M3 to R8?

[EricP3]

The overwhelming consensus is that M4/M3 owners next step up is to a 911 or some other Porsche. I have always loved the Audi R8s and they are somewhat affordable now at a couple of years old. I was curious as I've never seen anyone talking about switching to an R8. Would be interested in anyone's feedback on them.

[DocL]

I really don't understand this thinking how the M3 is the stepping stone to going on to a 911, ect. If there was another car out there with similar spec to the M3 in a manual I'd surely try that. I had a 996TT and the M3 is much more useable car for a daily when you have kids.

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by DocL

I really don't understand this thinking how the M3 is the stepping stone to going on to a 911, ect. If there was another car out there with similar spec to the M3 in a manual I'd surely try that. I had a 996TT and the M3 is much more useable car for a daily when you have kids.

Blackwing is coming

[2011ninja]

Originally Posted by DocL

I really don't understand this thinking how the M3 is the stepping stone to going on to a 911, ect. If there was another car out there with similar spec to the M3 in a manual I'd surely try that. I had a 996TT and the M3 is much more useable car for a daily when you have kids.

Before I got my CPO F80 I was hoping VW did something spectacular with the Golf R.

The 2022 MK8 Golf R is going to be special!

HP315/TQE330 est AWD with drift mode and now standard with a Sunroof.

Not a direct competitor to the M3 but I'm 100% certain car enthusiast will have this car on the list to consider.

Check the Nurburgring times; wow!!!

[Humdizzle]

If you're looking at the first gen R8s then its v10 manual or nothing. the v8s are slow and the e-gear trans is terrible.

[ntg44]

I still own my 2012 V8 R8 since new and sold my 2017 M3 after 3 years. Despite how fast M3 was, R8 is a much better car.

Feel free to ask me anything.

[EricP3]

ayyy I knew there had to be at least one R8 owner on here. Yeah I have heard to look for the v10s on the older models and I would only consider a manual.

[ntg44]

Originally Posted by EricP3

ayyy I knew there had to be at least one R8 owner on here. Yeah I have heard to look for the v10s on the older models and I would only consider a manual.

Honestly, a lot of it depends on what you're using the car for and what your preferences are.

Engine: If you're power hungry, then yeah, only V10 will satisfy. Personally though, my M3 taught me that there is such a thing as too much power for the street, and I love being able to go full throttle on my V8 everywhere and redline the piss out of it every chance I get. I've recently become annoyed at the way the V10s sound (crazy, I know), and the V8 with an exhaust never disappoints. They're also significantly cheaper on used market. 70s vs 90k+. Best comparison I can make is if you think the E92 M3 is quick enough, then so is the V8 R8. I had V10 FOMO until I got my M3, and now I don't anymore.

Transmission: Also depends. MY2014 and up in the US have the S-tronic DCT transmission as an option, and standard on gen 2. It's very good. I went with the manual. Manual V10s are the most expensive and hardest to find. The one thing that can be slightly annoying with the manual is the lightweight flywheel combined with the gears being close together, so the revs drop very quickly between gears. You need to shift pretty quickly compared to other cars. Less of an issue if you give throttle between upshifts but that's not my style. But it makes up for it at full throttle. The way the revs drop and are perfectly matched into the next gear when shifting at redline is something to be experienced, and never gets old. Almost no weight transfer on upshifts aside from letting off the throttle. It's fantastic.

Interior: Helps a lot if full leather is specced, otherwise Gen 1s can look kind of cheap. Fine for a stripper M3, but not so much for an R8. The Gen 2s have significantly better infotainment and all that, but touchscreen aftermarket head unit swaps are common and relatively simple in Gen 1s and don't look out of place.

Driving dynamics: Can't speak for Gen 2, I've never driven one. But on the Gen 1, while the hydraulic steering may not have been the pinnacle by 2008 standards, it's leaps and bounds better by 2020 standards compared to most cars you can buy today. Great suspension and brakes, and on the Gen 1s, torque split is 15% front/85% rear, with never more than 30% going to front, making it pretty easy to get the car sideways while still being AWD enough to keep you from wrecking. Gen 2s have more front torque distribution capability, so they drive a little differently.

