"Torque Affair" (torqueaffair)
04/12/2015 at 12:06 • Filed to: None
10
55|
"Torque Affair" (torqueaffair)
04/12/2015 at 12:06 • Filed to: None | 10
| 55 |
The first thing I wanted to do when I got inside this 2009 Audi R8 was to pop the hood open…but I couldn't find the latch or the button!
Where was it???
I looked all over the entire cabin to locate this thing. Finally, after some time, I found the tiny switch which happened to be hiding behind the driver's side seatbelt.
What an insane place to put it.
I suppose it doesn't really matter anyway because very few people buying this car will even want to access the engine anyway.
I'm always looking to help people and so when I saw how much of a struggle it was for the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! folks to shuttle their cars back and forth between a couple of different racetracks I felt compelled to help.
After all, what a nightmare it must be to keep having to drive cars like the Ferrari F430, GTR, Porsche GT3, Cayman-R and Viper all around town. Being the selfless person that I am, I decided to provide much needed relief to the team from this torturous duty by offering to drive their Audi R8.
Sometimes I surprise myself at how good of a person I am.
Of course I'm just kidding. Who wouldn't want to drive these cars all the time? Sounds like a dream to me.
Even though I've ridden in R8s before, this was my first time to get behind the wheel of one. After discovering the mystery button to open the hood, I moved onto other more important things - like checking how much space there was in the front trunk.
Turns out there wasn't much room in there. In our case, we had a helmet and a 5 gallon tank of gas which I had to be careful to not spill when taking turns.
When you see a car like this, you might assume that it suffers from typical drawbacks you might expect in most supercars: horrible visibility, harsh suspension, noisy interior and an empty bank account. Fortunately, this is not the case with the R8: it's a surprisingly easy car to drive.
It's luxurious and the ride, although firm, is not jarring. The seating position is great and because the dash swoops away from you, there is a sense of openness inside. Sometimes, you forget exactly what you're driving because it's easy to get comfortable.
Then when you notice people staring at you or get out of the car, you realize… oh yeah, I'm driving that thing that Ironman drives.
This Audi comes with the aftermarket Milltek exhaust which is exactly the kind of exhaust that the R8 should have come with straight from the factory. A large part of the reason why I enjoyed driving this so much is the fact that the sounds emanating from the V8 are so intoxicating. Check out the video to see what I mean.
It's unfortunate that the stock exhaust mutes the V8 so much because with the Milltek exhaust, the R8 finally sounds like the supercar that it is. Any time the rpms dropped, I conveniently downshifted to hear the exhaust scream.
Am I stuck behind a slow truck?
Must downshift…
Ahh..now that's better.
The 420 hp V8 is not mind-blowingly fast, but that's perfectly acceptable. Yes, it's important on a track, but out on regular roads, what difference does it make if you get to 60 miles half a second quicker ?
I liked that the dash layout was relatively simple. I was expecting to be inundated with gadgetry and electronics but then it hit me… hang on a second …this car was actually built 6 years ago!
That's not to say that the R8 didn't have creature comforts: there were enough of them. The media center was completely outdated but you have heated seats, heated mirrors and other things you find in a $15K Kia these days.
I have to say that the R-Tronic transmission was annoying. I initially thought something was broken in the car because there was so much lurching between gear shifts.
After googling "why is the R8 automatic so horrible" , I found out that the R-tronic is basically a manual transmission without a clutch pedal. The behavior of this auto was exactly the same as the standard version. This means that if you want to have a smooth shifting experience, you need to let off the gas between gear changes. It took a while to get used to it but even then it felt awkward because of the missing clutch.
This is one automatic transmission you definitely want to avoid.
At higher speeds, the jerky shifting was less of an issue but I still needed to modulate the throttle to effectively counteract the quirkiness of the transmission.
This was just way too much work. Instead of pretending that your car is a stick-shift and driving it like that, it's much easier and way more fun to drive a manual instead.
The Cars Arrive At The Track
After showing up with the R8 at the Circuit of the Americas, we waited for the others to arrive. After the entire LRA team and the fleet showed up we immediately got to work.
