Audi R8

General Overview:

The Audi R8 is a two-door midengine AWD exotic sports car. Standard equipment includes 19-inch wheels, a retractable rear spoiler, xenon headlights, LED brake lights and turn signals, leather and Alcantara upholstery, power-adjustable sport seats, aluminum trim, automatic climate control, Bluetooth connectivity and a seven-speaker stereo with a six-CD changer.

Optional are carbon-fiber “sideblade” exterior styling panels, a Bang & Olufsen premium stereo, a navigation system and upgraded Napa leather upholstery. There’s also the Convenience Package, which contains parking sensors, auto-dimming rearview mirrors and a “hill-holder” feature for models equipped with the conventional manual transmission.

Standard safety equipment includes antilock disc brakes, stability control, seat-mounted side airbags and knee-protecting airbags.

The 2009 Audi R8 features an attractive interior with high-quality materials, although there are a few cheap-feeling bits, such as the hard plastic on the center console and the substandard emergency brake handle. The center stack swoops elegantly toward the windshield; however, this design requires the driver to lean forward in order to adjust certain controls. Also awkward is the race-inspired flat-bottomed steering wheel — it may not telescope out far enough for those with long legs. The seats are superbly contoured for both hard driving and long-distance cruising.

Unlike in most newer Audis, the R8′s Multi Media Interface (MMI) controls are mounted below the LCD screen on the center stack, which is less convenient than their typical location on the center console. Audi claims there’s room behind the seats for two golf bags — your results may vary. There are also 3.5 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk; in practice, however, this less-than-optimally shaped cargo hold can’t swallow much more than a duffel bag and some odds and ends.