If there's one piece of advice I can give, it's to get a MY2011 or newer. Earlier model years have the potential to get cracks in the frame that could possibly total the car if a large enough pothole was hit. I wouldn't even try taking a gamble on that. An older R8 is already a potential financial gamble, and that's one big flaw that can be avoided. Otherwise, they're pretty solid. Mine will be 9 years old in January, and it really hasn't given me much trouble. My only out of warranty repair has been a $350 oil temp/pressure sensor replacement.

Trying my best not to ramble, so if you have anything specific you'd want me to elaborate on, happy to help.

[bsmf8x]

AMG GT values are dropping fast. Sound better, look better, faster than the r8 (first two are subjective but I think most would agree, if you're talking about the first gen r8 that looks dated to me).

They're like 70-85k rn near me in NYC

[Humdizzle]

Originally Posted by bsmf8x

AMG GT values are dropping fast. Sound better, look better, faster than the r8 (first two are subjective but I think most would agree, if you're talking about the first gen r8 that looks dated to me).

They're like 70-85k rn near me in NYC

i've been eyeing these too. lot of car for the money.

[jpy1980]

Originally Posted by Humdizzle

i've been eyeing these too. lot of car for the money.

It’s been on my radar too. So sexy and timeless. Yet I don’t know anything about mercs and their maintenance and their MB Tax. Haha I heard owning a Merc is worse than BMWs in terms of reliability

[CIIdriver]

Having owned both I was very interested as soon as I saw this thread.

I’m a previous M4 owner and current R8 owner. These are obviously two completely different cars but as the prices come down on the R8 it makes sense someone may be looking to make the jump. With experience in both I’ll offer my thoughts.

There are many but I’d boil it down to 5 primary differences:
- sports car vs exotic supercar
- front vs mid-engine
- factory modified vs purpose built
- forced induction vs NA
- usability


M4
The M car is a legend and it’s reputation is well deserved. Even people who may not know what it is know there’s something special about the car when they put eyes on it. However, it remains a factory modified performance car, not a purpose built supercar. Remember these cars start life as a normal 3 or 4 series. Killer looks and performance while retaining every day usability. It’s handling characteristics are outstanding but still limited by the front engine layout. Having forced induction dominates the engine’s character. It’s not linear in power delivery but the tradeoff is huge torque that’s ready to shove you in the back at a moments notice. I was often frustrated with its difficulty in putting the power down, though once underway it’s midrange pulling power was astonishing. Overtaking performance is on par with supercars. It revs relatively high but not as high as a great NA engine. There’s been plenty said about the way the S55 sounds so I won’t beat that horse but suffice to say while mods can definitely improve it, it won’t ever sound like a high revving NA motor. As for usability, you have a back seat that can accommodate adults and a large trunk out back. Road tripping and indeed even parking an exotic comes with challenges that a M3/4 doesn’t have to contend with. While I was always mindful of my M4 the R8 brings a totally different level of attention. That’s not always a good thing. You can daily an M car with no problem and it’ll road trip as well as most any similar sized car. You can literally drop the kids at school on your way to the track.

R8
Probably the most dominant difference is now you’ve moved to a true supercar. Looks, cost, attention, performance are all on another level. Every time you get in the car it’s an event. Mine is a V10 so I can’t speak to the V8 performance but the 10 cylinder is mighty. Being NA you have to get into the upper RPMs to get the most out of it which only adds to the occasion. Hitting 8700 rpm in a screaming V10 is something everyone should experience. Driving it you know the engine is something very special and will only become more rare in the future. You sit much lower, the car feels wider, you’re aware of the monster right behind your back. The sound is glory. You enjoy this engine and are thankful to live in a time just before NA engines, let alone a V10, really start to disappear. It’s a purpose built supercar and the mid-engine layout gives it incredible handling. When it came out the R8 shocked people. To my eyes the looks were way ahead of its time and I believe it will age incredibly well. I think the R8 is one of the greatest halo cars ever built and will always be special for that. The current R8 has evolved into a bit more fussy design and I don’t believe time will be as kind. The cons include the added costs and far less usability. While depreciation has brought the price down it’s still a supercar and that has inherent costs - parts, labor, insurance, etc. Adding to the costs is that (at least for me) this is a second car. I know there are those who have made a DD out of an R8 but I couldn’t do it. For me it’s a weekend car. I can’t imagine parking the R8 and leaving it unattended. It just draws too much attention. It’s an unfortunate part of owning it but for me it’s an A to A only car.

There’s a couple things others have mentioned that I’ll piggyback on.