It was time to start arranging the cars to create a mini car-show for the guests.
Even though we were all old and grown up ( that's debatable in my case ), we felt like kids playing with cars. Is there a better way to spend a Saturday morning?
The folks that showed up to the event loved the cars and were taken out multiple times on the track to not only drive the cars themselves but also ride along with the expert LRA instructors. The R8 isn't the best on the track, but it's one of the few cars that is the perfect blend between being a decent track car and a daily driver.
After the event, it was my job to drive the car back to its home.
What a pain! Driving the R8 again??
I loved the fact that not only can you go thrash this car around on the track, you can also drive it around comfortably with the A/C on with Taylor Swift's "Shake it off" blasting on the stereo.
Haters gonna hate..hate..hate..
..sorry, I lost my train of thought.
On the drive home, I had a partner. It was this beautiful 2015 Turbo S. With its 2 point something second 0-60 second time, I was left in the dust.. literally . I saw clouds of dirt flying up behind the fat tires of the Turbo S as it shot away from me time and time again.
I didn't even bother keeping up with it because the 420 hp V8 paled in comparison to the Turbo's insane performance. But I didn't care. The R8 is a wonderful car and I love that even after all these years, the looks haven't aged one bit.
I was surprised to find out that you can get your hands on a 2008 R8 for $75K which seems like a great deal for a supercar like this. Even though the R8 doesn't excel at any one thing, the overall package is brilliantly put together.
I broke my piggy bank and scraped together $53.50 in nickels and dimes. Time to start saving the other $74,746.50 I need to buy a used R8.
It was tough to leave this car behind, but I know I'll be back...
to drive the Turbo S!
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is about exploring my fascination with cars; I'm always on the lookout for things that interest me in the car world. Like !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and follow !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
KatzManDu
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 12:32 |
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There are even better deals to be had on these in Europe. Used ones at the low end are €50,000 or less.
desertdog5051
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 12:41 |
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But the R8 has a mid engine. What are you looking for under the "hood"?
John Xelov
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 14:47 |
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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Said nobody, ever.
Andrew T. Maness
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 14:47 |
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I still haven't driven one of these but there are guys in the Audi Club here in LA that I think are beginning to trust me enough to get behind the wheel of theirs.
unirok
> Andrew T. Maness
04/12/2015 at 15:21 |
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I drive a 2006 Cadillac STS-V very quick but not a supercar like the R8 but I still get stares and compliments all the time?
I'm Abe Froman
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 15:48 |
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How'd that R-Tronic compare to the F430's F1 single-clutch gearbox?
Charles Martel
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 16:21 |
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I went to one of these at VIR and got to use a F430 - I had the exact same gripe with the gearbox. Just rough!
YeahItsMe72
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 17:01 |
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I drove the R8 with Exotics Racing in Las Vegas, I got 7 laps each on their 1.2 mile 7 turn track in an R8, Ferrari 458, Huracan, and GT3.
The R8 felt completely out of place compared to those other cars. The acceleration is good, not as good as the others, but good enough, the biggest issue was the understeer. While the Huracan is essentially the same car, they've dialed in a much better balanced set up in that car then from Audi. I went from wanting the R8 to thinking a Cayman S handles noticeable better (despite less horsepower).
Interior room in the R8 is better than either the Ferrari or Lambo. So that part at least is reasonable.
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Torque Affair
> YeahItsMe72
04/12/2015 at 18:05 |
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Nice...thanks for sharing your thoughts. Did you enjoy the GT3?
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Torque Affair
> I'm Abe Froman
04/12/2015 at 18:06 |
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I haven't driven it yet but so far people don't appear to be enjoying the F430 much - at least when it comes to LRA
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Torque Affair
> Andrew T. Maness
04/12/2015 at 18:11 |
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Hopefully you get a chance to do so soon! Let me know what you think! Is it manual? I hope it is...
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I'm Abe Froman
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 19:38 |
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That's odd. Low torque perhaps? Too bad they don't have the 430 Scud or 360 Stradale.
