The Audi R8 nameplate is so vast that many people who thought they know the model well enough might be surprised that they probably don’t. First, we're here to talk about the road-going R8 sports car, but do you know that there are other Audi cars with the R8 badge? While this article will focus on the road-legal Audi R8 that began life in 2006, select Audis have been wearing the R8 badge since as far back as 1999.
In fact, R8 is a race-bred nameplate born at the knees of Le Mans before spawning road-legal versions and some concepts that may never see the light of day. The R8’s journey began with the open-top 1999 Audi R8R, a special prototype developed for the grueling 24-hour Le Man's event. The R8R was followed by the Audi R8C the same year, Audi R8 (LMP) in 2020, Audi Le Mans Quattro in 2003, Type 42 Audi R8 in 2007, 2008 Audi R8 Le Mans Concept, and the 2nd-gen 2015 Type 4S Audi R8.
From current indications, the R8 chronicles will last two generations. If anyone has to ask what’s so nostalgic about the Audi R8, tell them the very first production Audi R8 sported a 6-speed manual transmission. Also, the roar from the exhaust and the LED headlamps are unforgettable. Let’s zero in on the 2009 Audi R8.
The Audi R8 Evolution
A proper appreciation of the 2009 Audi R8 begins with following the evolution of the road-going Audi R8 that began in 2006; a 2-seater, mid-engined sports car bearing Audi's trademark Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system. The German automotive manufacturer, Audi AG, had its high-performance division, Audi Sport GmbH, exclusively design, develop, and build the street-legal R8 based on the Space Frame platform, also known as the Aluminum and Steel Space frame.
Audi developed the Space Frame technology as a lightweight alternative to steel that is, at the same time, more rigid. The technology consists of a self-supporting aluminum body, the same platform utilized for the then Lamborghini Gallardo (now Lamborghini Huracan). Remember, Volkswagen and Audi are Lamborghini's parent companies.
The 2009 Audi R8 is part of the 1st-gen road-legal Type 42 Audi appearing for the first time at the Paris Auto Show in September 2006. This was the first-ever production car with full-LED headlamps. Production of the second-generation Type 42 Audi R8 ended in August 2015. What we find outrightly unacceptable is some people questioning the supercar status of the R8, particularly the 2009 Audi R8. The car is a supercar despite fitting in nicely as a daily commuter.
What we love most is that the R8 is its perfect blend of luxury and performance. Here is one of the few supercars that did not sacrifice comfort on the altar of performance. It is not so hard-edged that you feel you need a balaclava and racing gloves every time you drive it. We’re nostalgic about this 1st-gen R8 as it was nothing less than a futuristic speed machine intended to give the Porsche 911 Turbo a serious run for its money.
To ensure the level of passenger comfort matches the thrill of the drive, the interior is bathed in high-end leather and Alcantara materials, the type you’d expect in top-dollar Audi sedans. The roofline is expertly cut to provide sufficient headroom even for tall passengers, and the seats are 10-way adjustable with storage space behind them.
The interior is loaded with electronics marked by a driver-centered, easy-to-use cockpit that Audi aptly termed "Monoposto,” effectively reminding us of the Mazda Miata Mono-Posto concept.
The wide and low exterior aesthetic is a bold announcement of the R8’s sportiness. The sweeping arc of the hood and roof accentuated by the LED daytime running lights gives the car a sketch-like ambiance. The futuristic curvatures of the 2009 Audi R8 will undoubtedly add to the task of building a worthy successor. This car will sit proudly beside the latest models ten or even twenty years from now.
Beauty aside, the gut is one of our favorite features. It contains a peppy 4.2L V8 producing 420 horsepower at 7,800 rpm and 317 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 to 6000 rpm.
The engine occupies a mid-chassis position, as does the top-of-the-line Audi RS midsize sedan. Power travels to the wheels via a thrilling 6-speed gated manual transmission or 6-speed R-Tronic sequential-shift automated clutch transmission.
The 2009 model R8 had an EPA estimated city/highway fuel economy of 13/20 for the manual transmission variant and 13/19 for the auto. As mentioned earlier, this car came with the marque’s Quattro all-wheel-drive as standard. Power distribution was 44/56, front and rear.
How Does The 2009 Audi R8 Stack up Against Other Sports Cars Today?
We'll zero in on just one car; the Porsche 911 Turbo, the R8’s closest rival. We’ll be fair and direct by comparing both brands for the same production year. For starters, the R8 looked and looks much cooler, like something lifted straight from a poster or sketchbook. Not saying the 911 was dull by any means. To be fair, the design of the 2009 Porsche 911 is quite uniquely Porsche-y. In that sense, it has no rival.
To date, the 911 is faster even without the turbo, while the R8 offers a level of practicality and luxury the 911 would only aspire to. And that unique R8 revving? Not even the 911’s enviable steering can drown it out. The 2009 Porsche 911 is also bested by the 2009 Audi R8 by its monoposto cockpit. Compared to 911's jungle of buttons, the R8's are far easier to access, but first, you have to get in the car.
Most supercars suffer from a taxing entry and exit, and sadly, the 2009 R8 isn’t exempt from this malady.
Ultimately, gearheads are happy to shell out $116,000 to $125,000 for the badass 420hp V8 that’s very much at home behind the R8’s showy glass panel. That and the metal-gated 6-speed manual transmission with aptly chosen ratios and a satisfying “clink” sound heralding each completed shift. Sadly, the R8's production will end by 2023. The last of the bloodline, the Audi V10 R8, will get an all-electric replacement. Even then, the R8 would still kick ass.