Quick Take
Backing up the brutish looks.
Last year, Audi’s halo car, the R8, got the horsepower—105 more with the new V-10 than the V-8 R8’s 420—that its gorgeous styling suggested it already had. We’ve previously tested a manual V-10 but were curious to see if the optional, single-clutch automated manual (“R tronic” in Audi-speak) would yield quicker straight-line times, as both six-speed boxes come with launch control.
Which tranny is better?
In terms of acceleration, the automated manual can’t be beat. The R tronic’s short, sub-0.1-second shifts make it slightly quicker to 60 mph (3.4 seconds versus 3.5) and through the quarter-mile (11.6 versus 11.7). The R tronic’s occasional herky-jerky starts make it perhaps less fit for commuting duty, though it’s perfect for the track. But it’s not like we’re going to kick the R tronic out of bed for eating weisswurst. No matter which transmission is fitted to the car, the result is brilliant. We just prefer the gated manual for its tactile connection to the powertrain.
Waiter, check please!
The R8 5.2 starts at $150,200. Add $8200 to that for the auto-shift transmission.
