Audi is on a mission, what will be the end result in 2009?

I am starting to like the R8 but to say I would take the R8 over the SLR I would be lying...I would rather have one SLR than 5 different R8's with different colour combo's each..Especially that 722 edition..

Will,
whens the LF-A coming?
so lexus can get its foot in the door :)

SLR???? Your comparing a car that costs 5 times the price of the R8.

SL55 AMG - luxury roadster, with a huge engine and no tracking capabilities when compared to the R8

CLK63 AMG - is a 4 seater, luxury convertible again with a huge engine and luxury roadster mindset. It can't track anything close to the R8.

The M6 perhaps. It is the closest rival. Again though it is not a mid-engined, two seater, low weight coupe. It can muster up a low 0-6 time but can't clear the Ring in under 8 minutes.

The R8's goal is around the 7:50-7:55 mark.

I have a feeling the next A8 will just blow out the current S-class and 7-series.

The car is rumored to have in excess of 385 horsepower and every single luxury option currently out on the S_class including heated/cooled seats, nightvision, adaptive cruise control and a huge list of other luxury options.

I hope not
if i wanted a lexus ride I would buy a lexus zzzzzzzzzzzzz

i guess if you are 80 you need the car to drive for you.

What the hell do you need Intuitive Park Assist For ??
You need a Tutor for every time you park ??

I hope the Audi has no more than NightVision & Maybe Distronic Added to its Options List

Well the SLR is over $450K. The R8 is going to be in the $95-115K range in V8 form and over $125K in V10 form/

The next A8 will have an air suspension most likely and also a parking assist that features various angles, a back-up camera and I think some different heat sensor technology as well.

It may also have revolutionary features, such as seats that contour around the driver and find the correct position by themselves, a seven-speed DSG (that's pretty much a given), a more powerful V8 engine, the next iteration of quattro AWD, maybe an even lighter space frame, I could go on.

This was an odd thing to make an article about, though. Like I said, it's not GOOD that Audis are getting more expensive!!!

imagine..... 2 years from now AUDI releasing the R8-S and R8-RS, plus hopefully RS6, RS8, and RS3

I'm predicting the Audis being cheaper concept will be wiped out. I think every single top-of-the-line model range Audi will be more expenszive than its respective BMW counterpart.

For example:

RS4 is already more expensive than the M3
RS6 is already more expensive than the M5
R8 is already MUCH more expensive than M6 Cab.
Audi A8L W12 is already more expensive than the 760Li.

Additionally, I think the next A4 will be awfully close if not more than the 3-series. The current price gap between the 325 and A4 2.0T is around 4 grand which AUdi looks to be making up with every new model launched. The A6 will be more than the 5-series and the A8 will be equal to the 7-series, thus increasing from it's current price by around 4-5K

"R8 is already MUCH more expensive than M6 Cab"

No, it's not. The M6 Cabrio is about $110K.

isnt the rs4 supposed to compete with the m3 CSL..or atleast try to compete.. and i think their closely priced

Bottom line is those who can afford Audi can also afford BMW;

If you have preference of one over the other, that is fine.

In 5 years time though, Audi won't be a poor man's anything.

"The RS4 happens to be in a higher class than the M3 which is why it's more expensize. Why do you think the S4 & M3 are so similiar in price & power? I'll tell you why, because they compete...not the RS4 & M3."

I agree about the pricing issue, but the RS4 and M3 surely do compete. I think you're just saying that because the RS4 is a better car.

With it's current prices, it still isn't a poor man's BMW.

GermanNut, excited as usual to see more expensive Audi's on the way.

The RS4 happens to be in a higher class than the M3 which is why it's more expensize. Why do you think the S4 & M3 are so similiar in price & power? I'll tell you why, because they compete...not the RS4 & M3.

I can just see it when the new M3 comes out and roasts the more expensive RS4...Not to mention raping the similiar priced S4!

Also just for the record..."Will" what do you know about anything other than Lexus? I just read through some of your comments I realize the answer to my question is nothing!

The park assist thing...BMW already has their own prototype ready for production that's way easier to use & aswell as quicker. I'm sure Audi does too.

will - japaneese have always wanted put tech in there car. I don't think anyone spart here will argue with that. I was selling Porsche well into the 90's with no CD standard. The Audi's went to map nav in 2006.

buy a lexus if you want a sony on wheels buy and Audi if you want a car

335i competition is is350 (335i winner)
m3 competition is s4 (m3 winner)
m3 csl competiton is rs4 (m3 csl winner)

as far as the m6 and r8 and cl are concerned
r8 looks the best .. but the m6 and cl are up to par competition wise.. considering they size diff.. no? i dont really like the CL.. kinda weird looking..

ill answer that question when you tell me what wilco is?

well wilco,
im from this place far far away called Wilconia
actually im the ruler of the feeble wilconians. u inclueded. i hope that was creative enough for you.

anyways, i didnt come up with those comparisons, they were actually compared in some video, and no it wasnt a biased video.. lol.. justing making that clear.

and yes the m3 csl is stripped down version of the m3. but performace wise its one of the top performing cars. and yeah i know it doesnt have an a/c and blah.. but in performance it takes th rs4. so when the new m3 comes out and beats the rs4 again.. the new m3 csl will have no competition, unless an RRS4 is made :)

MunichRob what do you think about the R8's Ring time? Would you agree it will be faster than an M6?

