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What is it?

The world's first diesel-powered supercar. At least that's what some are calling it. Audi is smart enough to call its new R8 V12 TDi a super-sports car, pitching it against the likes of the Ferrari F430 rather than full blown supercars of the Veyron, Enzo and McLaren F1 ilk. But be in no doubt; this is a proper 100,000 pound plus exotic - and the first to drink from the dark side of the pump.

It's still a concept car for now, but only until the dust settles, the ...Read the full article

It seems to tick all the right boxes - no doubt about that - but there's just something missing for me. Maybe the fact DIESEL is linked to the car. For me, personally, a Supercar is all about the V8 and V12 (petrol).

David88, I never thought I'd buy a diesel 3yrs ago, thought they were a French quirk!! Now I've a 335d coupe and can't honestly say I don't miss a petrol too much, apart from that raspy sound and the diesel still clatters for 5-10mins on starting from cold.

When you floor it though you get a nice grunt and of course that huge wallop of torque that may not be quite as exciting as a petrols bhp but on a motorway the torque trounces the power - and doubles the fuel consumption. If you do lots of motorway miles diesels the way to go. If you do A and B roads, stay with the fun of petrol. 

This Audi's 4.2sec 0-62mph, under 10secs to 100mph and more than 190mph flat out is pretty quick. But the in-gear power for everyday performance with 738lbs of torque (my 335 has 428lb and it just crushes you forward like granite in a velvet glove) must be simply phenominal to experience in something about the same weight as my coupe.

The MPG figures are a tad disappointing though. Would I buy one. I'd have to try it out. If you want a sportcar petrol is still the way to go but as most of us have never driven and experienced something like this (it is quite radical of Audi, well done) it would be churlish not to try this diesel sportscar before you buy. And try this twin turbocharged Panzer' on a motorway and that tidal wave of torque could wash all your doubts away.

I too am driving my first diesel car. Had 6 petrol cars previously. Never wanted a diesel but financial reasons dictated it. Went from a 1.8T petrol to a 2.0TDi. Similer levels of bhp but the torque of the diesel is amazing! So much more useable than top-end horse power. Diesel power requires adapting your driving style though due to much narrower power band. But ive totally changed my views. Besides I have a motorbike for proper high revving petrol fun. ;-)

 Amazing ! Beautiful car ! I want one...................

I don't see the big fuss about performance diesels. Compare 335i to 335d for instance. Both turbos, so that levels the playing field. The diesel emits 12% less CO2, but makes 9% less power. In power/C02 terms, the diesel is 5% better. Is that what all the fuss is about? This gap widens if you use mpg rather than CO2, but this is just because diesel is more energy dense. In favour of diesel: power at lower revs for "effortless" speed, 5% more efficient. In favour of petrol: wider rev range, better noise, lighter engines, wider range of gearboxes, no filthy particulates, no oily hands at the pump. In technology terms the only thing that Audi has proven is that forced induction is an efficient way of producing more power when you need it. Which was bleeding obvious already.

John - I considered both 335i and 335d before I purchased. What swayed it for me was for both motorway and urban driving the diesel wins pretty convincingly.

I've 'boogied' with two 535d in my Turbo S (444lb torque and 444bhp) in Europe and whilst both 535d's began to disappear in the rear view mirror (eventually) both stuck to me so close I couldn't work how (535i's get blown away like every other car in a matter of seconds with the Turbo). It was the 428lb torque that kept them close.

Then you add the MPG factor (Turbo 12mpg - 335i 20-30mpg - 335d 30-40mpg). I also had a 330i until I chopped it in for the 335d last year. Best car, and all-rounder, I ever owned but still drunk quite a bit in urban and motorway driving.

If I was to buy a sportscar, and I remain a petrolhead, petrol would be first on my list because of the perky fun of bhp. But my point remains. Until you've tried this V12 Diesel you're really being nothing but blinkered in your choice of what makes a sportscar or supercar. 

I suppose this is a close as most of us without an HGV license will get to a driving a Scania tractor unit (without a trailer,obviously).   Still, the chance of Audi letting me near an R8 is pretty remote, diesel or otherwise...

 I m a bit confused, why would it be any "less fun" than a petrol? With all that torque and it's unique-ness if anything it lll be MORE fun

The diesel R8 can only be the final confirmation that petrol is more or less dead.

With diesels now offering similar or better performance, better in-gear acceleration, more refinement, better economy and better emissions than their petrol equivalents, i'm finding it very hard to find a reason to suggest a petrol version over a diesel, except perhaps the soundtrack, only slightly sharper handling and if you like changing gears. Hardly good enough reasons though against the more compelling diesel facts, and that's coming from me who has always been a petrol fan.

Who'd now bet against a diesel Porsche Cayenne or Panamera? And i bet we'll see diesel Lambos, Maseratis, BMW Ms, AMGs and the like within the next 5 years. And what about the ultimate sin - a diesel 911 or Ferrari.

 

 

Why do people still go on about the noise?-There are plenty of diesels out there that sound great, and not "despite" being diesels but BECAUSE they are diesels (BM's twin turbo for instance, volvo's 5 cyl, Fiat/Alfa/Lancia 5 cyl). And there are plenty of petrols that sound awful  (Ford CVH, anything with a way oversized exhaust). Even VW's 4 cyl TDI can sound good, especially when its comming from a Fabia VRs or Ibiza Cupra driven in anger-theres something quite unexpected and cool about hearing such a beefy noise coming from a small car.

Roy Fullee:

more refinement, better economy and better emissions than their petrol equivalents,

Roy, have to take issue here. Firstly, John Latham deserves credit for his instructive post. Roy, could you explain where 'more refinement' comes from? How does a much higher compression ratio, even with the latest piezo-aided multiple injections per cycle, provide more refinement? Likewise 'better emissions'? As John Latham says carbon dioxide emitted per kilometre maybe less but carcinogenic filthy particulate(soot) certainly isn't, nor Nitrogen oxides(NOx). On soot reasons alone diesel passenger vehicles have been effectively banned from Japan and California until now. NOx emissions from diesels are at least three times higher per km than petrol(Euro3/4). Only with expensive, complex, weight-adding particulate traps and NOx catalysts(urea) can the likes of Mercedes with 'BLUETEC' start to offer modern common rail diesel engines alongside their latest indirect and increasingly direct injection petrol engine range in America, complying with the equivalent of Euro6(LEV II) regs., that's PM, particulate matter, one-fifth and NOx one-third of current best(Euro4).