Herr Quattro - Has a 4-Motion
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 19:51 |
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I hope these cars never appreciate...
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Torque Affair
> I'm Abe Froman
04/12/2015 at 19:55 |
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Yeah, I think it just doesn't handle the track as well as the other cars in their fleet. But, yeah the Stradale/Scuderia would likely be a different experience.
BlueBlood
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 20:26 |
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Sorry. The Audi just looks out of place. It's an Audi. It's basically like being a VW sports car. It just can't be taken seriously. Especially when it's not that good. It's like showing up with the real track cars in your Porsche Boxster and thinking you are in the same hemisphere.
It's not really "good" at anything, except being mediocre at everything. It may be the car Iron Man drives but I assure you it was due to advertising dollars or a poor choice on someones part.
0-60 on that thing is in the low 4's.. for 75k..
Seriously buy a MKIV Supra or FD3s, put a few dollars into making it a real track car, save a boatload, and make people who spent that much on a car look stupid while your car actually says something about you. It's says I just kicked your ass in a Japanese supercar from the 90's.
People in general. And especially people who write these articles. Get caught up in what they think is cool or buys cool. I could give a shit if Iron Man drives one. It looks like shit. It's like a 1980's Lamborghini Countach. The only people who really still want one are the people who write these articles and middle school boys back in 1992.
That viper is literally the best looking car in the photo. And if you're spending 75k. It's not that much more to have something actually of supercar performance and that actually looks good.
P.S. The porsche is good looking too. But that ferrari is fuckin hideous.
P.P.S. If I had a Viper, Porsche or a real supercar and you showed up in a R8 thinking you were in the same league. I'd be laughing on the inside. Literally rolling.
ACR
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 20:45 |
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>>pop the hood open…but I couldn't find the latch or the button!
Exactly the same spot Alfa put the Spiders trunk release for 30 years or so.
Anyone with any depth to their Eurocar experience would have naturally looked there.
Mo Karney
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 21:27 |
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Here's thing thing about the R8. The 2008 model year has a terrible automatic transmission. If you're going to buy an R8, spring for one that is atleast a 2010. Also, your R8 CAN NOT be your DD. You're going to need a second car.
I still sometimes regret getting my F10 M5 over an R8, but I just might jump on board and get an R8 for the winter since the M5 is an absolute piece of crap in snow.
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BlueBlood
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 21:30 |
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I forgot this was jalopnik... No real rhythm or reason. Just weird "I think it's cool" stories.
So a '08 Audi r8 for 75k is the best deal ever because you drove a different one for a minute. Well not for a minute. But it was borrowed.
The other people who are sniffing the butt fumes of just going to a track day and racing someone else's car without buying one are obviously smoking what you're smoking. Apparently some good shit. At least for hen pets that are tied to steretypes. what people drive in the movies and haven't ever owned a super-car.
This sentence:
"The media center was completely outdated but you have heated seats, heated mirrors and other things you find in a $15K Kia these days."
When has a Kia with those options cost 15k? Are you out of touch or not bought a vehicle in 20 years? WTF do you need heated mirrors in a super-car for? You racing that super-car in the snow? What did you want in the center console? A starbucks? I assume for a performance car it's performance you're after?
If you want visibility, amenities, and seating. Dodge caravan. You can get one with a table in the back.
Oh you think as you call it wrongly "one of the best supercar deals" should come with an automatic butt-wiper? My apologies.
Any car that is a honest respected super-car(not a '09 or even '08 audi r8 for 75k) is obviously not for you. The speed and lack of panini maker will leave you wondering why it doesn't have one.
Arben72
> Torque Affair
04/12/2015 at 23:05 |
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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Counterpoint:
Just as fast, rwd (right wheel drive), glorious noise, both transmissions are great. Oh and more practical, cheaper to maintain, and can be had with 4 doors. All for around 30k used.
boneheadotto
> Arben72
04/12/2015 at 23:31 |
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counter point to the counter point
Has RWD, even more glorious 9000rpm top down noise, the only transmission option being the right one, 50/50 weight balance, front mid engine layout, no practicality making it truly a toy, and even cheaper to maintian. All for $15k for a nearly pristine example...… the S2000 is truly the every man super car
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Torque Affair
> Arben72
04/12/2015 at 23:36 |
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I love this car!
