2017 Classic Nostalgia at Shelsley Walsh Review

Shelsley Walsh hillclimb in Worcestershire is the world's oldest motorsport venue in continual use. It's a 1000 yard long ribbon of tarmac which twists and turns uphill from the paddock to the finish line at the top. It opened in 1905 and the record for the fastest run was set in 2008 by Martin Groves in a Gould single seater.

The record run time is 22.58 seconds, which is barely believable when you stand trackside. The track is narrow and has no run off areas, and it's steep - it rises 328 feet over it's course.

Classic Nostalgia is a weekend of four wheeled fun where the paddock is expanded from the usual single seater and classic hill climb fare to encompass other cars, in this case rally cars and a tribute to Donald Campbell and his Napier Bluebird land speed record car from 1929.

If you've never been before you'll be surprised by the size of the place. A hillclimb is necessarily compact but Shelsley Walsh feels particularly bijou. The car parks are right next to the bottom of the track and then it's just a short walk to the track and paddock.

But before you even get there you'll gawp at the lines and lines of classics, sports and super cars, polished and cleaned and prepared by their owners who gather together in an eclectic mix of owner's clubs.

After you've walked up and down and enjoyed the club owner's cars you're at the track. You walk the gauntlet of a dozen food stands - quality fayre here, no typical motorsport grey tea and undefined meat burger - and you're there, trackside. You can hear, but not see quite yet, a car pull away from the line every twenty seconds or so.

Turn left and head to the paddock. If you're lucky, as we were, you'll have access to the Stratstone village with its own grandstand and marquees (with a live acoustic band!) and toilets (and a static display of a lightweight E-Type and Ferrari F40). As it turns out this is a nice to have rather than a have to have because, unlike the majority of UK motorsport venues, Shelsley Walsh is a rather civilised place with first rate facilities.

As mentioned previously the food stalls are a cut above. But then you notice the lack of litter, the closely cut grass, the cleanliness of the loos, the politeness of everyone...

The paddock is a collection of tin roofed, wooden framed, open sided garages which are open to anyone to walk around, inspect the cars, chat to the drivers and generally soak up the atmosphere. Cars are fired up and revved, men and women in overalls and race suits amble around and cars will come and go as they enter or exit the collection area at the bottom of the hill.

And then when they line up and it is their turn to go they drive up to the line and are placed precisely by an orange suited marshal whilst another sticks a chock behind the right, rear wheel. Even the start line is steep.

And then they go, leaving behind the sight, sound and smell of a race car - petrol, fumes, rubber. Automotive nectar.

The first 300 yards looks straight but it bends subtly left and right before the first off-camber left-hand corner - Kennel. The track here is visible by those further up the hill and those who stand or sit in the public or Stratstone grandstands, but there is a hedge preventing those from the car parks seeing in.

Therefore once you've left the paddock you'll want to sprint up the hill to avoid missing any of the action.

You don't have to go far. By the time you reach the second corner, a shallow left called Crossing, you can see more than two thirds of the entire track - left all the way down almost to the start and right to the sharp left Bottom S which leads on to the sharp right Top S and then the finish line.

You can, and should, walk up and down the track, soaking up the atmosphere and watching the cars fly by.

For a 113 year old circuit the tech in use is up to date. Each car hits three timing beams and this data is displayed in real time on a large digital display which is visible to most spectators. There's no need for large TV screens because you can see almost the entire track from most places.

The cars climbing the hill at the Classic Nostalgia event ranged from Group A rally cars with serious pedigree to classic hillclimb machinery. Cars rallied by Carlos Sainz, Colin McRae and a host of  other top flight drivers wowed the crowds as they ran up the hill several times.

You stand or sit and watch as cars come and go and time flies by. You don't need to elbow your way through four deep crowds just to catch a glimpse. You'll generally find a bit of clear fence where you can see up and down the hill. You feel close to the action almost anywhere and, as a motorsport fan, you'll be absorbed by the sight and sound of race cars being driven to the limit for just a few dozen seconds - and then the next car comes along.

Shelsley Walsh exists as a modern reminder of a bygone age, which celebrates fast and glamorous and glorious race cars from the 1920s to the 2000s. It feels elegant and genteel and friendly whilst never being a pastiche. Rather it is just about the most genuine grassroots celebration of motorsport I've encountered in the UK.

With thanks to Stratstone who provided me with a pair of tickets for the day.

Matt Hubbard
@speedmonkeycouk

Tweet

Driven - Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

Colin Hubbard reviews the Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

It is scarcely believable but the Audi R8 will be celebrating its 8th birthday this year.

What is admirable is that Audi's first attempt at a supercar has only received minor cosmetic and mechanical tweaks to remain competitive in a market place of Porsches, Ferrari' and Lamborghinis.

It knows its place in the VW group line hierarchy as the more sensible supercar to sister company Lamborghini's wild Gallardo and LP 560-4 variants and whilst perhaps not as jaw dropping as the italian it has won many hearts and orders purely by being an Audi.

That may be a strange statement but I believe to be entirely true in that it is a supercar made by the company that makes the very car that you can afford and drive on a daily basis, and that is part of the key to the passion of the R8.

It is a supercar that anyone can relate to.

This of course does have an adverse affect on some petrolhead's opinions as that is entirely what it is, an Audi, but a really fast one with the engine in the right place and rear-biased permanent four wheel drive system.

Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

In addition it is seen by some as perhaps too polished and easy to live with. There's a notion that supercars should be cramped and uncomfortable, roughly finished and edgy at the limit!

Whatever your thoughts on the R8 let's face facts - it is a sensible, restrained supercar - maybe one for the conservative type - but a supercar nevertheless.

The genesis was the V8 coupe which is what we have on test.

Little has changed since 2007 - the Walter de Silva design still looks sharply Germanic and turns heads like the front row of cinema goers.

The engine is still the same acclaimed RS4 derived motor only with a dry sump to enable it to be mounted lower to the ground with a remote reservoir housing the oil to supply a constant flow during aggressive cornering. It has received only a minor tweak over the years, to produce an additional 10bhp.