- 2014-15 is the facelift gen 1. In addition to several other upgrades the biggest was moving from the R-tronic transmission to the S-tronic. The S-tronic is an outstanding double-clutch. The R-tronic gets a lot of hate, though many folks do very much enjoy it. Those two facelift years offer the best R8 IMO, gen 1 looks with the incredible S-tronic.

- Manual V10s are becoming difficult to get ahold of. Especially difficult finding a manual facelift V10, numbers are low, they don’t change hands often and only at a significant premium when they do. By all accounts the gated manuals are a thing of beauty but don’t discount the S-tronic. It’s lightening fast and as good as any double-clutch out there.

- Spec matters. If the car wasn’t spec’d well it can feel/look like it’s not that special inside. However, done right and it can look incredible. Mine has diamond stitched full leather, carbon (interior, sideblades, and eng compartment), alcantara headliner, and illuminated aluminum door sills. It feels like a very special place to sit.


I’ll caveat all this is only my 2 cents and not worth any more than that. Last thing I’ll say is both cars are incredible. They are very different and made for different purposes and anyone would be fortunate to drive either. To be completely honest I often think about selling my R8 and going to an F80 to have the backseat space for kiddos. First-world problems right. Apologies for the length but hope this helps!

[Stronie]

You absolutely nailed it. I'm just not ready for the 2-Door sports car. (911 / R8). I have kids and the daily usability is fantastic. M3 / M4 is not better as a track or racecar but pretty damn close. I love my F80 and hope to get a GT3 (991.2) someday once the kiddos are grown.

I do miss the NA aspect coming from a E90M3, but grew tried of wringing out the engine. The F80 Comp. torque flows really nice and after 1 year of driving I've figured out how to throw the car around. Cheers

Originally Posted by CIIdriver

Having owned both I was very interested as soon as I saw this thread.

I’m a previous M4 owner and current R8 owner. These are obviously two completely different cars but as the prices come down on the R8 it makes sense someone may be looking to make the jump. With experience in both I’ll offer my thoughts.

There are many but I’d boil it down to 5 primary differences:
- sports car vs exotic supercar
- front vs mid-engine
- factory modified vs purpose built
- forced induction vs NA
- usability


M4
The M car is a legend and it’s reputation is well deserved. Even people who may not know what it is know there’s something special about the car when they put eyes on it. However, it remains a factory modified performance car, not a purpose built supercar. Remember these cars start life as a normal 3 or 4 series. Killer looks and performance while retaining every day usability. It’s handling characteristics are outstanding but still limited by the front engine layout. Having forced induction dominates the engine’s character. It’s not linear in power delivery but the tradeoff is huge torque that’s ready to shove you in the back at a moments notice. I was often frustrated with its difficulty in putting the power down, though once underway it’s midrange pulling power was astonishing. Overtaking performance is on par with supercars. It revs relatively high but not as high as a great NA engine. There’s been plenty said about the way the S55 sounds so I won’t beat that horse but suffice to say while mods can definitely improve it, it won’t ever sound like a high revving NA motor. As for usability, you have a back seat that can accommodate adults and a large trunk out back. Road tripping and indeed even parking an exotic comes with challenges that a M3/4 doesn’t have to contend with. While I was always mindful of my M4 the R8 brings a totally different level of attention. That’s not always a good thing. You can daily an M car with no problem and it’ll road trip as well as most any similar sized car. You can literally drop the kids at school on your way to the track.

R8
Probably the most dominant difference is now you’ve moved to a true supercar. Looks, cost, attention, performance are all on another level. Every time you get in the car it’s an event. Mine is a V10 so I can’t speak to the V8 performance but the 10 cylinder is mighty. Being NA you have to get into the upper RPMs to get the most out of it which only adds to the occasion. Hitting 8700 rpm in a screaming V10 is something everyone should experience. Driving it you know the engine is something very special and will only become more rare in the future. You sit much lower, the car feels wider, you’re aware of the monster right behind your back. The sound is glory. You enjoy this engine and are thankful to live in a time just before NA engines, let alone a V10, really start to disappear. It’s a purpose built supercar and the mid-engine layout gives it incredible handling. When it came out the R8 shocked people. To my eyes the looks were way ahead of its time and I believe it will age incredibly well. I think the R8 is one of the greatest halo cars ever built and will always be special for that. The current R8 has evolved into a bit more fussy design and I don’t believe time will be as kind. The cons include the added costs and far less usability. While depreciation has brought the price down it’s still a supercar and that has inherent costs - parts, labor, insurance, etc. Adding to the costs is that (at least for me) this is a second car. I know there are those who have made a DD out of an R8 but I couldn’t do it. For me it’s a weekend car. I can’t imagine parking the R8 and leaving it unattended. It just draws too much attention. It’s an unfortunate part of owning it but for me it’s an A to A only car.

