Audi R8: Comparison against Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper and Porsche 911 Turbo

Popular Mechanics has done a supercar comparison of the Audi R8 against the Corvette Z06, the Dodge Viper and the Porsche 911 Turbo. Clear winner? Thanks for asking. Great pics as well!

The sleek Audi is so futuristic it looks like an earthbound stealth fighter. At dusk the LEDs that surround the headlights create a Cheshire cat-like smile. It’s as if the R8 knows exactly how strikingly handsome it is. The midengine chassis has the moves to match those good looks. The R8 has a directness to the steering and a balance to the suspension that make it a natural corner carver. It was the quickest in our handling tests and came within a hair of beating the Viper on the Streets of Willow — with far less horsepower. The paddle-shifted R tronic gearbox flawlessly executed rev-matching downshifts and upshifts quicker than any human could manage in Sport mode. The R8 is so easy to drive, you could confidently toss your grandmother the keys and know she’d be okay. In fact, she’d probably have a lot of fun. Around town the Audi rode more smoothly and quietly than any of the others. The interior is posh and luxurious. In some cases we wondered if we were driving a sports car or a sedan — it’s that serene and well mannered. Well, flooring the throttle certainly clears up any confusion. The 4.2-liter V8 lets out a bewitching howl that peaks at an 8250-rpm crescendo. It’s aural magic.

The Audi R8 may be the new supercar benchmark.

Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, Audi R8, Porsche 911 Turbo

Source: Popular Mechanics

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