The R8 V10's track capabilities are well known, but just how well does the supercar do in everyday conditions.
Then there’s this car’s most significant update for 2013 – a new seven-speed dual-clutch S-tronic gearbox in place of the clunky old R-tronic single-clutch unit. And what a difference it makes. In auto mode, it was butter smooth, and it’s only when I suddenly got on the power that there was a sudden jerk from the gearbox as it rapidly downshifted for quicker acceleration.
I decided to give the R8 a break for the rest of the day and set out again in the wee hours of the morning. It’s on open, empty roads that you realise the true potential of this V10 motor. I knew the R8 would have a great deal of performance, but I wasn’t quite prepared for just how explosive the acceleration would be. The R8 happily spins into life without drama, and from the word go, has enough torque to blow your mind. Most remarkable of all, perhaps, is the speed with which the V10 motor builds its revs. There is no delay, no lag. You ask of the engine and it delivers in an utterly predictable, linear fashion.
Out here too you will really appreciate the new gearbox. It endows the car with relaxed usability befitting its superb on-pace precision. It will remain in Auto mode, no matter which of the powertrain presets you choose, but so much as nudge one of the standard wheel-mounted paddles and it will shift to manual mode, where it will hold every gear and swap ratios on command with impressive response and precision. So the figure of 4.40 seconds for 100kph from standstill doesn’t come as a surprise.