I made another non interest bearing loan to my favorite Audi dealer today so now I'm officially sitting here waiting for two Audi's, an S5 and R8.
The question at the moment is, do I get the R-tronic, or 6MT. I've never even sat in an R8 much less drive one. If the box performs like a Ferrari paddle shifter I'm interested, if it performs like the tiptronic, or worse yet MB's version of a paddle shifter I'll just stick with a 6MT. Any words of enlightment would certainly be appreciated.

6MT all the way. Don't even think about. $10K more and worse performance.

perfect shifts everytime with hands on the wheel - but it depends where you're going to be using your car. if it's mostly straight roads vs twisties then you're less likely to enjoy it - but if it's twisties then it really brings alive the handling of the car.

Just don't expect to get a feel for it on a short test drive - it takes weeks for it to truly click if you've never driven a sequential *manual* box.

as well as 9000rpm rev range. If theres one car that deserves this marvel, its the r8.

yourself whiplash. Throttle modulation is a must and it really does take some time to learn....

How about a pic/link of your blue/blue R8? I was considering that color set myself.

when I drove one at the Audi Experience at the track, the trans was malfunctioning - not shifting on command (rpms were fine), and then many second later, shifting into the requested gear - sometimes. When a manual is broken, you know it's broken, and you probably know what is broken. Besides, all that clutch slipping when going slowly fowards or backwards is annoying:)

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/134284/r8_6.jpg"></center><p>

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/134284/r8_7.jpg"></center><p>

I wasn't sure what I thought of the mixed blues on the Audi site and was leaning toward all Mugello or possibly putting a black or carbon blade on. Yours looks great though. How is it in person?

The 7-speed longitudinal S-tronic is in the wrong configuration for use in the R8. Check the direction of power flows between a front-engined Audi quattro and the mid-engine R8.

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/134284/mug_blue_carb.jpg"></center><p>Personally I prefer different colored blades to visually break up the length. I think the mugello also looks good with carbon and can't see why black wouldn't work in the same way too. I've attached a pic of a mugello blue/carbon in case you've not seen that combo.

I chose it blind without seeing the color combo in person, but I really like it and wanted something with a bit more color to it given most of my recent cars have been black or silver.

the mugello blue changes quite a bit according to the lighting - it can go from a very dark midnight blue looking color through to a really bright popping blue in bright sunlight.

transverse layout.

e.Gear in the Gallardo was bad enough, but R-Tronic is unfortunately worse.

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/134284/mugello_silv.jpg"></center><p>Whilst I was waiting for the actual car I bought a Kyosho 1/18th scale model of the r8 in mugello blue and that had silver blades which I think is why it grew on me :)

Heh, you obviously did your homework. Thanks for posting the pics.

I don't think you can get a bad color set with this car, but I really like your mugello/night combo. I still might try the black if I can find one from someone who has switched to carbon. I might also put black wheels on also, similar to the red one that was on eBay.