The 4.2 litre aluminium V8 is fitted with direct fuel injection and variable valve timing and really likes to rev with peak power of 424bhp being delivered at 7,900rpm and stopping at a glorious 8,500rpm redline. Being naturally aspirated torque lags behind the competition at 317lb/ft, which is available between 4,500 and 6,000rpm but it doesn't feel like it's lacking twisting power due to its light weight.

Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

The main benefit of the smallest engine in the R8 range is that it is lighter than the V10 by some 60kg which in turn means it is that little bit more agile in the corners and take some of the pressure off the brakes.

In addition as the engine is shorter there is more available cabin space behind the seats so they can recline further or even fit some specially tailored luggage for a weekend away.

The manual gearbox is still offered but in the test car sat a 7 speed S-Tronic twin clutch auto which sends 70% of the power to the rear wheels and 30% to the front wheels which explains the safe but playful nature of the R8.

This car features fixed rate suspension so no fancy magnetic wizardry, just double wishbones at each corner.

One upgrade the R8 has received over the years is the fitment of steel wavy discs which are lighter than conventional round edged ones. The weight difference is minimal but any effort to reduce unsprung weight is welcomed so the suspension components can react quicker to changes in the road surface.

Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

The wavy discs are clamped by some pretty serious looking 8 piston calipers up front with 4 piston calipers at the rear and finished in black with R8 logos behind the polished 'Y' design alloys.

The alloys add some bling to the restrained contours of the R8 and, although an option at £870, are the icing on the cake. The bodywork has stood the test of time - it hasn't been changed at all since launch, although the grilles have been refreshed.

Down the side of the car the most striking feature is the controversial sideblades, seen here in carbon fibre as an £1800 option. At launch the sideblades seemed over the top and, to my eye, ruined the R8's lines but over the years have grown to be part of its identity and I do hope they appear on the future model. Talking of identity the way to spot the difference between the V8 and V10 R8 is that the V8 has smooth blades all the way down whereas the V10 has widened air intakes so step out below the height of the door handle.

On a personal note a supercar should be special and there are certain vital ingredients but one is essential. The key point is a mid-mounted engine, as in the R8, so it has the perfect balance over the axles, it then has the correct hunkered-down, cab forward stance so the driver is in the best position to see the road and control the car.

Anyway back to my original point which was features vital to a supercar and one such is the visible engine which, in the case of the R8, is a glass cover. To increase its swagger the engine bay is illuminated so at night both pedestrians and other motorists by can see where your money has gone.

As I had the car for a week I hand washed it which is a good way to see and feel the shape of the body. One thing was obvious is that the shape is sleek and the fixings flush with the undercarriage aero noticably present although not shouty. It has been designed and built to travel at seriously high speeds but also be quiet and stable.

Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

Open the door to the cabin and it has a set of nicely damped notches to open to varying degrees so you don't knock on the neighbouring car. Step in across the wide but low sill and, as you step sideways rather than down, access and ingress can be achieved gracefully.

If you have driven a modern Audi then you will feel instantly at home in it, only this time trimmed with the finest quality leather draped over all of the surfaces. Seen in the test car with contrasting stitching (a £275 option) it really is a lesson in restraint and class. The cab forward design and wide body offer generous interior space with plenty of foot, head and elbow room whilst the reclined driving position with long reach steering wheel has very much the feel of a race car.

The seats, whilst not looking particularly sporty, offer a good blend of long distance comfort with sufficient lateral support.

On the tech front the R8 is starting to feel its age and is positively shown up by the new TT's gadget laden cabin. The sat nav doesn't take full postcodes and cruise control isn't standard but the standard fit hifi has a great sound although the CD changer is optional!

On the road is where the R8 excels and that old hat tech is easily forgotten.

Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

On start up the V8 makes a great sound particularly from cold when the exhaust flaps are open, much to the dismay of your neighbours.

Acceleration is rapid as it should be in a supercar with 0-62mph coming up in 4.3 seconds before going onto a top speed of 187mph. The V8's 0-62 time is 0.7 of a second slower than the equivalent V10 R8 and oddly enough is the more enjoyable car to drive for being that tiny bit slower.

Let me explain.

On a recent driving day at the Millbrook Alpine circuit I drove a Golf R and McLaren 650S back to back. Now the McLaren was the biggest emotional high but I had more fun in the Golf as I was able to use all the power and for longer, extracting every last rpm and bhp out of the 2 litre engine. In the 650S full power could only be used a few times and even then you have to be wary in case it overwhelmed the rear tyres.

The same principle occurs when you drive a model with slightly lower performance and the V8 R8 is still incredibly quick but you can use full throttle for longer than the V10 which is a more enjoyable experience and also better news for your licence. Manufacturers constantly strive for more power for next gen models whereas the key is lighter weight and more accessible performance.

One thing the V8 doesn't lack is noise and with such high revs available it constantly rumbles and bellows just behind the cabin. Being naturally aspirated it does need 5-6,000 revs to feel properly quick but select sport mode and leave the S Tronic box to pick the cogs and keep the revs in the upper reaches and acceleration is properly in keeping with the £100,000 price tag.

Being in sport mode also adds in throttle blips on down-changes and permanently opens the exhaust flaps so the V8 can be heard singing its heart out just inches from your head.

On the go the S Tronic can swop cogs incredibly quick as the next gear is lined up using the second clutch so changes are completed like flicking a switch but at pedestrian speeds there is a small amount of lurching as the clutch is unsure how much to slip.

Despite the car running fixed rate dampers the ride is actually very good, it can be fidgety at low speeds on roughly surfaced roads but potholes don't shake through the cabin.

Where it excels, as perhaps it should do, is in the corners as the wheel control and balance have been perfectly honed to this habitat and even when you provoke it mid-bend it doesn't snap back as that 30% power sent to the front wheels is just enough to keep things in check.

Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

The cab forward design and small weight over the front end means oversteer is almost non-existent but be hamfisted with the throttle and oversteer can be easily provoked which can be effortlessly balanced on the throttle, just a small let off and it steps back in line. This safe and playful set up has been the R8's forte since launch and remains as good today as it ever was.

