It’s rare that I get to drive such an exotic car—so, I wanted to thank Vinny for letting me be his designated driver for his wedding.
There are faster cars out there, but the R8 v10 is probably the true starting point for the word “super car”. It turns heads, it makes nice sounds, and goes very fast. Yes, a 911 Turbo is more expensive, is much faster, and looks great…
But the R8 v10 convertible will make an extraordinary entrance of epic proportions. This *is* the rock star image.
Power
The version I drove had a v10 (the same engine they use in the Lamborgini), with 525hp and 391 lb-ft torque. Pretty much when you put your foot down, you hear all sorts of explosive sounds and enter warp speed. And things start getting *more* insane as you reach 9k RPM… You get a very high pitch whirl—the sound of german precision and engineering. Speaking of sounds, this car makes lovely symphony of burbles, pops and howls… The R8 v10 has the bite to match its bark. The specs say it does 0-60 in 4 seconds, but it feels faster. You hit triple digit speeds in an blink of an eye. Perhaps it’s only down fall is its transmission—the automatic version I drove was sluggish and harsh. Other than that, you’ll probably need to get a GTR or sport bike to keep up with this bad boy.
Handling
Yep, it handles. Being a mid engine, it stays balanced and feels well planted. After you accelerate, the second thing you notice is how strong the brakes are. You literally feel like you hit a wall when you want to stop. So feather the brakes gently.
Whether you’re stopping, turning or accelerating, you always feel like your pulling G’s. Handling on this car is superb, and the ride isn’t as harsh as you would imagine. The car is well dampened and can corner like it’s on rails.
Comfort
Surprisingly, the R8 is comfortable place. The cabin is compact, but put the top down everything seems to feel right. I could easily see myself carving the twists for hours in this car with little fatigue. However, I couldn’t see myself commuting in it as an every day car. It’s really for weekend thrills.
One annoying thing about the car was that radio always wanted to turn on when we started the car. I’m not sure if that’s how it’s supposed to work, but this car does not need a radio. LOL.
Style
Everything about this car is designed to attract attention… from the design, to the sounds. Literally, Vinny and I were getting thumbs up gestures from everyone left and right. Going to refill on gas was a huge ordeal as well, with people bombarding you with questions. Pretty much every stranger on the street yelled out “nice car”. Even a homeless guy asked us for a ride.
Styling on the outside is phenomenal. My only critique on the inside is that it looks a little dated, and some of the buttons are in weird places. I accidentally engaged a couple of features while I was resting my hand near the shifter. Oops.
Conclusion
The R8 v10 is designed to crush 24/7. It turns heads. It’ll get you laid. And you’ll probably lose your license. If you don’t like that sound of that, this is not the car for you.
If you want something flashy, have a thirst for speed, and have really deep pockets, then this is a great value. It’s also a driver’s car, so be warned, it’s addicting. Very, very addicting. It’s a head turner, and you’ll feel like a celebrity anywhere you go.
Thanks Vinny, for the opportunity to check the R8 off my bucket list. It was epic!