There are certain European sports cars that belong in every gearhead's garage. The Porsche 911 Turbo S and the Audi R8 are both brilliant cars. They're proper supercars, and they are also somewhat reasonably priced. The two German supercars have been fierce rivals for a long time now. They are both some of the most usable supercars on the market, and VAG companies build both cars.
It is a civil war, but which car is better, the four-seater, rear-engined 911 Turbo S or the two-seater mid-engined Audi R8? It's flat-6 versus V10. We can think of five reasons why the Porsche 911 Turbo S is the best German supercar ever made and five reasons why we would rather have an Audi R8.
10 The Porsche 911 Turbo S Is The Best German Supercar: The Usability
The R8 is a badass sports car, but it cannot be used every day, no matter what people tell you. It's just way too thirsty. It may be comfortable, but it's a mid-engined supercar with two seats and low suspension. Therefore, the Porsche is a far better choice to use every day. The Turbo S seats four and with a 3.7-liter twin-turbo flat-6 under the hood, it's even far more economical.
It's a comfortable car and the ride height isn't even that low for a supercar. It can deal with modern roads quite well as it easily gets over potholes and road cracks. Furthermore, it's easy to park and visibility is great. A true everyday supercar.
9 We'd Rather Have An Audi R8: The Sound
The Audi R8 sounds absolutely insane and it revs all the way to 8700 rpm. It has a bellowing exhaust note that turns into a very high-pitched scream unique to its beautiful naturally aspirated V10. It almost sounds like an old-school Formula 1 car, angry and vicious, and because it has no turbochargers the noise isn't affected at all.
The R8 has one of the sickest V10 engines ever found in a car, and it has one of the most unique sounds to boot.
8 The Porsche 911 Turbo S Is The Best German Supercar: The Performance
The Porsche 911 Turbo S will leave most cars for dead. The latest 992 generation hits 60 mph in 2.7 seconds (2.8 in the convertible model) and flat out, it will do 205 mph. This car is a menace and with AWD you can bet that this thing will be the first off the line.
The Turbo S also has some good mid-range grunt as it has 590 lb-ft of torque. That is more torque than a Lamborghini Aventador. With 630 hp, the Porsche also has more than enough power and is by far one of the best supercars of the last decade.
7 We'd Rather Have An Audi R8: The Engine
The Audi R8 is one of the last V10 cars on sale today. In fact, it is one of three V10 vehicles actually still being produced today. The other two new V10 vehicles include the R8's sibling, the Lamborghini Huracán, and the Ford E-Series van. It is part of a dying breed, and it must be appreciated extensively while it's still possible.
The engine is a naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 that has been built in conjunction with Lamborghini, so we know straight away that it's a proper performance engine. The top performance model has 612hp and 428 lb-ft of torque. 0 to 60 mph takes place in 3.1 seconds and it has a top speed of 206 mph.
6 The Porsche 911 Turbo S Is The Best German Supercar: The Heritage
The 911 Turbo S has far more heritage than the Audi R8. The R8 was launched in 2006, 43 years after the launch of the Porsche 911 and 31 years after the first 911 Turbo. The Porsche 911 has sold over a million units.
The Porsche Turbo has always been a dream car, and it was a 1980s poster icon. The current model is one of the fastest Porsches ever made, which contributes more to this car's pedigree. The track version of the Turbo S, the GT2 RS was once the fastest car around the Nürburgring.
5 We'd Rather Have An Audi R8: The Looks
The 911 it's a great looker, but it's just not as dramatic as the insane-looking R8. The Audi R8 has always been glamorous despite Audi calling it a "discrete supercar." The coupe model has a transparent engine cover, a feature that alone gets more attention than the Turbo S will ever get.
It is one of the best performance Audis ever made and it looks so exotic and different from any other Audi.
4 The Porsche 911 Turbo S Is The Best German Supercar: The Practicality
The Audi R8 is very practical. But it's not as practical as the Turbo S. It is very hard to believe that the Turbo S can seat four and hit speeds of 205 mph. Sure the rear seats are small, but they are usable, and they're two more than most supercars. The 911 Turbo S has a decent-sized trunk too.
The interior has a lot of room inside as well, it's spacious and everything is laid out in an organized manner. The latest 992 model of the Turbo S is by far one of the best new cars of 2020.
3 We'd Rather Have An Audi R8: The Thrill
The Audi R8 is a joy to drive, from the exhaust note to the handling, this car really will put a smile on your face. The gas costs may be high, but it's more about smiles per gallon when driving this thing. Has there ever been anyone frowning whilst driving an Audi R8?
Its handling is razor-sharp, it sticks to the road like glue, and over the years has won many handling awards. The R8 is famously AWD too but if you don't want that for whatever reason, you can order the R8 in the rear-wheel-drive specification. The R8 is so easy to drive fast, even a child could handle it.
2 The Porsche 911 Turbo S Is The Best German Supercar: The Technology
The Porsche 911 Turbo S has a lot of technology. The latest model has Carbon Ceramic brakes, different drive modes, a very fast double-clutch PDK gearbox, and a brilliant turbocharger system. The latest 992 Turbo S model now has adaptive cooling flaps at the front which stay closed during times when cooling is not needed in order to reduce drag.
The new 992 model even produces 15% more downforce than the previous model, which may not sound like a lot, but it does have quite an effect on the way this car handles. It's one of the most awesome turbo Porsches ever made.
1 We'd Rather Have An Audi R8: The Interior
The Porsche has a great interior, but it's not as special as the R8. The Audi R8 has an interior that is different from any other car unless it's an Audi TT. The first thing you will notice is the lack of an infotainment screen inside. How does one control the radio or look at the sat-nav? Well, Audi's solution is the virtual cockpit, the screen behind the steering wheel.
It's all high-quality stuff, with perforated leather and a steering wheel with many buttons on it, including a red start/stop button. It's a spartan interior, but it's also very driver-focused.