Our tester came with the manual transmission, which proved to be very fun to operate. Each shift is met with a sweet metallic sound coming from the open gate, giving the impression of driving a race car. The only problem we encountered was the lack of precision when shifting from second to third gear: if you're in a rush, you have to make sure to correctly align the shifter with the cog.

A new sequential gearbox called "R tronic" is optional.

With either of the two gearboxes, accelerations are electrifying: 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, according to Audi, and 4.9 seconds based on our own tests. The R8 should be able to reach a top speed of 300 km/h. Its V8 never seems to run out of breath. That said, what will impress your neighbors once they stop drooling just enough to pay attention is the incredibly intoxicating symphony of the engine.

As for braking, you literally feel the R8 sinking its claws into the road. Handling is quite remarkable because the steering is so precise and direct. Plus, as you can imagine, bodyroll is inexistent. The car offers excellent grip yet, unlike other exotic sports coupes, it remains easy to drive. Consider it as a docile monster.

Uncompromised interior
No need to be a contortionist to get onboard. In addition, there's plenty of room inside to make occupants comfortable. As we realized, the relaxed driving environment make it possible to travel for several uninterrupted hours.

Surprisingly, the windshield and side windows provide great visibility, which is rare for such a high-caliber sports car. In fact, no matter where you look, you can see a large portion of the road. All the while, the cockpit remains fairly quiet, even at high speed -- except for the noise coming from the roaring engine, which we couldn't live without anyway.

In terms of storage, improvements could certainly be made, although the front trunk is large enough to swallow two people's worth of luggage for a weekend getaway. Since the interior layout is extremely occupant-oriented, there are not many compartments to store small items.

Finally, the suspension is firm yet it still manages to be forgiving towards the driver and passenger. We expected a jarring ride, but the comfort level proved otherwise.

The cockpit is roomy and nicely soundproofed.