November 16, 2014
Gay Car Geek :: 2015 Audi R8 V10 Plus - Eight Is Enough, But 10 Is Better
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Audi is sort of the golden boy of the LGBT crowd - ever dapper, always design-ey, with German car cache and just enough luxury. It's style with restraint, satisfaction without showiness. But did you know that Audi actually owns Lamborghini-yes, that Lamborghini, and that its R8 sports car is basically a Lamborghini Gallardo in Audi regalia? That's like finding out David Beckham really is a superhero.
Well, it is, which explains why the R8 V10 Plus I just had for a week was so bloody fun. The V10 is basically lifted from the Gallardo with no change in tune, so 0 to 60 happens in about three and a half seconds - quick enough to knock your hat in to the small cargo shelf behind the seats. The steering reads your mind; handling is pan-flat; and the four-wheel drive system means there is grip - all the time. The interior is suitably racy but far from uncomfortable; indeed, it is ergonomically sound and surprisingly easy to live with on a day-to-day basis, at least by supercar standards. The only thing not easy with the R8 - besides look bad - is pay for; even the base R8 costs $119,150 and comes with a fantastic V8, while the V10 Plus model I sampled rang an eye-watering tally of $196,795, which seems like a lot for an Audi. On the other hand. it's cheap for a Lamborghini. And the respect you get on the road in this thing: priceless.
By The Numbers
2014 Audi R8 V10 Plus
Base price (incl. dest.): $182,595
Styling: *****
Engine: *****
Handling: *****
Interior d�cor: *****
Quality: *****
Interior space: ***
Seat comfort: ****
Cargo Space: *
Parkability: ***
EPA fuel economy (city/hwy): N/A
Renowned automotive journalist and gay car geek Steve Siler has turned his life-long love of cars into a fruitful and enthusiastic career traveling the world to test thousands of new vehicles as they are introduced. Siler is s regular contributor to Car and Driver Magazine, Edmunds.com,AutoTrader.com, AOL Autos and Yahoo! Autos, and also pioneered automotive writing for the LGBT community more than a decade ago.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
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