It's going to clear 8 minutes something BMW hasn't managed to do in their amazing handling cars since the M3 CSL.....OUCH

Higher class than an M3...now your talking.

Don't get me wrong GermanNut I'm not the one who feels the RS4 is in a higher class than the M3...That's your Audi executives talking, and believe me, they won't be talking after the new M3 is released looking like a bargain next to the RS4.

I will agree with you GermanNut that the R8's lap time will most likely be faster than the M6's, I love BMW but I'm logical, unlike "logical".

That said the M6 is still a more impressive machine for reasons such as, it's a luxury GT not a sports car, yet it can still outperform many sports car's along with a couple supercars on the road. The R8's a supercar and for that, it should out perform the M6. Now when BMW makes the M10 supercar, it will most likely blow the R8 out of the water.

One more thing GermanNut...Audi's top performing car might outperform BMW's top performer, but for every 1 Audi that outperforms a Bimmer, theres 4-5 Bimmer's outperforming Audi.

That my friend is...OUCH!!

When the M10 comes out.....MunichRob do we even have confirmation it will be produced? That gives Audi A LOT of time to show off the R8 and improve it for the M10, that is if and when it ever comes out.

The M6 is not a more impressive machine because it isn't as fast around a track, wasn't built for pure driving prowess and isn't even close to the ultimate driving machine when compared to the R8.

Audi's top of the line performing car outperforms the best offering from BMW. Oh yeah Audi's top of the line priced car is MORE expensive than BMW's too!

OUCH, BMW loses the performance and price games. Now that sucks.

Shouldn't the company that labels themselves as the Ultimate Driving Machine actually produce the Ultimate Driving Machine?

They obviously don't.

That's a very fair point. One of the least biased things I have read all day.

If you want a GT, get a CL63, or even the less-powerful new Jaguar XKR (as if someone needs more than the XKR's 420hp), and if you want a real supercar, the R8 is the ticket.

The CL is luxury heaven for Mercedes and the Audi R8 is an all-out sports car, and was designed to be an all-out sports car in every way.

The onlyAUDI's I love is the RS4, S3 ( I owned one ) and the R8. A friend of mine owns the RS4, I test drove it and its a beast.

What about the S4 Cabriolet?

the s4 cabriolet is obviously the best car in the world.
now you be nice about very old range rovers.

I love Range Rovers.

No kidding.

Germannut for AUDI president! Will for Lexus president, Logical for BMW president and most importantly agent 001 and 009 for the greatert website on earth (Autospies). YOU GUYS ROCK! what do you think!

"Logical for BMW president"

No, no, no!!!

But thank you so much for loving me. I know, I'm so honest, right?

S4cabriolet you rock too. I Love your honesty, you stand your ground. I would love to test the S4!

Actually, I will be BOTH BMW and Audi president.

Why? You may ask.

The answer is because I soon will drive all BMWs (and my BMWs will trounce Logical's BMWs), but I support Audi also.

No, you should be BMW president; I'll be Audi president. The credentials for being president is that you have to actually own one of their cars!!!

What about Mercedes? It's odd, because this website is flocked with BMW, Audi and Lexus fans, but Mercedes fans are harder to find.

Yeah I noticed this too, this site has too many Audi/BMW fans..I am a hardcore Merc fan..I dont mind Audi's and Lexus's but despise BMW's...

Look at you Audi fans just patting each other on the back with sensless boosting of each others comments.

"GermanNut" I don't even know where to start...We don't even know the R8's performance numbers yet, so hold your horses on making comments like the M6 "isn't even close to the ultimate driving machine when compared to the R8."

You don't know that, none of us do. Also to say "Shouldn't the company that labels themselves as the Ultimate Driving Machine actually produce the Ultimate Driving Machine?
They obviously don't."

That's an, I'm all over Audi's d*ck type comment. Audi has all of 3 models that out-perform BMW in their respected classes. I don't even want to take the time to list how many BMW's out-perform Audi's, not to mention the fact a 750i & even a 745i can out-preform the majority of Audi's line-up.

Hey GermanNut mabye the company with the slogan "Never Follow," should stop following BMW so much!

Not to mention that the most Powerful Production 7-Series will be completely Smashed by the Phaeton W12 / S8 / S63 AMG

Maybe you should get your cock off the propeller. Who knows if BMW spins your brains anymore, your crown jewels might get chopped off.

Hmmm.. I wonder why BMW would EVER make an M10? Perhaps to provide a competitor to the Audi R8.

