As you can imagine, I about fell over. Turns out, he's a huge car nut and has owned a number of impressive cars over the years. His resume includes multiple Porsches, a few Corvettes, and 3 or 4 NSX's (check out his current NSX below). Most of his cars were purchased from the Crown dealerships in Clearwater and has developed a great relationship with them. When he found out that Audi was considering the production of the R8, he put a deposit down in the chance that they would actually make it. 2 years later, he takes delivery of this gorgeous blue R8, the first in FL, and what he is told was the first customer delivery in the US.

After talking about the car for a while, he offers to take me for a spin. He takes off through the neighborhood, get to the main road, and easily double the speed limit before backing off (suffice to say, we bounced off of triple digits). The interior of the car was immaculate. It didn't have the optional carbon trim around the driver, but was still very impressive. As per usual Audi style, every surface was aluminum and leather, with everything in perfect proportion. It came off as very upscale and luxurious, yet also very restrained, with more in common with an S8 than a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

As we drove along Gulf Drive in Clearwater, he pulled over and asked me if I knew how to drive stick. No lies, I about **** my pants. I'm getting giddy right now writing this as I'm thinking about it. We got out, switched sides, and I cursed myself for wearing sandals (we were on the way to the beach when we stopped). So, for about 10 minutes, I got to drive an R8, barefoot. Here are my driving impressions:

By far my favorite thing about the car was the effortless rush of power from the FSI V8. At any rev in any gear (admittedly, I only used the first 4), there was enough power to force you back in your seat, and keep on pulling till the 8K+ redline. What really amazed me about the big V8 was its willingness to rev - stab the LOL pedal and the tach's up to 7 or 8K in a blink. The engine note, my GOD that engine note, was incredible. Not as metallic as a Porsche, but way more raw than an S4.

This car was equipped with the 6-speed manual, which was delightful. Clutch take-up was surprisingly fluid - the travel was about a quarter of my GTI's looooooong travel, and required about as much effort. This really suprised me, as I was expecting a much heavier clutch with 420hp. The shifter's throw was a nice distance - not too short, not too long; just enough to build up a bit of momentum to hear it hit the beautiful aluminum gate when she was in gear.

The phrase "handles like it's on rails" doesn't even begin to describe the sheer grip afforded by the quattro system. Both the owner and I took some sharp corners under throttle at some, ahem, extra-legal speeds, and it just took a set and pulled through on a consistent line without any complaint from the tires. I neglected to ask if the car was equipped with the optional magnetic ride control, but the ride was very well-damped, especially considering the table-flat cornering.

The steering, as the rest of the driving experience, was very direct and precise. There was less feedback than I would have expected (in terms of bumps and varying road surfaces being communicated through the wheel), but considering the GT nature of the car, I felt that this was a positive thing in that it wouldn't get tiresome on long trips.

Overall, I came away extremely impressed with car, and came away with these three thoughts: powerful, precise, and completely effortless. It managed to combine immense power and grip with the everyday driveability of my GTI. And the looks it got on Gulf Drive along Clearwater's beach were priceless. A college-age girl walking along with her boyfriend actually kissed at us as we drove by, while he pointed and about broke his neck as we passed. In the end, it was an amazing experience, one that I'll remember for a lifetime.

Here are some pictures I snapped when we got back:

Here's his other toy, a Comptech-supercharged NSX, pushing 436hp to the wheels

Just thought I'd share a once-in-a-lifetime experience with you guys.

"Come on people! Do you know what you get when you use a flame thrower on a zombie? Freakin' flaming zombies. And if theres anything that sucks more than a zombie trying to eat you, its a zombie on fire trying to eat you."

Unban Ben.

I'd hit it.

Very cool man.

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Damn this car must be hard to drive with the steering wheel upside down.

Quote, originally posted by spoonie »

I thought everyone in TCL was 6'1, 195lbs of adonis-like muscle with striking good looks, and made at least $136,000/annum? This is just shocking to me.

http://www.gardenofid.com

And I hate you.

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It looks like it took out the basketball hoop. Glad its an illusion

So we get there and I'm talking cars with her uncle and he's telling me about what he's owned - pretty much every Ferrari model made in the 80's as well as Countach (which he got rid of because it was so unreliable and left him stranded more times than he cared for). So I ask him about the Porsche and he takes me out to the garage. The "white" Porsche was freaking RUF CTR and I probably still have a scar on my chin from when my jaw hit the garage floor. Also parked in the garage was Bentley Turbo R.

Sadly I did not get a ride in the Porsche or Bentley.

Modified by MEIN_VW at 5:27 PM 4-21-2008

They were probably just Scientologists and thought it was Xenu in his new fancy spacecraft.

Nice little writeup though, its a neat car.

I was wondering how long it would take for this question. He owns his own business - basically worked for a large corporation for a while, stumbled upon that one idea, and took a risk. That idea took off, and now he runs a multi-state distribution company.

Suffice to say, he's a self-made man.

The best sounding / driving car i've driven is my uncle's Maserati Quattroporte in LA.

one more thing. is there some sort of unspoken rule that says one shouldn't drive a manual car while wearing flip flops?

That sucks, I must say I'm surprised.

The R8 was kind of my dream car but now you made me doubt myself:(

Probably not, but I didn't want to trash a $150,000+ car because my shoe got caught under the clutch...

Quote, originally posted by Markov79 »

No steering feel? That sucks, I must say I'm surprised. The R8 was kind of my dream car but now you made me doubt myself:(

I didn't mean to say there was no steering feel - it's just that in terms of vibration or shocks sent through the wheel, it felt like every other VAG car I've driven - very insulated from the road's surface. In terms of cornering force and the adhesion of the tires, it was very communicative.

Yeah well that's steering feel to me; being able to feel vibrations through the steering wheel depending on what the front tires are doing-going over-road surface.

What you mentioned the R8 had was a steering wheel that just felt heavier as the lateral G's increase or the speed increases. That's nothing major, especially for a car like the R8.

I guess Richard Hammond was right about his Porsche 911 S vs the R8

lmao zing

"And what type of vehicle is required to make a 996 Turbo S feel as brisk as a Mondeo V6 around the Nordschleife? Yup, a Noble M400. The M400 is so much faster around here that even locals in tricked-up GT3s become mobile-chicanes." - GT Purely Porsche Magazine

http://nobleforums.com

I had to ask.. inspiration and ideas come from everywhere.. i work for a big company myself.. and I know that one of these days I will do something on my own, not even in the same field

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Former: 1995 Ranger, 2003 GLI, 1995.5 S6 Avant

Why?

I feel I have so much more control over the pedals when I am barefoot. With my winter mats in, my heal always gets stuck under the clutch when wearing shoes, which sucks, but now that it's warm out and I can yet again wear flip flops, I can drive barefoot. With naked feet, I can precisely heal toe but with any type of shoes on I lose that precision and control.

usually, I use my big toe for breaking and the heal/right side of my foot on the LOL pedal to blip the throttle.

Awesome write-up btw.