Car of the week 19-20 September

A rear end resembling the recently leaked Scarlett Johansson pictures

Car of the Week: Audi R8 GT

Many consumers in the high-end performance car market have demanded a practical car that is both manageable on and off the track. By off-the-track I mean, on the racetrack, where public track days are being replaced by a leisurely Sunday drive.

Audi has responded to this demand in the form of the R8 providing a combination of practicality in a car that sits at both ends of the spectrum when it comes to driving. An R8 driver can differentiate between everyday driving within the speed limit of the road and then within the confines of a racetrack according to his or her ability. I ventured out to the Giltrap Group’s newly built Audi dealership on Great North Road in Auckland where I met with Richard Humphereys, a senior Salesman for the dealership. Comfortably crediting the sale of five R8’s to his name, Richard is passionate about selling the unique innovations and ideas that Audi have put into their production vehicles. It was the R8’s lovechild that caught my attention for this weeks car of the week; The R8 GT. At first glance, there are many clues that this car has undergone a complete external revamp. Looking closely at the detailed bodywork you will see a carbon fibre rear wing stretching across the entire rear of the car in order to meet the demand for grip at high speeds. There have been other additions added such as the 19 inch titanium finished wheels, a rear floor diffuser and the aesthetically pleasing carbon fibre panels that cover the B pillars; common feature of the R8 design.

It is hard not to sense the hint of Lamborghini DNA that this car presents. Notably because of the 5.2litre V10 FSI (Fuel Straight Injection) that is nestled comfortably behind the cockpit. This is not necessarily a bad thing however, as Richard explained to me: “The innovation in design and performance that Audi has is boosted by the ownership of its other car companies”. I agree with him because today’s high-end performance car consumer does not want to put a car like this in the garage amongst his collection of Lamborghini’s or Ferrari’s and only have the chance to bring it out on a sunny day. Today's consumer wants to drive this car like an everyday car and not have to worry about spending $6000.00 on the clutch every 15,000 kilometres, as the case is with owning a Ferrari 360 Modena.  “The driver has added security of taking this car to a racetrack knowing that he or she will be covered by any mechanical wear whilst the warranty is still valid whereas a Lamborghini or Ferrari owner would have to pay for the replacement of brakes [for example] or mechanical servicing from the beginning of the purchase”, Richard explained to me.

The building of the R8 GT has been extremely detailed both internally and externally. The 5.2 litre V10 produces 560hp at 8,000rpm and 540Nm of torque. This added power of 40hp to the GT will give the car an all-time top speed of 320km/h. Acceleration times have been reduced with the GT boasting a snappy 3.6 seconds from 0 to 100km/h. How do they get such an impressive increase in horsepower? It is one of those factors that car manufacturers love to control the most; weight. Improved weight distribution in this car comes down to the precise innovation from Audi engineers. With figures like this Richard says that “The R8 is on the fringes of becoming a super car.” contrary to the GT name of course.

With only 333 rolling off the production-line and only three coming to New Zealand, owning a car such as this comes at a cost, starting at NZD$435,000. The reality of purchasing a car like this is the price paid for quality innovation from a multinational company. The precise ideas that Audi have developed for their automobiles have led to their brand becoming a high volume seller in the world, particularly New Zealand. Audi is forging ahead, and I couldn’t think of a better indication to show this than the R8 GT; my car of the week.  

Words by Andrew G. Beacham

Special thanks to Richard Humphreys of Giltrap Audi Auckland.