As a GT car the R8 is the perfect companion. On the motorway it is beautifully serene and stable due to being designed for high speeds, the cabin is spacious and the seats are comfortable. After a 190 mile journey I exited the car feeling fresh as a daisy.

The brakes work really well, there is a hard feeling initially to the pedal action but keep going and those large calipers begin to clamp the pads to the disks and then the modulation starts to shine through so the car can be nicely placed on the road. The lack of servo takes a little getting used to but after a while is rewarding.

Even 7 years after it was launched the R8 is competitive in the market and still giving Porsche a headache, and proving Audi got the design and engineering spot on first time.

As a road car the V8 engined R8 is the most fun as that brilliant engine can be fully utilised and heard for more of the time. In addition the small weight saving helps it reacts quicker to direction changes and makes it that little nimbler on its feet.

As a car the R8 is simply outstanding and even when it is fitted with the mere V8 it is a bona fide supercar!

I can't wait for the second generation model.

Stats

Price - £94,900 (£104,980 as tested)
Engine - 4.2 litre, V8, petrol
Transmission - 7 Speed S-Tronic
0-62mph - 4.3 seconds
Top speed - 187 mph
Power - 424bhp at 7,900rpm
Torque - 317lb ft between 4500 - 6000rpm
Economy - 22.8mpg combined
CO2 - 289 g/km
Kerb weight - 1,585kg unladen

Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

Tweet

Supercar Diary - Part Two - Getting To Grips With The Audi R8

Colin Hubbard spends a week with an Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

Thursday

As I left for work the road outside my house was particularly busy so when a sensible gap appeared I gave it the beans - this wasn't such a good idea as the cold tyres gave up grip quickly and the R8 oversteered rather a lot. I quickly eased off and the car straightened up but it gave me a taste of the R8's playful nature.

My resolution to master the paddles had me thinking a little too much about what I was doing and I found I held the steering wheel at a quarter to three, as this is the most natural position to have immediate access to the paddles. This in turn means I ended up steering less naturally as I wanted to keep my hands in a fixed position next to the paddles in case I needed to change gear mid bend.

This got me thinking about the car chase scene in Ronin when De Niro was driving. His hands were fixed at a quarter to three position but he looked petrified. I wasn't not petrified at all, instead I was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. I found that a lot that week, I just smiled to myself for no other reason than I had access to the R8.

On the motorway the traffic flowed at a reasonable speed and the rain hammered down. The wipers on full speed do a decent job of clearing the windscreen and are just another reason why the R8 is the thinking man's supercar - you know everything is going to work and work properly.

At lunch I popped to Asda for another colleague passenger ride request. I bought lunch and a few other larger items and try the front boot which is opened off the key fob. It is a fairly large space and swallowed groceries with ease, although I did get some funny looks from shoppers thinking I was putting my sandwiches in the engine bay. No matter how hard I dropped the bonnet it doesn't completely shut and needs a further push to click into the locked position.

There were speed bumps as we exited the car park so I drove over them cautiously, waiting for cringeworthy scraping noises - but needn't have worried as despite the low cabin there is still reasonable ground clearance.

Later that day when in the gym I got chatting to a friend. During the conversation I couldn't help throw in that I was in an R8 for a week - seems many people adore them, even non petrolheads and it is always their dream car, not a Lamborghini or Porsche but an R8. I think this is down to the fact that people can relate to it being an Audi so can do things normal cars can do (well, apart from carrying more than 2 people) but then can do things that other cars can't do - supercar things.

The last job for the day is to pick up my eldest daughter from brownies. She hasn't been in the R8 before and as she buckles up I hear quietly from the passenger seat, "This is ridiculous." When I ask why she tells me she prefers the purple one. The purple one happen to be the 108 which has 4 seats and a belting heater. There just no pleasing some people...

At least there were no complaints from the passenger seat on the drive back which is a good sign as she doesn't like going fast - the stable R8 provides a secure ride and made her feel safe.

Friday

After an enjoyable few miles on some twisties I pondered the question of the R8's status as a supercar. Evo magazine doesn't list the R8 as a supercar, instead it is listed in the sports car category along with Boxsters and MR2's. What codswallop!

Even in V8 spec the R8 is pure supercar, definitely more so than a Honda NSX or BMW M1 with their six cylinder engines -  that have been listed in the supercar category in Evo.

To me a supercar must be mid-engined, highly-powered (enough to get you into trouble), exotic, special, shouty, slightly impractical and, most importantly, an entertainer. The R8's only failing on the list is that it isn't that impractical in that there's tailored usable luggage for weekends away and even a set of golf clubs can be accommodated on the shelf behind the seats. Granted it is wider and lower than most cars so exiting the car in a standard size parking bay can be tricky but it copes brilliantly as an everyday car.

On the way home from work I approached a Fiat 500 doing some 20mph below the speed limit. It wasn't safe to pass so I pressing the sport button to prep the car and waited patiently behind for a safe opportunity. As I waited, peeking out from the R8's low cabin, the little 500 looked comically high in front of me which tickled me rather.

Moments later the corner levelled out and the road straight ahead beckoned so with 2 clicks on the left cog I was in second and foot flat to the floor the V8's violent power delivery slung me level with the little Fiat. At this point as the revs approached the 8,000rpm redline -  sounding part powerboat part race car - and just a tickle on the right paddle put me into third for the final pass to get past.

It was a joyous experience, not just the acceleration but the raw engine noise made by the high revving V8 inches behind me. It also meant that the overtake was delivered quickly and efficiently so we were on the wrong side of the road for the shortest amount of time. Quite safe these supercars!

Later on I was sat at some traffic lights and whilst I was looking around the cabin noticed that the climate control is controlled by good old fashioned rotary controllers - one for heat, one for fan speed and the other for air direction. What a brilliant idea, not only are they much easier to use than conventional climate control switchgear but they look much more purposeful than a keyboard of confusing buttons that take 20 seconds to click click click in half degrees from 18 to 25 degrees and then click click click click to change the passenger side.

I parked up at the house and smiled as I got out. It was a good day.

