Affordable supercar

Studying the history of the automobile companies, inadvertently come across the idea that the first modern supercar Audi R8 is a very interesting pedigree. On the connections between R8 and the Lamborghini Gallardo is well known, but it is worth remembering that the company Volkswagen Group, which includes Audi, the company also owns and Porsche AG. Thus, "eight" is created at the intersection of two legendary automotive brands: Lamborghini and Porsche. Athletes and automotive journalists there is a tacit division of vehicles to sports cars and supercars. The first - is any vehicle with a sporty character, regardless of power, starting with Opel Corsa OPC and finishing Mercedes E 63 AMG. Possess such a machine - then lead an active life and know how to turn the steering wheel and drive fast on the ice without the assistance of the stabilization system. To become a supercar can be ranked as cars with engines less than 350 "horses", preferably a mid-or rear-and, of course, racing with charisma. 507-hp BMW M5, with all due respect to the Bavarian brand and the incredible dynamics, can hardly be called a supercar, but the 700-pound lightweights Lotus Elise, albeit with a 1.8 liter engine, with some stretch quite a supercar. The demand for supercars and even influenced fashion, but remains quite stable. This car can not be bought by accident, out of the air. Behind the wheel of supercars are only people who thoroughly rotated at high speeds, and that only the elect. For supercar market is measured by tens of thousands a year - and it's multi-billion-drivers. And the fact that Audi decided to release the road version R8, - a real event, as against the background of a Ferrari or Lamborghini DEM seems to be relatively affordable. Judge for yourself - the base version of the R8 with a robotized gearbox is in Russia, 142 000 euros (from 193 000 dollars), while the prices of Italian "horses" and "bulls" essentially rolled over for 200 000 euros. Incidentally, in the U.S. Audi R8 and do people's car - the price of 109 thousand dollars. Another option for a supercar - the maximum speed: it must necessarily passes for 300 km / h. And Audi is no exception - the manufacturer promises "maximum speed" of 301 km / h. In studying the photos easy to find similarities between the Audi R8 and his younger brother, TT. They were created in the same style and a designer - Walter da Silva. However, in reality everything is different. "Eight" will captivate your eyes half-closed eyelashes with diode-marker lights and does not tear up to look tail lights. And how stylish you can sit in the rear wing - it seems, for this purpose it was created. No girl will pass by, only the behavior of an eyebrow. If you look closely closely, you can see that behind and in profile, the Audi is a symbiosis of ideas Audi TT and the Lamborghini Gallardo. There is nothing surprising in this - from the legendary Italian "bull," "German" relates the overall chassis, and many other details. Same-wheel drive transmission with a viscous coupling to drive the front wheels, able to transmit from 10 to 35% torque, and robotic 6-speed gearbox. Also available on the R8 and the traditional manual gearbox, but the demand for it in Russia is minimal. The reasons for this phenomenon discussed below. But back to the cockpit Audi. That's cockpit - are all subject to the driver layer is surrounded around this kevlavra. Its use in the R8 sometimes seems excessive, but in any case, good to know that each such make handcrafted by skilled hands are, and saves weight kevlavr decently. Tested supercar weighs 1610 kg, and it provided all-wheel drive and 420-horsepower engine. We got the R8 with robotic gearbox R-Tronic, which in principle is similar to the transmission of the F-1. For daredevils provided Lounch Control - function as a quick start. It works if you disable the system and allows protivoprobuksovochnoy catapult from zero to "hundreds" according to the manufacturer for 4.6 seconds without much trouble. There is no need to precisely control the clutch and gas dosing: pressed "trigger" to the end, everything else will do the electronics. Such dispersal is more reminiscent of a blow to the head, which does you well, if not Vitali Klitschko, then certainly someone from the timid. And if after the dissolution of "hundreds" abruptly hit the brakes, then a short time and before losing consciousness. By the way, when you start with Lounch Control «Robot" starts to work much faster than in standard mode - the transfer switch without the slightest delay, while the failures are usually still visible. Initially, control is very difficult to estimate the R8 - it seems to break into the car sliding is impossible: it implicitly carries out any of the driver's commands, even the most delusional, the steering wheel while still relatively easy, but quite informative. However, there is a limit even for a supercar, and the behavior of "eight" for a face has been very interesting - tsentralnomotornaya arrangement provides an incredible level of lateral acceleration, but you have to keep my ears open. From excess traction skid develops very quickly, and control it is not always possible. With increasing speed ESP tightening control of the machine - in response to a sharp kachok at speeds under the "hundred" electronics instantly suppresses sliding. Conveniently, off ESP in two stages - can be deactivated only protivoprobuksovochnuyu system or disable the electronics completely. Thus, despite the four-wheel drive, R8 behaves like a real zadneprivodnik, and famously "sweeps its tail" on the first request of the driver. Needless to say, that part with the Audi R8 truly did not want. Arguing sober, if that is possible at all when choosing a supercar for the purchase of "eight" can come in two ways - as the next step on road vehicles such as front-"esok» Audi, and "emok» BMW or if you want to get the original supercar comes not from Italy. From rival classmates R8 may be noted more comfortable travel and Jaguar XKR, which comes only with the "automatic", but it has an open version, and incredibly fast Porsche 911 Turbo. Strange as it seems, but a similar capacity, and even in the presence of consanguinity, the latter is a more rapid and aggressive, though not so futuristic, but it's a topic for another test drive. Another worthy contender - recently presented in Frankfurt, the super-sedan Audi RS6 580 HP capacity - The Germans have promised that the price of the car will be comparable to the value of R8. Shl. By the way, looking ahead, with high probability we can assume that in the near future there will be a new version of the Audi R8 with a 5.5-liter turbodiesel V12 TDI, which has already produced two victories in the Audi Le Mans. More recently, the engine made its debut under the hood of the concept Audi R8 V12 TDI. With mass production a capacity of 500 hp, while the racing specifications he developed all 550 "horses". So very soon, supercars can be refilled, "diesel fuel", so only the low fuel consumption and cost-driving is unlikely to expect. OPINION EKSPERTAKak do you think about the dynamics and handling. Dynamics and speed indicators, in my opinion, are consistent with the image of the car and on the whole very impressive. I would rate them at 4 with a pole. But in terms of piloting this car, there are gaps. In R8 pretty risky behavior. She was too sharp falls in the bank, and lateral acceleration seemed not high enough. What can you say about the ergonomics of the cabin? Very comfortable seat, at least for a warrior, and pedals, one hundred percent quality, energy-intensive materials finishes, but something was not thought out in terms of switching speeds in manual mode. I am a long time to get used to the box, "honest" mechanic would have been much more "fun." But in general, all at a very high level. Which competitors will fight "eight"? Lamborghini Gallardo and Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, with other cars it is difficult to compare. Eight very close to the motor-sports, and even more powerful "citizen" nervously smoking in aside.