further on the r8

[Eaton Dave <dave.eaton@minedu.govt.nz>]

looking at the pictures of the new r8 on the audi web site...

1.	despite paefgen's comments to the contrary this don't look like no
audi.  it is a design dictated by aerodynamics first and foremost.  while
the mb gt1 looks like a passable mb, the r8 doesn't look like an audi
despite the grill, headlights and tt-lookalike taillights.  witness the
steeply raked front section, definite scallops around the wheels and the
noticeably low rear section around the engine.  also the number of sharp
cut-offs.
2.	it is a very convincing looking job, very well presented and
extremely well built.  the details (apparent upon magnification) are very
impressive.
3.	the car is running with michelin which may not be a great idea.  i
wonder what the situation is wrt bridgestone.  has mb got this wrapped up?
4.	the lack of central air intake is noticeable.  air intakes are via
naca ducts on the top each side of the bodywork.  one of the give-aways for
a turbo power plant.  there is little else in the way of irregularities on
the top surface of the vehicle.  the large side naca ducts are for oil and
water coolers.  reminds me of the 1990's peugeot class "c" racer in some of
these details.  the front splitter is clearly not the finished product, the
front of the car showing pretty major differences over the earlier car.
very definite cockpit surrounds to force the faster air over the flat
bodywork between the wheels and over the rear.  looks very very tidy.  tony
southgates influence??
5.	very large front diffuser section with a bi-level "wing" between the
bodywork sections behind the corporate nose, with the inner wing carefully
scalloped to feed air around and over the cockpit.  however i'd venture to
suggest that audi have been reluctant to "show their hand" too much at this
early stage about the details around the front or rear of the car.
6.	the position of the rear wing is also noticeably forward complete
with the gurney flaps, and that the roll-over loop occurs in the same
vertical plane so as to keep the airflow reasonably stable.
7.	the rear is noticeably low with a very flat section with a tightly
waisted engine cover fully integrated into the vestiges of the cockpit
surround.  below this the details of the diffuser are (predictably)
impossible to determine and probably meaningless anyway.  it is quite high,
which is interesting.  4 very large and separated exhaust pipes, and no room
for the tow ball...

overall, very impressive and clearly a  very serious machine.  good luck to
them.

dave
'95 rs2
'90 ur-q