Saturday

It was a big day today. I was off to Berkshire to visit Speedmonkey (Matt (our kid)) so would spend lots of time in the R8 and was really looking forward to it.

First off and this morning was my only opportunity to give the R8 a clean and take some decent pictures for my full review. I don't use car washes, they're horrible things that throw all the dirt collected in the brushes into your paintwork and then swirl it around so it's out with the hosepipe and bucket .

She got a hosing down to loosen road dirt and then good a good rub with a sponge and some soapy water.

I always hand wash press cars as you spot detail you may not ordinarily notice. Particularly noticeable was the underbody aero and amount of the vents for various radiators and air intakes to cool the car. The underneath is very smooth and I couldn't feel any fixings, this has been properly designed and engineered to go fast, be utterly stable and also keep wind noise to a minimum.

One feature that I previously hadn't noticed was that the shape of the door mirrors - they ape the contour of the rear arches.

The wheels were up next. The 10 spoke 'Y' design alloys were a complete pain to clean as the shape is so intricate. The spokes are mounted on the very edge of the alloy and there is an inner rim just behind the spokes.

Whilst getting busy with the alloys I took a good look at the brakes, 8 pot calipers at the front and 4 pots at the rear with steel 'wavy' discs. These looked awesome behind the alloys. I also noticed a second smaller brake calliper on each back wheel which is used for handbrake duties.

Once rinsed and dried it was time for photos, first on the drive and then I drove to a couple of locations near my house - an industrial estate with a gravelled area and then to the car park of the local football ground. Different locations produce different lighting off surrounding buildings and trees which I why I like to mix them up a little.

The last job before heading south was to take my youngest daughter for a ride in the R8, which I had been promising. Booster dropped on the passenger seat and moved fully back the 6 year old was buckled in and grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

We just squeezed in a few miles taking it steady in the corners with such a precious cargo onboard but on the straights and particularly from traffic lights gave it some stick to show off the supercar's acceleration.

Back at home we finished off with some nice photos with both kids in the driver's seat.

I set off for the at about 14:00, stopping of in Knutsford to pick up some greenhouse staging I had won on ebay. I trusted the sat nav which doesn't take full postcodes and it got me there spot on. I disassembled the staging expecting to have to put it in the passenger footwell but it fitted nicely in the front boot. I paid the man then set off for Stoke to James who manages the Speedmonkey Facebook page.

The sat nav took me a queer route and I ended up in north in Altrincham before heading out to the A556 then onto the M6. I had intended to hook up an emergency TomTom but with time limitations didn't bother, in hindsight it may well have saved me that time.

A steady jaunt down the motorway and then some fast A-roads led me to somewhere in Stoke. Again the sat nav got me bang on the destination although, as I couldn't see the house numbers, drove past it at first. As I turned around a little boy waved at me, grinning. Mustn't see many of these around there. As I came back on myself another couple of young lads rubber-necked the R8 as I drove past.

I picked James up and then we went off for a few miles to explore the delights of Stoke and the R8. I was directed to some tunnels and, as is customary, the windows went down, sport mode was selected and, using the paddles, dropped down to second for some hard and fast acceleration. As the revs climbed the noise of the high V8 reverberated off the tunnel walls and back into the cabin. I just wish I could have bottled the sensation!

It would be rude not to so we turned around and did it again before heading back to drop off a seriously impressed mate.

With sat nav duly set I headed south for the final leg.

The sat nav turned out to be fairly intuitive and could be used solely by the display between the clocks and the voiced directions (which sounded just like my Auntie Pauline) but it is easier to navigate with the main central screen on nav mode so roundabouts and junctions ahead can be seen on a map as they approach.

The first fault I found with the R8 is that you cannot use the trip computer while the nav is in operation so whilst I knew I had 150 miles to go I couldn't tell the range the fuel would provide. You have to turn off the navigation so you can see the range then turn it back on again. Not good.

Down on the M40 the sky was beautifully clear with just a scattering of dark, moody looking clouds high up.

As I took the exit off the M40 onto the A34 the skies turn dark and I saw the R8's LED auto headlights turn on - shining a bluey white clean light onto the road. Even the front indicators are bright and can be seen shining their amber glow on other cars and traffic signs.

The A34 is tree lined and very dark in places so I am grateful for such quality lighting as the A34 is jolly good fun when it is quiet. The 2 lane carriageway meanders through the countryside rising and dipping and veering left then right which gives the R8's fixed suspension a good workout and proves more than up to the job. It does ride reasonably hard but the damping is spot on so it deals with bumps immediately and no crashiness is felt through the cabin.

The weather has turned quite windy and is blowing from the side, not evident from the cars behaviour or through the wheel but it can be heard whizzing through the side vents just the door. This was the first time I heard any wind noise in the R8.

I had to stop for some fuel on the M34, just a little to get me to somewhere near Matt's house with cheaper fuel so I put a tenners worth of super unleaded in to the 90 litre tank. I had done some 360 miles on the full tank and, with a range showing 10 miles, real world calculations mean I have done approx 18mpg with 150 steady motorway miles and 210 on fast country roads. Pretty impressive really and a benefit of the V8 over the V10's more thirsty motor.

I arrived at Matt's house at 19:00. He guides me onto his drive over a fairly steep pavement and the R8 clears it with no issues.

We have a quick brew then head out to find some fuel and to show off just some off the R8's talents. There are many speed bumps and traffic calming measures in the vicinity but this supercar takes them in its stride and 30mph proves no issue at all over them.

Yet more super unleaded is added and then we find some open roads for a little play.

Using the paddles is a more enjoyable experience as you interact with the car more and can hold a lower gear with the second clutch ready to deploy the next gear, but it shows off better in fully automatic - and especially with sport mode selected.

For fear of doing any damage to the engine in manual I change up at 7,000rpm but in auto it drops down one or two gears at a time which unsettles the S-tronic box as it shuffles between clutches and gears so there is a small delay - then rushes to the redline before dropping the clutch for the next loaded gear. As you slow for the next corner the box drops cogs and gives a glorious throttle blip on every change.