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Torque Affair
> Mo Karney
04/12/2015 at 23:41 |
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Nice! Would you get a manual?
Dirty987S
> YeahItsMe72
04/13/2015 at 05:27 |
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Well you can't really compare the Huracan to that gen R8 as they aren't the same car.
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Dirty987S
> Arben72
04/13/2015 at 05:28 |
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But does it make you feel special and do you catch yourself looking back at it multiple times as you walk away from it after you have parked it? M3's to me are no different than a 3 series that had shoddy M parts put on it to make it look like an M3. The R8, it just says "daaaaaaaaaaaaamn sexy" all over it and you can't beat Quattro for all conditions driving!
SoManyBlueCars
> Dirty987S
04/13/2015 at 05:51 |
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I always look back at my M3, there is nothing shoddy about a car that cost 75k, and it sounds better.
Besides, a used R8 is twice the price of a used M3.
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boneheadotto
> Torque Affair
04/13/2015 at 08:53 |
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you know if i had one i would paint this top part to look like a dark window then paint the part that is not the scoop the same color as the body and voila! 2017 model!!!!
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boneheadotto
> Torque Affair
04/13/2015 at 08:54 |
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WORD to the 78759. I once lived in the 59 then the 49 now the 39. ATX FTW
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boneheadotto
> Torque Affair
04/13/2015 at 09:01 |
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The only real problem with this, is that it competes with this
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/…
Lower price, less miles, faster, more heads turned
66 Stang
> I'm Abe Froman
04/13/2015 at 09:28 |
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I just drove the R8 (with the V10). It feels like it would be a good car for the street (especially at $75K), but the auto transmission was terrible on the track. The F430 auto was better, but still bad (the Scuderia was much better) . The Porsche PDK was awesome on the track, always in the right gear.
swift996
> Torque Affair
04/13/2015 at 09:45 |
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The R8 is cool and all but you don't really get supercar performance with the V8. Any 911 Carerra S would be showing you how it's done.
RustedSprinter
> Torque Affair
04/13/2015 at 11:52 |
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This article was featured on Yahoo.com!
Cee Jay
> Torque Affair
04/13/2015 at 11:57 |
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An R8 might be a good deal, but it's still a glorified VW. Nah, I'll pass.
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Alex Smith
> Dirty987S
04/13/2015 at 12:27 |
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Sorry man I totally disagree with you about that m3 comment. I own a white m3 just like the one pictured and it turns head all the time and I always look back at it after I park. Yes the R8 is an exotic looking car even though it doesn't perform like one, but you cant dis an E92 m3.
kotton
> YeahItsMe72
04/13/2015 at 13:12 |
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The R8 is the same chassis as the Gallardo not the Huracan. What the author drove was basically a v8 gallardo with a different shell.
Battery Tender Unnecessary
> Torque Affair
04/13/2015 at 16:11 |
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If you want to have a really good cry over the 25 year import law, look into used R8 prices in the UK...
You think they are bargains here.
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MegaSuper
> Battery Tender Unnecessary
04/13/2015 at 17:06 |
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If you don't mind me asking, what is the deal with that? Why is it that supercars depreciate so much more quickly in the UK than in the American market? You'd think it'd be the opposite because of the lower population, and hence lower numbers imported.
And why do they advertise "R-plate", "N-plate", things like that? I know they're referring to the first digit of the license plate, but why is that better/more accurate/more desirable than just saying the model year?
alexotics
> Torque Affair
04/13/2015 at 19:07 |
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Don't forget about the tax. ;)
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Torque Affair
> alexotics
04/13/2015 at 19:44 |
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oh yea! gas guzzler tax.
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Torque Affair
> Battery Tender Unnecessary
04/13/2015 at 19:45 |
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hmm...interesting.
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Torque Affair
> RustedSprinter
04/13/2015 at 19:46 |
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I was wondering how this article was getting so many views!