I wonder why BMW may switch over to DSG in their cars? Perhaps to follow Audi.

I wonder why BMW is going to make the next M3 with a V8? Perhaps to provide competition to the Audi RS4

Both companies follow eachother.

I don't care how many BMW models outperform Audi models.

Yes, BMW as a whole may provide better performance cars than Audi.

Unfortunately, when we test the best performers from each brand, Audi wins.

The Audi R8 will clear 7:55 on the Ring. It is a known fact. The RS4 can hit 8:03 on the Ring and its 600 pounds heavier along with having a front moounted engine.

The R8 is going to smoke the M6 on the Nurburgring. It is a mathematically proven fact.

Who cares how many BMW's outperform Audi's? How about who cares about an Audi most people can't afford, slightly outperforming a BMW most people can't afford? The answer...not many, because there's not nearly as many buyers in this class as there is the more affordable models offered by both companies.

5 seconds quicker around the ring isn't that much faster, it's not like the M6 is in the dust. The M6 is way more luxurious than the R8, and is almost as fast.

We all knew the next M3 was going to have a V-8, even before the press release of the RS4, it was a given.

Yeah BMW might be incorporating one idea from Audi into their next gen cars, but again I can name so many ideas Audi has taken from BMW.

To name a few...Valvetronic (Audi's got their own version, same technology), Xenon lighting, MMI/i-drive, S/RS Audi's version of BMW's M line...The list goes on.

BMW has so many hardcore fans for a reason, and that reasons simple they are no question the benchmark of innovation, style, & most importantly performance.

The fact that you shrug off my point about BMW outperforming all but 3 Audi's say's to me, your minds to clouded by Audi to be logical...And just like "logical" your not.

The R8 will be just as luxurios, and will be around 10 seconds quicker at least.

Nut you talk too much... and dosn't make any sense

That's not what GermanNut's saying "Chewy," he say's it will be 5-7 seconds faster.

The R8 "should do it in 7:50 seconds" the M6 does it in 8:10 seconds or so. However, as the Audi RS4 does it on "race tires" in 7:58 and around 8:10 on regular rubber I am being conservative with 10 seconds based on the fact that tire choice wasn't specified in the 7:50 estimates. So it will be at lest 10 seconds quicker and most likely around 20 seconds quicker. Big difference.

GermanNut was saying 7:55 for the V8 R8, & 8:03 for the RS4. I've seen the M6 accomplish the RS4's times, not to mention better it in some cases.

So let's not get to far feched here...20 seconds, I don't think so.

Well as we are all being silly and comparing apples to bananas... the BMW Sauber F1.06 is considerably faster than any audi, and it's also a lot more expensive.

And yep it is a silly comparison - but it's about the only BMW, that has a mid-mounted V8 like the R8.

This thread seems to go in circles.

BTW Will, I drove an LS460 to Tiburon yesterday and showed it all day at a celebrity tennis tournement. What an amazing car. Vastly better than the car it replaces and you heard it here first- the "executive seating" option is on indefinite hold for re engineering of the ottoman. Seems there is not enough room for this feature to work properly with the currently built rear seat.

Great, this thread has reached the point of comparing F1 non-street legal cars to regular ones.

The R8 in current form with V8 has a GOAL of 7:50. It might very well go below that goal.

That makes me wonder what on earth the V10 R8 will be capable of doing....

Yes, the V8 R8 is estimated to do it in 7:50 (not sure if that is on race rubber or standard tires) Still great compared to the 8:10 for the M6 (I'm guessing that is on standard tires)

I wonder what the V10 R8 will do?

Why don't I just throw something out there for you to ponder. You may not have thought of it before:

Extensive car development at the Nurburgring ruins cars. Narrow-mindedly focusing on a fast lap time can result in the production car being too stiff and uncomfortable on the road, while other engineering aspects such as steering feel and the suspensions ability to handle poorly-sealed roads are neglected.

Often cars developed at the 'Ring are over-damped to cope with the tracks savage compressions, but on the road become unruly and uncomfortable.

Also note that the lap times stated by manufacturers at the 'Ring are often done on a set of racing tyres and with adjustments made to the car's chassis.

However, manufacturers like Jaguar developed the new XKR extensively on the Nurburgring, because they discovered the unpredictable and often violent crests, dips and corners of the track cover every eventuality in real life. It's like an ultra-fast testing course, if you will.

The XKR is a sensation to drive on the road because Jaguar's engineers did most of the chassis and suspension tuning/design on ACTUAL roads. The Nurburgring is simply their test bed, giving the car's various components the work-out of a life-time and making sure nothing broke. They succeeded.

Let's hope Audi did the same thing with the R8. It would be a shame if they didn't.

So remember, a great Nurburgring car does not necessarily mean a great road car.

Do they take the 155mph speed limiters off when they test these things at the ring?

GermanNut... and munichrob.. reading your amusing posts.. what do you guys drive currently?. just want to see what the frame of reference is. for me an 06 M5.