Even though this is the smallest engined V8 it is still incredibly fast and maybe, just maybe it is a enjoyable car than the V10 as all the power and revs are available at slightly lower speeds. More of these thoughts later but for now the R8 has another impressed passenger

We head back home, climb the drive and park up for the night.

After a good 220 miles I feel fresh as a daisy and am more in awe at the R8's abilities as both a supercar and everyday comfortable usable transport.

Sunday

One of the reasons I came to see Matt was to have a play with his GoPro and get some footage of the R8 in action. Some things can't be fully described through words or seen in photos, like the sweeping indicators or the noise of that V8 roaring up through the rev range, so we strapped the GoPro to back of a Volvo V60 Hybrid.

This was a cunning plan as the hybrid could run on electric power so the R8 could be heard in its full glory. Well, that was the plan. Unfortunately it was too fast for the Swede and so diesel power had to kick in to keep in range of the German sprinter.

Half an hour's driving and a video review (my first please be gentle) and it was time to head back and review the footage.

GoPro downloaded and luckily it did capture some nice footage of the R8 so after a brew I headed north for the 190 mile trip home.

Coincidentally the range read 190 miles and so I promised myself I would take it easy so I could refuel back home instead of on the motorway.

The A34 in daylight was a different road, still quiet and still fast but daylight made progress easier but less exciting.

As I turned onto the M40 I settled to a steady 70mph which equates to slightly over 2,000rpm and at this point I would have turned on cruise control but R8's don't come with it as standard, and this one wasn't fitted with it.

Shortly after a red Ferrari F430 was seen in my drivers mirror, then pretty quickly along side me and then in front - he was going some! Oddly enough I wasn't remotely interested in giving chase and having a little play as I felt smug that the car I was in was capable of doing more than two and a half times the speed limit yet was more than happy to let him go.

As I sat in the inside lane at legal speeds I drank in the details of the cabin.

This R8 is trimmed in fine black Nappa leather but the test car sported the extended leather package (£2,700) and contrast stitching (£275) so not only were the seats trimmed in super smooth cowhide but so are the tops of the doors and dash, plus they are finished off with millimetre perfect white stitching.

The result is the equivalent of a Saville Row suit in automotive cabin terms which, combined with the quality Audi switchgear, is a very nice place to spend time.

The driving position is spot on too. It is a fairly horizontal position to keep the car and centre of gravity low but is perfect in execution. The steering wheel has plenty of reach, there was lots of room for the redundant left foot and a good 2 inches of space between my head and the headlining. As the R8 is a wide car for increased stability and cornering this benefits in a nice wide cabin so there is an air of lightness about it.

As mentioned previously visibility is excellent, the very wide side windows mean you can carry out a quick and easy lifesaver when changing lanes. The rear view can be comical at times as the extreme rake has the effect of comedy mirrors at the funfare - at one point I could clearly identify the car behind was a recent 7-series but the grille looked about 2 feet tall.

Shortly afterwards I dropped onto the M6 (not the toll) which for once was quiet. At junction 5, near Fort Dunlop, the road quality turns abysmal which feels like it was patched together in 10 metre sections and has the effect of feeling like all 4 wheels are running over cats-eyes - bum, bum, bum, bum bum and doesn't get any better for about 3 junctions.

This had the firmly sprung R8 jiggling and pogoing quite a lot so I was glad when I got past it.

As I get past Birmingham the M6 is quieter still so I gave the stereo a good workout. The first disc in the 6 disc changer (a £150 option) was the best of Dire Straits. The sound is very good for a standard hifi - the 7 speakers provide warm, clean sound with very effective bass. I love my car hifi and have all sorts of woofers and amplifiers in my boot but can honestly say I would be perfectly content with this set up and wouldn't feel the need to spec the options £950 Bang and Olufson with 3 times the power and an additional 5 speakers.

Next up was Pendulum and again it coped very well, the increased bass notes were handled with ease.

At junction 18 it was my turning and some fast A roads took me home.

I pulled into my drive at 15:30 having just driven 190 miles in 3 and a half hours, and with 60 miles miles left in the tank according to the trip computer.

I got out and felt comfortable. I had no aches and pains and my head was clear.

This turned out to be my last drive in the R8, which is sad as it's such an accomplished, capable and desirable companion.

Monday

I was hoping Audi had forgotten about the R8 but sadly I received a text from home at 15:00. It had gone.

What a car!

Stats

Price - £94,900 (£104,980 as tested)
Engine - 4.2 litre, V8, petrol
Transmission - 7 Speed S-Tronic
0-62mph - 4.3 seconds
Top speed - 187 mph
Power - 424bhp at 7,900rpm
Torque - 317lb ft between 4500 - 6000rpm
Economy - 22.8mpg combined
CO2 - 289 g/km
Kerb weight - 1585kg unladen

Tweet

Supercar Diary - Part One - The Audi R8 Is Delivered

Colin Hubbard spends a week with an Audi R8 V8 4.2FSI Quattro

Monday

I got the call from my wife at 09:25, there was something very red and glamorous on the drive. I struggled to concentrate that morning at work (as a telecoms surveyor (the bills need paying!)) and at 12:00 headed for home in my Peugeot 108 loan car. 25 minutes later and I was staring at the Brilliant Red R8The wife had been spot on, it was very red and very glamorous.

The R8 still uses a good old fashioned key so once in I inserted it into the ignition barrel, to the right of the steering wheel. She fired up instantly with a loud roar as if to announce to everyone in the vicinity, "Hey you, can you hear what I've just spent my £100,000 on, look. Over here, come on look!'" It is a good noise and very fitting for a car who's purpose is to entertain.

Moments later I exited my drive and headed to work. Now, one potential issue is that the main road to work is shut so I would have to use the back roads. I felt quite cautious as it's a wide car with especially wide rear arches and a quick check reveals a total width (including mirrors) of 2,029mm whereby the little Pug 108 is just 1,615mm wide. The second worrying factor is the rather large expensive looking alloys and I don't want to grind them out on any potholes or ruts.

I needn't have worried as forward visibility is excellent and the width seems to shrink when behind the wheel.