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Torque Affair
> boneheadotto
04/13/2015 at 19:48 |
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good eye!
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Dirty987S
> SoManyBlueCars
04/14/2015 at 01:43 |
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I guess you missed the point that an M3 can look no different than a 3 series with some M body parts slapped on it $75K or not. I guess the only thing that can really set it apart is that V8 when fired up. To the masses, they all look like 3 series though. I live in a world where BMWs are the norm, kind of like Fords in the US, so it's a far more common sight to see. Whereas the R8, even to this day, still draws the attention of owners and enthusiasts alike.
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SoManyBlueCars
> Dirty987S
04/14/2015 at 05:27 |
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Well since I own an M3 and live in northern NJ, an area where bmws too are the norm, I did not forget. It's stealth is one of my favorite features about it.
It's as fast as your R8, can carry more people and luggage, is cheaper, and yea, that V8 is pretty special. Not everyone wants a look-at-me car.
Not sure about you, but what makes a car special is how it makes me feel, not how it makes me look to everyone else.
Jason Channell
> Torque Affair
04/14/2015 at 08:38 |
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How did you enjoy COTA in the R8? Was there this weekend for MotoGP. What a track!
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Torque Affair
> Jason Channell
04/14/2015 at 19:24 |
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I actually didn't get a chance to drive it out there! Since this was specifically an event for Bobby Epstein's guests I didn't want to intrude.
Was this your first time there?
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Jason Channell
> Torque Affair
04/15/2015 at 13:47 |
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Yes, first time there.
I really really want to do a track day on a motorbike out there now.
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Torque Affair
> Jason Channell
04/15/2015 at 20:08 |
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Awesome - it's a fantastic track!
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Dirty987S
> SoManyBlueCars
04/16/2015 at 03:50 |
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Eh, been in every vintage of M3 and only the original makes me go "wow". The new one is alright, better design elements and a interior that says more than just 3 series BMW. People who own R8's don't care about luggage, price, number of passengers. Of course the same could be said that people who own inline-4 M3's don't care about that "special" V8 or twin-turbos, lol.
So what you're saying is...put the M3 chassis and motor in a 'normal' 3 series (body/interior) and you'd be content? Looks (external/internal) sure as hell plays a factor in over all "special" feeling of the car.
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SoManyBlueCars
> Dirty987S
04/16/2015 at 05:33 |
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That's what an M3 is isn't it? A special motor and tuned chassis in the body of a 3 series. The interiors are identical.
As far as looks. The R8 is nice of course, but all it says to me is "couldn't afford a Lambo/Ferrari"
I've been in them. I think they look like a TT, and feel less special than either of the cars mentioned.
savethemanualsbmw335ix
> Torque Affair
05/03/2015 at 17:39 |
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I got to drive a 2012 V10 model that we got in at our dealership on trade. I completely agree that it’s the perfect car to drive every day. visibility is great, the seats are comfortable, and the ride is great is you keep it in comfort. and if you keep it out of sport mode the auto is actually pretty smooth in my opinion. if you do put it in sport mode it shifts like you’re taking it to the redline every shift. I desperately want one, and would without a doubt drive it every day.
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Torque Affair
> savethemanualsbmw335ix
05/03/2015 at 18:27 |
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Ooooh, I would’ve loved to drive a V10 version.
DickBeninya
> Dirty987S
05/03/2015 at 21:59 |
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Beamer fanbois will never get this.
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DickBeninya
> boneheadotto
05/03/2015 at 22:58 |
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I'm guessing that's a pretty rare find though.
Niquemarshall
> Battery Tender Unnecessary
05/03/2015 at 23:10 |
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This is TRUTH. They were going for like 40-50k USED
Warlord of Crud
> Torque Affair
05/04/2015 at 15:24 |
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I was once out to lunch with a woman who drove us in her Gallardo and she asked me why it was so jerky every time it shifted, especially compared to her 911 Turbo. I got to explain what a single disk clutch is and tried not to laugh at my date because she had owned this car for years and not known this.
As the saying goes: The amount of money a person has to buy cool cars does not equal their driving talent or knowledge.