With 380mm and 356mm vented discs front and rear, the R8 has plenty of braking power in reserve. Our track session gave the brakes a real hammering but they came back for more. For those who think they might need even more fade resistance, there is a ceramic brake option. The reality, however, is that the main reason for choosing ceramic brakes apart from kudos would be their lower unsprung weight.
With 420bhp at a screaming 7,800rpm and 430 Nm of torque from 4,500 to 6,000rpm, this dry-sumped version of the RS4’s powerhaus four-cam direct-injection V8 catapults the R8 to 100km/h (62mph) in just 4.6 sec, 0-200km/h (124mph) in 14.9 sec and on to 187mph (300km/h).
However, the explosive power
delivery I experienced in the RS4 seems tamer in the R8 despite
the fact that you can cover ground faster in the mid-engined super
sports car. I half expected to hear the thunder of the 4.2 liter
V8 even more up close and personal behind my head, and was disappointed
by the relative lack of soundtrack filtering through to the cabin.
At least on the road.
On the track, with the engine kept on the boil between 5,000 and 7,800rpm, the deep guttural rumble and scream of the V8 working at full tilt comes through enough to make things interesting. And if you want the full treatment, just roll down the windows a couple of inches.
The degree of driver involvement you get from the R8 will also be down to the gearbox you choose. The options are the standard six-speed manual or the R-Tronic sequential shift system that allows ratio selection via either the shifter or steering wheel paddles. R-Tronic is based on the same Magneti-Marelli system that Lamborghini uses for the E-Gear option on the Gallardo.
In normal mode, upshifts are cushioned and take about the same time as a manual shift if you had to depress and release a clutch pedal. As with all manu-matic systems, driver understanding and mechanical sympathy are valuable tools for smoothness and clutch longevity.
Anticipating an upshift and partly lifting the throttle as you would during an upshift with a manual gearbox makes changes seamless. The same is true for Sport mode, but the much faster shift means that totally seamless changes are near impossible.
Having suffered recalcitrant gates on various Italian supercars over the years, I was prepared for the worst when I saw the traditional Italian supercar style gate on the manual R8.
My first few shifts proved to be all sweetness and light however, and I was soon happily using the gears, heeling and toeing perfectly as I braked and downshifted towards the bends. Medium weighted and very precise, it has a lovely, well-oiled mechanical action to it and is a real pleasure to use.
While I do have a disposition towards good paddle shifters, I would not be put off by a manual R8 unless I lived in an urban environment where the clutch of any car would quickly become a major pain.