I get to work in about the same time it took me to get home in the 108 as I took it fairly easy. On media days you have a short amount of time to fully test the cars out but this week I was going to start off quietly and soak in the detail and mannerisms of the car. Also, a temperamental, mid-engined supercar only takes a split second for you to get an input wrong and it'll spin you into hedge or oncoming car so I just revelled in the noise from the high-revving V8 for the journey.

As I was parking, on full lock, into a free space the front diff complained as the front wheels rotated at different speeds. This is down to the R8's permanent all wheel drive chassis, so the front receives 30% of the power at all times. A tight front diff is great for traction and handling but it doesn't like being strained at full lock.

On the journey home I took it easy again, used a little more revs on the straights but still respected the power and balance for the moment, there were another 6 days to enjoy and experiment.

By the time I arrived home it was dark, the auto lights had already switched themselves on in the journey and I mustn't have noticed.

As I entered my drive I crept up the raised pavement just in case the low front end was going to catch on the gradient but there was silence from the undercarriage and a sigh of relief from me. As I exited the car on my drive both front and rear lights stayed on to show me in. The rear lights look particularly handsome in the dark with an attractive pattern of warm red LED's.

The first day has proven to be both exciting and uneventful, the R8 was a joy to drive but took everything in its stride.

Tuesday

I left the house at 07:30 and was greeted with a crisply frosted R8. I blipped the car open, lifted the handle and the door opened easily with no drama from frosted up door seals. I started the engine to get some heat into the car and defrost the glass and cringed as all 8 cylinders try to wake the neighbours with their harmonious cold start bark. I am sure the exhaust flaps are open when the car starts, which is more evident on cold starts when the revs are higher.

It soon warms up and a credit card takes the excess off the windscreen and side windows.

I attempted to get through the closed road today as the roads are a little wider and my wife informed me it was actually closed further up, just past my turn off. She was right (as always) and I was a little more comfortable on these more generous roads.

A quick check on the temperature revealed it was minus 3 outside so I didn't take the R8 past half throttle. Even half throttle is fast though and makes such a glorious sound I'm not left wanting for a hifi.

The car soon warmed up inside so no skimping on the heater install here despite the heater pipes being further away from the engine than in front engined car. The heated seats take a little longer to warm than in my TT but then again I haven't driven a car with better heated seats than a Mk1 TT.

I experimented with the paddles more today and found after 20 minutes I was starting to get the hang of them. In a manual car it is intuitive when you need to change gear but in paddleshift I found it quite alien. This week I promised myself I would be a fluent paddleshifter.

After a fairly uneventful commute of some 15 miles the R8 behaved impeccably - the usual Audi switchgear and controls proven in other models worked faultlessly and its road manners are well controlled, unless you drive like a hooligan.

Funnily enough at work more of my colleagues know my name (I only started 2 weeks ago). I think the R8 is the talk of the office.

One of my colleagues has a Mk2 TT in red and came to talk to me about his dream car, that I happened to be driving today. I offered to take him for a spin so at lunch we headed off out.

We just drove a few miles,  running up through the gears using most of the revs, but the noise of the V8 constantly revving so highly just behind us impressed him. The interior was instantly recognisable to him, as a current Audi owner. Audi are renowned for making high quality interiors so when your supercar comes with an Audi interior then that's a good thing isn't it?

Back at work I parked up and we admired the engine bay through the rear screen. I think he's gone from wanting to needing an R8.

The commute home is made tedious by being stuck behind a horse lorry without any safe overtaking opportunities. After about 8 miles the driver finally feel guilty holding me up and so pulls over at the side of the road. Two clicks down on the left paddle puts me in second and the R8 flies off quickly and cleanly. The four wheel drive traction makes the R8 the perfect winter supercar and the all-weather tyres, despite being 295 section at the rear, don't tramline or lose grip easily on damp and icy roads.

Tuesday night is pub night and it's my turn to drive but as there are four of us the R8 was rendered as impractical for pub duties. I considered ferrying friends one at a time to the pub but resisted as the only parking is on the street and didn't want to return to find it only had 1 mirror.

Shame.

Wednesday

The temperature is a little warmer today at 2 degrees but a light rain had made the roads greasy. My commute took a different route today as the workmen repairing the A559 must still have been tucking into bacon butties when I hit it so it remained open for me to get to the M56.

After a short hop through some sweeping S-bends and through a sleepy village (sorry residents of Lower Stretton I forgot to turn off the blipping Sport button) I entered the M56 roundabout and took the slip-road down to the motorway.

As I tried to enter the M56 from the slip road a jealous male BMW 3-Series driver refused to let me in so I dropped back and a slipped in ahead of a nice lady in a Fiesta, probably mesmerised by the R8's Knight Rider style sweeping indicators.

Sat in the inside lane cocooned in the R8’s low slung, insulated cabin I found myself watching the traffic in the outside drive literally metres away from each other in some bid to make their journey shorter, but instead just creating a pile-up ready to happen. I didn’t feel the the need to change lanes towards the stunt drivers in the outside lane as the pace in all 3 lanes was similar but less traffic in lane 1 meant it was more relaxing and ultimately safer.

On the motorway the R8 was perfectly calm, a car designed to be capable of 188mph it is rock solid at a steady 50mph and with sport mode off and the gearbox in auto everything was tranquil.

After just the one junction I head off onto the local roads near work and noticed after the relaxing motorway hop that 30mph on rough roads made the R8 feel a little fidgety. The ride seemed harsher that morning after the exemplary behaviour on the motorway.

There were more cars in the work's car park so I had to squeeze into a normal parking space. My first attempt was slightly askew but the R8's width amplified the angle and so I had to straighten up and do it again.

At lunch another colleague wanted a ride in the R8, this time just to the sandwich shop but even that short distance was enough to shock - passengers can't believe the noise that comes from the engine just behind the cabin and even after 3 days the novelty doesn't wear off.

The commute was again on the motorway although much faster due to less traffic with the hop from lanes 1 to 3 beautifully calm with no evidence of any body roll.

