip: Florida wedding crashing in Audi’s R8

By: Mark Elias

Mark Elias — Sat, 30 May 2009 11:35:04 +0000

^Glock it,

As with many Internet sites, we are virtual, with operations spread throughout the country. I am WPB-based, and PBIR would be considered my home track (If I was a pro racer!)

Thanks for reading!

Mark

By: Glock It

Glock It — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:23:23 +0000

is LLN based in WPB ? I live just next door in Jupiter.. cool. I race the PBOC series (Porsche BMW Owners Cup) and we run Moroso , PB Raceway alot. I would like to see you guys outthere sometime. I got lucky last year and met the whole crew from TopGear.

Love the R8, however they are being hit w/the econ as well. The Audi dealer here has 3 of them sitting outside on their PO lot w/big discounts.

By: hfry

hfry — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:59:43 +0000

Props.

By: Mark Elias

Mark Elias — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:19:18 +0000

^idrinorbarsaku,

I read your comment about the gap in the front bumper piece, and went back to look at the photos. The reason you see that is right before we put the bags in the cargo space, I remembered I wanted a shot of them lined up. So I put the hood down but did not shut it completely. Hence it looks like David Letterman’s front teeth.

^Amanzimtexan

Thanks for the update regarding the automatic vs the manual gearbox in the R8. It must be that “fly by wire” feeling that happens when electrics and mechanicals meet. In the photography world, we call that “shutter lag.”

As for the gap in the bumper, please see my response to idrinorbarsaku.

I can safely report that no R8s were harmed during the production of these photos.

Thanks for reading!

By: Amanzimtexan

Amanzimtexan — Fri, 22 May 2009 06:12:58 +0000

Well Done Mark on a great report. After being lucky enough to drive many of these stunning machines on their launch here in South Africa we too found the manual to be far easier to drive and manoeuvre, especially at parking speeds. The R-Tronic seemes to have a delay when trying to ‘nudge’ back or forth yet the manual was surprisingly ‘agile’ both at parking and high speeds. The ‘R’ experienced the slight delay between changes on the highway yet after a short buzz in an older Italian 360 the delay between changes was much harsher so that said to compare the two, the R8’s (R-Tronic) have a smoother change yet not as smooth as what you could get from the manual. Quite surprising though as the ratio of ‘Autos’ to Manuals in SA was approx. 9:1 back in 2007 at their launch although that did change once the above was made known. As for the gap on the bumper, I have yet to hear from an R8 owner/driver who has not made contact with the ground up front. That front lip seems to make everyday speed humps far higher and the small dip in the driveway seems like you’re approaching The Grand Canyon. That gap just seems to be the result of another ‘dip’ in the road. Once again very nice report…Well done.

By: jdasch1

jdasch1 — Fri, 22 May 2009 05:37:49 +0000

I drove my friends new R8 a couple of weeks ago and it was the most fun I have had in quite some time. It had the paddle shifters and the dual clutch. Fast and sticky. The biggest problem with the car would be fighting all of the speeding tickets I would be getting. It was sooo much fun!! What a wonderful piece of engineering.

By: Pazzo Canguri

Pazzo Canguri — Fri, 22 May 2009 01:49:19 +0000

Jake that is what audi is counting on in doing it this colour…..tryhard ferrari….

but still looks nice…….would buy a ferrari over this in a heartbeat…..or maserati granturismo SSSSSSS…yep…

By: JakeK66

JakeK66 — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:29:00 +0000

Everyone here in the StL must, because it’s all Belgian owned now :/

Doobeedoobeedooo….(Bud Ice Penguin)

By: Mark Elias

Mark Elias — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:05:28 +0000

^JakeK66

Only those who like their beer “imported.”

By: JakeK66

JakeK66 — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:55:06 +0000

I thought all Canadians drank Bud Ice?

By: Mark Elias

Mark Elias — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:27:34 +0000

Johnnycanuck,

I guess I gave it away, with my mother being a naturalized citizen and all!

I have not had a chance to drive the R Tronic yet, but some of my colleagues down here in South Toronto have and while they describe it as good, they tell me they would still prefer the manual.

The reality though was this car was so comfortable to drive with the stick that it is probably the only way I would order it.

Anyone for a Labatts?

By: JakeK66

JakeK66 — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:24:35 +0000

I love it when the writer of the story get’s on the message board himself… Now that’s some class!

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:10:26 +0000

Mark, I thoroughly enjoyed that piece. I had no idea our 11th province had so much to offer!

Since the discussion came up one article below with the Lancer Evolution and given your tester was the 6 speed manual I’m sure everyone’s interested to hear your take on the row it yourself vs. the R tronic. No one is expecting you to pick a winner but if you lean the right way there just may be an extra set of lip prints in it for you.

By: Mark Elias

Mark Elias — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:39:32 +0000

Mark,

thanks! Sorry to rain on the parade but I’m sure yours was fun too!

By: MarkKleis

MarkKleis — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:15:10 +0000

Great write-up Mark. I just got back from a road trip in a Ford Fiesta and thought I was pretty cool… and then you post this.

By: A4

A4 — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:11:06 +0000

wow that red looks better than it ever has… it just needs a black interior.

By: Mutant@DCX

Mutant@DCX — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:44:41 +0000

In person, this in red grabs your attention, beautiful. What? No RonJon window stickers?

By: idrinorbarsaku

idrinorbarsaku — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:20:54 +0000

anyone else notice that gap on the front right bumper, near the wheel? I hate this car in red. The best color options to me are……… white exterior with carbon blade and black interior with carbon package, black exterior with carbon blade and same interior as before. Red makes the car look REALLY cheap to me!

By: Borat

Borat — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:10:10 +0000

Mark,
1) applies to gentleman only
2) we know you haven’t kissed. Woman’s bag, mate, and if it yours you are not into women!

By: JakeK66

JakeK66 — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:58:09 +0000

That red/tan color combo – with the black/carbon fiber side accent – does not do this car justice. It’s got to be grey with silver side blades and a grey interior IMO. It’s a German car for gawds sake, not a Ferrari.

By: Mark Elias

Mark Elias — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:29:51 +0000

^Borat

A gentleman never kisses and tells.

By: Borat

Borat — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:25:48 +0000

Mark, there is woman’s tote bag in the picture of Audi, you can explain to donkey that your companion had objections for you get romantic with mother of the bride.

By: Mark Elias

Mark Elias — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:14:26 +0000

^Swamp Donkey

A gentleman never kisses and tells.

By: swamp donkey

swamp donkey — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:58:53 +0000

Mark,
I hope you were gentle with her (the mother of course)!

By: zfenderguy

zfenderguy — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:07:07 +0000

I’ve been just about everywhere you mentioned in this writeup, and your assessment of all of it is accurate. From the overzealous FHP to the sights and all that. All in all, the drive up the East coast of Florida is a fun and scenic one. And the car is straight hawtness too, much like I suspect the mother of the bride was.

By: acoom

acoom — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:52:26 +0000

Drool…