There’s a couple things others have mentioned that I’ll piggyback on.

- 2014-15 is the facelift gen 1. In addition to several other upgrades the biggest was moving from the R-tronic transmission to the S-tronic. The S-tronic is an outstanding double-clutch. The R-tronic gets a lot of hate, though many folks do very much enjoy it. Those two facelift years offer the best R8 IMO, gen 1 looks with the incredible S-tronic.

- Manual V10s are becoming difficult to get ahold of. Especially difficult finding a manual facelift V10, numbers are low, they don’t change hands often and only at a significant premium when they do. By all accounts the gated manuals are a thing of beauty but don’t discount the S-tronic. It’s lightening fast and as good as any double-clutch out there.

- Spec matters. If the car wasn’t spec’d well it can feel/look like it’s not that special inside. However, done right and it can look incredible. Mine has diamond stitched full leather, carbon (interior, sideblades, and eng compartment), alcantara headliner, and illuminated aluminum door sills. It feels like a very special place to sit.


I’ll caveat all this is only my 2 cents and not worth any more than that. Last thing I’ll say is both cars are incredible. They are very different and made for different purposes and anyone would be fortunate to drive either. To be completely honest I often think about selling my R8 and going to an F80 to have the backseat space for kiddos. First-world problems right. Apologies for the length but hope this helps!

[jpy1980]

Originally Posted by CIIdriver

Having owned both I was very interested as soon as I saw this thread.

I’m a previous M4 owner and current R8 owner. These are obviously two completely different cars but as the prices come down on the R8 it makes sense someone may be looking to make the jump. With experience in both I’ll offer my thoughts.

There are many but I’d boil it down to 5 primary differences:
- sports car vs exotic supercar
- front vs mid-engine
- factory modified vs purpose built
- forced induction vs NA
- usability


M4
The M car is a legend and it’s reputation is well deserved. Even people who may not know what it is know there’s something special about the car when they put eyes on it. However, it remains a factory modified performance car, not a purpose built supercar. Remember these cars start life as a normal 3 or 4 series. Killer looks and performance while retaining every day usability. It’s handling characteristics are outstanding but still limited by the front engine layout. Having forced induction dominates the engine’s character. It’s not linear in power delivery but the tradeoff is huge torque that’s ready to shove you in the back at a moments notice. I was often frustrated with its difficulty in putting the power down, though once underway it’s midrange pulling power was astonishing. Overtaking performance is on par with supercars. It revs relatively high but not as high as a great NA engine. There’s been plenty said about the way the S55 sounds so I won’t beat that horse but suffice to say while mods can definitely improve it, it won’t ever sound like a high revving NA motor. As for usability, you have a back seat that can accommodate adults and a large trunk out back. Road tripping and indeed even parking an exotic comes with challenges that a M3/4 doesn’t have to contend with. While I was always mindful of my M4 the R8 brings a totally different level of attention. That’s not always a good thing. You can daily an M car with no problem and it’ll road trip as well as most any similar sized car. You can literally drop the kids at school on your way to the track.

R8
Probably the most dominant difference is now you’ve moved to a true supercar. Looks, cost, attention, performance are all on another level. Every time you get in the car it’s an event. Mine is a V10 so I can’t speak to the V8 performance but the 10 cylinder is mighty. Being NA you have to get into the upper RPMs to get the most out of it which only adds to the occasion. Hitting 8700 rpm in a screaming V10 is something everyone should experience. Driving it you know the engine is something very special and will only become more rare in the future. You sit much lower, the car feels wider, you’re aware of the monster right behind your back. The sound is glory. You enjoy this engine and are thankful to live in a time just before NA engines, let alone a V10, really start to disappear. It’s a purpose built supercar and the mid-engine layout gives it incredible handling. When it came out the R8 shocked people. To my eyes the looks were way ahead of its time and I believe it will age incredibly well. I think the R8 is one of the greatest halo cars ever built and will always be special for that. The current R8 has evolved into a bit more fussy design and I don’t believe time will be as kind. The cons include the added costs and far less usability. While depreciation has brought the price down it’s still a supercar and that has inherent costs - parts, labor, insurance, etc. Adding to the costs is that (at least for me) this is a second car. I know there are those who have made a DD out of an R8 but I couldn’t do it. For me it’s a weekend car. I can’t imagine parking the R8 and leaving it unattended. It just draws too much attention. It’s an unfortunate part of owning it but for me it’s an A to A only car.