A short distance to the next junction and down toward the esses again. This time the roads are a little drier enabling me to push on little more, the rearward weight bias evident here despite a low centre of gravity and wide stance. In the dark I didn't push on too hard as visibility is reduced but the R8 is in its comfort zone at legal speeds despite the quick direction changes.

That got my heart racing, partly due to the excitement of driving a supercar over some enjoyable roads but also the potential for any damage that could be caused when driving on dark, damp roads with tight, blind corners and with wildlife lurking in hedgerows.

As I settled to watch television that night I watched a re-run of Top Gear where Jeremy was testing the B7 Audi RS4 and saying that it may have one of the best engines ever made. It is the same aluminium engine that is fitted to the V8 R8 but in the R8 it boasts a dry sump for a lower centre of gravity and a little tuning for an additional 10bhp. I would agree with Jeremy, but in the R8 it is even better.

Tweet

2015 Jaguar XFR-S Review

Matt Hubbard reviews the Jaguar XFR-S, a 543bhp, £80k saloon with a great big spoiler on the back

The Jaguar XF is now getting on for eight years old, although it received a facelift in 2011. It's available as a saloon and estate and the vast majority are sold with a 2.2 litre diesel engine. The base model costs £33,445. This, the top of the range XFR-S, costs £79,995.

The XF in vanilla trim is a large, great looking, spacious saloon with a fab chassis. It still looks fresh and relevant to the point the new, smaller, XE follows the basic shape and design elements. A new XF will be launched later this year. Spy shots suggest it won't look a great deal different.

The interior of the XFR-S just about stays tasteful, although the blue piping and carbon fibre effect leather panels do their best to make it feel a tiny bit garish. The Ultra Blue paint and the massive carbon fibre spoiler tip the exterior over the edge of tasteful and just about into garish territory.

Mind you, why order a big, fast, loud, £80k Jag in a sombre colour? You can - black, white or silver. Red is also available. Order red or blue. It suits the car's character. Anything else is trying to hide the nature of the beast.

The rear seats are capacious and the front seats are very comfortable and electrically adjustable (obviously). I also appreciated the heated seats and steering wheel in the week I spent with it. Night-time temperatures never rose above 1℃ (33.8℉ in American-speak) so the heated windscreen was also something of a bonus.

The interior is trimmed in such a way as only Jaguar knows how. Yes the carbon leather and blue piping is a bit over the top but the leather is soft and the stitching fine, the aluminium looks great, the buttons feel great, the layout is still best in class and the Alcantara that lines the pillars and headlining is sensuously pleasing.

I'll finally admit the infotainment system is showing its age. It does everything perfectly well but takes a while to fire up. The graphics still look good and the satnav and various menus and function work well though.

The Meridien sound system is epic as 825W though 17 speakers should do. The sound is super clear and will keep audiophiles happy. Turn it up loud and, with the bright blue paint and spoiler, you'll be at risk of looking like a very rich yob.

Rich because you'll need to be to buy an £80k saloon that isn't a Mercedes or Porsche, although the nearest Panamera in terms of price is the V6 with a mere 414bhp.

The engine in the XFR-S is the same 5-litre supercharged V8 that's seen service in almost all modern Jags and Range Rovers and is on its way to being thought of as one of the best road engines of all time. In this guise it has 543bp and 502b ft of torque and sounds brilliant - with a deep, bassy soundtrack peppered with the occasional spit and crackle.  The XFR-S might weigh 1,987kg but by heck it's fast.

Really, seriously fast. In a straight line and in perfect conditions it'll do 0-60mph in 4.4seconds but introduce any degree of bend or anything other than a perfect road surface and getting all that power down is almost impossible without a hell of a lot of restraint.

Cruise at 60mph and put your foot flat to the floor and it'll spin the rear wheels, find some traction and catapult all the way up to 186mph in the blink of an eye and on a wave of torque and good old fashioned horsepower.

But the challenge of the XFR-S is not driving at insane speeds, which you can't do on the road. It's in taming such a powerful car in everyday conditions.  Drive it briskly time after time, corner after corner and you'll begin to appreciate the true character of the thing.

You'll find that the front end is communicative and allows you to feel what the front tyres are doing, producing properly perfect placement. It takes patience and practice but the rewards are plentiful.

The back end requires more patience. By dint of its weight and size, and despite having a bespoke rear subframe, the XFR-S's back wheels can feel distant, which doesn't always inspire confidence.

You feel this every time you drive it, the front end feeling fully under your control but the back having a life of its own. Mind you, the traction control is quick to bring things back into line if you really do make a hash of it.

It's this character that makes the car so appealing. Yes it looks good and the interior is wonderful but the experience of driving it is its raison d'être. 15 grand is a lot to pay over and above the similarly spectacular XFR but the added frisson of power and performance helps make your mind up.

It's not something you'll experience on a test drive though, or even over a weekend with it. It takes time to fully explore the XFR-S in terms of its capabilities, and yours.

Yet it is possible to drive with restraint and enjoy the ride in a relaxing and refreshing way. Despite having 30% stiffer springs over the XFR the XFR-S cruises in as refined manner as you'd expect from a gentleman's express, soaking up the road's imperfections as it goes on its way.

I haven't mentioned the gearbox yet. It's the same 8-speed ZF unit found in all XFs and changes when you would expect it to. It doesn't sit in a high gear, engine revving away, when you don't want it to yet it changes down through the gears quickly when you put your foot down.

Over a week with the car it returned an astonishing 15mpg. Perhaps, though, given the XFR-S's capabilities that figure isn't such a surprise. The engine is fantastic but it is very thirsty.

It is a car you'd choose because you fell in love with it rather than by viewing the stats of it and its competition. If you're looking to spend a ton of cash and are in the mood for a super saloon that takes no prisoners you should take one for a whirl. You may just be entranced.

