Audi R8 named "SportsCar 2007" by Autobild
Click image for hi-res gallery
The panel of experts at Germany's Autobild Sportscars has chosen its annual car of the year, and unsurprisingly, the SportsCar 2007 award goes to the Audi R8. When you consider that everyone from Jeremy Clarkson on down has been reduced to a puddle of drool by Ingolstadt's take on what a supercar should be, it comes as zero surprise that a group of German motoring writer/experts would deem it fit for coronation. The total competition featured twelve cars including the Porsche 911 GT3 and the BMW M3. We'd tell you the other candidates, but we don't read German and our search attempts on the Autobild website have yet to unearth the complete nominee list. The two competitors we mention are hot machines, nonetheless, but neither they nor any others were hot enough to knock this year's unquestionable "it" car from its perch. Chalk up one more reason to get your name on the waiting list at your Audi dealer.
[Source: Autobild, Audi]
Gallery: 2008 Audi R8
PRESS RELEASE:
Panel of experts decides:
The Audi R8 is "SportsCar 2007"
Only pure-bred sports cars are crowned "SportsCar" of the year by a panel of experts in the Autobild SportsCars monthly magazine. Following its victory in the March 2007 issue, the Audi R8 has now been awarded top place overall, and has thus secured the title of "SportsCar 2007", one of the German car industry's most sought-after awards.
The trophy was presented to Werner Frowein, Managing Director of quattro GmbH, during the magazine's "Race Night", which formed part of the Essen Motor Show. The Audi subsidiary was responsible for developing the 420 bhp mid-engined R8 sports car, which it also manufactures. The R8 is hand-built at quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm.
Together with the TÜV Rheinland inspection authority, members of the magazine's panel conduct demanding on-road tests on an ongoing basis to assess the qualities of the very latest sports cars. They then present their favourites as the monthly winners in each new issue. At the end of October, the jury cast a discerning eye on the twelve winning vehicles at the Contidrom test circuit in Hanover.
The experts' concluding remarks: "The Audi R8 wins because it is currently the most complete vehicle with the hottest body in the sports segment and, despite being a newcomer, displays no serious weaknesses."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Franz 8:06PM (12/03/2007)
My favorite supercar @ the moment.
Reply
zamafir 8:16PM (12/03/2007)
Ditto. By far the most sublime car I've ever driven.
HotRodzNKustoms 8:41PM (12/03/2007)
I drove one the other day and all I have to say is as a daily drivable sportscar I think the car is genius.
As a supercar, it's rubbish. It's too boring. It doesn't feel special. It doesn't feel fast. It doesn't feel exotic. So for the price give me a Aston Martin V8 Vantage or Maserati but I would choose a R8 over a SL.
Reply
zamafir 10:50PM (12/03/2007)
Did you drive it on a track?
HotRodzNKustoms 11:16PM (12/03/2007)
yeah I drove it out at cali speedway, it belong to a buddy of mine who ordered 2 of them for some reason. yes it is deadly precise. It was just too tame and lacked the passion that many of their competitors have. I prefer cars that has that something, that indescribable quality that has made legends. I like to call it personality. When I look at a car I want it to almost look back like a Bug-Eyed Sprite or a Spyker. The Audi R8 just looks and feels like a big TT to me. I'm sorry it just doesn't make me want to love it and with a list like that I better love it.
Zane 9:40PM (12/03/2007)
That display snap at the top is amazing! Love the color, love the stance, love the bloody car!
Reply
nagmashot 2:13AM (12/04/2007)
the car was not voted by some writer/experts it was voted by the readers...
the competition was done by Autobild sportscar and is called TopCar Wahl(vote) 2007
nominated 96cars in 7 classes
the winners are
sportscar overall
Audi R8
subcompact/compact class
Zender A3 sportback Z440R
sedan/luxury sedan
Brabus Bullit
wagon/Van
AC Schnitzer M5 Touring ACS5
SUV/Off road
Abt Q7 4.2 TDI
convertible/Roadster
Irmscher GT (Saturn Sky redline with Opel badge)
sportcar/Coupe
Techart GT street
rim of the year
OZ Botticelli
this is only a voting from Autobild sportscar...
Autobild is doing currently a Europen car of the year award "Auto 1".. a real europen vote based on 40million votes from 26 nations
Each readers can vote 6 cars for 6 classes ..
The top 3 in each class (18 all together) get tested by race drivers and experts in a large scale test with race driver and journalists from each europen nation.. they claim from this 18cars 6 class winners..
From this 6 class winners, 26 car magazine chief editors nominate the europen car of the year, each chief editor has one vote.. the car with the most votes is ..the Auto1
Reply
LoneWolf 6:17AM (12/04/2007)
But you forget that this is the auto BILD.
And belongs to the Axel Springer Company. And the BILD Zeitung is a waste of paper and ink.
Reply
Marty 8:19AM (12/04/2007)
Um... a German publication picks a German car from a list of seemingly mostly German cars as Sports Car of the Year? Shouldn't that just be "German" sports car of the year? LOL. (I have a Benz by the way, so I'm not hating on the Germans).
All I'm saying though is... 2008... Nissan GT-R.
nagmashot 4:01PM (12/04/2007)
it is not called Europen it is not called German it is "Autobild Sportscar" TopCar...
There is not one word calling it German or Europen..
raz 9:14AM (12/04/2007)
Check out these pictures of Audo BTA R8
http://www.tengears.com/home/2007/12/3/abt-audi-r8.html
Reply
m4rtis 11:38AM (12/04/2007)
Witnessing the enormous sales success and never-ending praise from motoring journalists I just cant help myself that it is about time for BMW to revive M1 - a proper mod-engined supercar, don't think?
Reply
Evotec 12:21PM (12/04/2007)
autobild is trash,and its (unofficial)owned by VAG.
but still the R8 is a nice car...
Reply
nick 12:56PM (12/04/2007)
The cars hype is over. The price is too high for what they are offering. The side burn thing is ridiculous. Here in Exotic car land know as S Fla, I'll say it every time, Aston Martins turn heads more than any car down here. Remember now, we have the most Lambos and Ferraris sold here in the country year after year. I don't care how it drives, if the chicks can't tell it apart from a TT, there is no reason to own it.
Reply
nagmashot 4:08PM (12/04/2007)
the price is to high?
The price is extrem low for the perfromance the cars offer... all around the world at race track tests it finish on Gallardo, F430 level... cars that are 1/3 more expansive..
hmm chicks knowlege level in car id is important for you to rate a car... I don´t wanna know what you drive..