There’s a couple things others have mentioned that I’ll piggyback on.

- 2014-15 is the facelift gen 1. In addition to several other upgrades the biggest was moving from the R-tronic transmission to the S-tronic. The S-tronic is an outstanding double-clutch. The R-tronic gets a lot of hate, though many folks do very much enjoy it. Those two facelift years offer the best R8 IMO, gen 1 looks with the incredible S-tronic.

- Manual V10s are becoming difficult to get ahold of. Especially difficult finding a manual facelift V10, numbers are low, they don’t change hands often and only at a significant premium when they do. By all accounts the gated manuals are a thing of beauty but don’t discount the S-tronic. It’s lightening fast and as good as any double-clutch out there.

- Spec matters. If the car wasn’t spec’d well it can feel/look like it’s not that special inside. However, done right and it can look incredible. Mine has diamond stitched full leather, carbon (interior, sideblades, and eng compartment), alcantara headliner, and illuminated aluminum door sills. It feels like a very special place to sit.


I’ll caveat all this is only my 2 cents and not worth any more than that. Last thing I’ll say is both cars are incredible. They are very different and made for different purposes and anyone would be fortunate to drive either. To be completely honest I often think about selling my R8 and going to an F80 to have the backseat space for kiddos. First-world problems right. Apologies for the length but hope this helps!

Omg this was such a good read and honest review! You, sir, need to review more cars. You can come to my house and review my wife’s Q7. It’s boring but your review would make the read interesting haha

[R N M]

Originally Posted by bsmf8x

AMG GT values are dropping fast. Sound better, look better, faster than the r8 (first two are subjective but I think most would agree, if you're talking about the first gen r8 that looks dated to me).

They're like 70-85k rn near me in NYC

I test drove AMG GT before i got my 991.2 911 last year.
It sounds and looks great, tons of presence on the road.
Price CPO is great especially vs Porsche.

Its not a driver’s car though. Steering is very light, can’t see out of it, huge long hood makes it difficult to place it on tight back roads. I was surprised how much I didn’t like it.
The 1st gen R8 is much sportier in feel and feels smaller on the road.

The 911 is a dream and closest to M3 feel from inputs but just sharper, more responsive and better in every way.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Humdizzle

If you're looking at the first gen R8s then its v10 manual or nothing. the v8s are slow and the e-gear trans is terrible.

+1

The older v8 have like 111mph trap speed. That’s way too slow of an acceleration potential for something with a 2dr 2 seats “exotic” shape, imho.

But if you just want the look OP, go for it and enjoy. It’s your $

[Maitre_Absolut]

Originally Posted by EricP3

The overwhelming consensus is that M4/M3 owners next step up is to a 911 or some other Porsche. I have always loved the Audi R8s and they are somewhat affordable now at a couple of years old. I was curious as I've never seen anyone talking about switching to an R8. Would be interested in anyone's feedback on them.

Its pretty simple, not many people switch to R8 because its a 2 seater. Even though the 911 is 2+2 thats a big difference in being able to bring your kids in the car.

If I was single then yeah I would choose R8 over 911.

V8 or V10 both have their pluses. Like someone mentioned, interior spec is very important, many of these are plain vanilla inside which numbs down the experience.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Maitre_Absolut

Its pretty simple, not many people switch to R8 because its a 2 seater. Even though the 911 is 2+2 thats a big difference in being able to bring your kids in the car.

If I was single then yeah I would choose R8 over 911.

V8 or V10 both have their pluses. Like someone mentioned, interior spec is very important, many of these are plain vanilla inside which numbs down the experience.

What’s the plus of v8 other than lower cost?

[Maitre_Absolut]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

What’s the plus of v8 other than lower cost?

It actually sounds great, just in a different way than the V10.

More usable power and shorter gearing means you can rev through the gears more often.

Its not often you read from owners experiences who have had both that they preferred the "entry level" engine. I actually dont know of another car where its even a debate...