Stats

Price - £79,995
Engine - 5 litre, V8, supercharged, petrol
Transmission - 8-speed automatic
0-60mph - 4.4 seconds
Top speed - 186 mph
Power - 543 bhp
Torque - 502 lb ft
Economy - 24.4 mpg
CO2 - 270 g/km
Kerb weight - 1,987 kg

By Matt Hubbard

Tweet

Matt's Diary - Supercars, Busted Bearings And Dirty Hands

Since my last diary blog I've said farewell to a Jaguar XFR-S, hello to a Volvo V60 Hybrid, taken a passenger ride in an Audi R8, serviced a motoring journalist's Audi A3 V6 and discovered that my own car has a knackered wheel bearing.

Speedmonkey's Colin filling the Audi R8 with super unleaded

The Jag went back as the Volvo arrived. Driving two such expensive yet unique cars back to back gave me the opportunity to assess the strengths, and weaknesses of each. The 5-litre engine in the XFR-S is an absolute peach. It's so powerful you have to treat the throttle with absolute respect, and you'll never see much more than 15mpg.

On the other hand the Volvo has a bit of an old lag of an oil burner up front and a smooth electric motor in the rear.  The 2.4 litre diesel unit under the bonnet can also be found in the old XC90 and isn't very efficient or quiet in that - by modern standards, however the electric motor has enough go and the battery enough capacity that if you charge it up overnight you can treat it almost entirely as an electric car if you do under 30 miles a day.

In electric mode it obviously doesn't use any diesel but use both engines for max power and you'll see 35mpg. It's bloody quick in full hybrid mode though.

The Volvo is four wheel drive but the Jaguar rear wheel drive. With so much power the Jag's back end is overly lively whereas the Volvo is rock solid. In sub-zero temperatures and with ice on the roads I felt much happier driving the hybrid than I did the 550bhp super saloon. Who'd have thought that?!

My brother and co-writer, Colin, has an Audi R8 for the week and he came down from Cheshire to see me for the weekend in it.  He reported a super smooth cruise on the motorways and an average 26mpg. Not too bad.

It is possible that I was insured for it but we weren't willing to take the risk so I merely sat in the passenger seat for a few runs. It felt supremely well put together and the interior (with optional full leather pack) was rather sumptuous for a supercar.

Indeed the interior is all very sensible although the tech is getting on a bit now - the satnav doesn't take full UK postcodes for example.

The R8's interior

Still it was a wonderful experience cruising around my locale in the R8.

We then strapped a GoPro to the Volvo and went to shoot some video of the R8. Its V8 singing whilst he overtook me sounded awesome.

Once Colin had gone back to Cheshire I was visited by Graham King from OnlyMotors.  Graham has an Audi A3 with the 3.2 V6. He wants to sell it and had asked if I could service it beforehand. He wanted to observe the procedure so he could learn how to do it himself.

My drive is block paved and spacious and I enjoy getting my hands dirty so we arranged for him to bring the car over Sunday afternoon.

Graham arrived with all the parts I told him to buy - oil, sump plug with washer and oil filter and we set to it.  Car jacked up and on axle stands, cup of tea made, tools brought out from the garage.

It was a straightforward job - Audi uses quality components and materials which makes such jobs so much easier than if the manufacturer decides to make life awkward, like hiding the filter deep in the bowels of the engine.

The only faff was removing the large sump guard, which has about 12 fixings. The rearward ones had perished and a bolt twisted clean off when I removed it so I had to zip tie that part in place once I'd finished.

Tools ready to service Graham's A3 V6

After we'd finished I decided to take the TT for a spin as it'd been sat in the garage for 10 days. It was an absolute pleasure to drive and reminded me why I love it.

That was until the front left wheel made a hell of a racket and felt like it was going to fall off whilst flying through a hard right corner.  That reminded me that it'd been making some odd noises under heavy cornering last time I'd driven it.

Back then I'd suspected the bearing was on its way out, something now confirmed in my mind. Luckily I've got the Volvo for a few more days. My mate the mechanic will replace the Audi's bearing this week, hopefully before the Volvo goes back.

Last week's diary column turned out to be pretty controversial, but it was well read. I'll stay away from upsetting anyone for a while but if this is read by enough people I'll turn it into a semi-regular thing.

Cheers

Matt

Tweet

Ferrari F60America - Exclusive, Expensive, American

Ferrari has revealed a new car, but only ten models will be built and they'll only be sold in the US

Ferrari F60America

The Ferrari F60America has been created to celebrate 60 years of Ferrari in North America. It's a V12, front engined convertible based on the F12, with a few nods to the California.

The V12 produces 730bhp and 509lb ft of torque which makes for a top speed of over 200mph and a 0-60 time of 3.1 seconds.

Don't get too excited though. All ten have been sold already for roughly a third of a million pounds each.

Ferrari F60America

Ferrari F60America

By Matt Hubbard

Tweet

Volkswagen XL Sport - It's The XL1 With A Ducati Engine

VW's XL1 costs a fortune and is slow but returns over 300mpg.  Of more interest to petrolheads will be the XL Sport which is much, much faster

Volkswagen XL Sport

VW is lucky to have a boss of the calibre of Ferdinand Piech. As an engineer he worked on the Porsche 906 and Audi Quattro and as boss of VW he bought Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche and Ducati and revived the Bugatti marque with the Veyron.

Volkswagen's XL1 is a carbon bodied, ultra-light, ultra-economical hybrid car with a 2-cylinder diesel engine.  To spice it up a bit Piech has been talking for some time about sticking a Ducati motorcycle engine in the XL1 because, well, because at his heart he's a petrol head.

The XL Sport is that realisation, and the engine isn't any old Ducati lump, it's the 1199cc wide angle V-Twin from the 1199 Superleggera superbike and it has 195bhp.  The gearbox is a 7-speed DSG automatic.

The XL1 weighs 795kg which will increase a little with the Ducati engine in the XL Sport but its power is enough to transform the car's performance. Top speed is 168mph and 0-60mph takes 5.2 seconds.

250 units will be built and the price has yet to be released. You can bet it'll sell out as soon as it goes on sale.

Volkswagen XL Sport

Volkswagen XL Sport

Volkswagen XL Sport

Volkswagen XL Sport

Volkswagen XL Sport

Volkswagen XL Sport

By Matt Hubbard

Tweet