2012 Audi R8 GT

Enthusiasts always seem to think what they want in a sports car is a mildly detuned race car. They want to be just like the guys on TV: banging around, scraping the pavement, arms thrashing with every bump. These are guys who have never actually spent time in a race car getting beat up, cooked, and otherwise abused while driving. Truth is, real competition cars are built with driver comfort near the bottom of the priority list. What everyday drivers really want is a car with all the flash and raw sensation of pounding around Circuit de la Sarthe, but with all the comfort they have come to expect in their family transport. Audi has gotten a pretty good handle on this desire and has built an R8 to scratch that itch.

The R8 GT isn't terribly different from a run-of-the-mill R8 5.2 in a mechanical sense. The engine delivers slightly more power -- 35 more to be exact -- for a total of 560 horsepower from a freer-flowing exhaust and remapped engine tuning. Audi has shaved roughly 220 pounds out of the aluminum wonder. A thinner windshield, polycarbonate rear glass, a carbon-fiber engine cover, and one-piece FRP seats were all easy swaps. Replacing the standard magnetorheological dampers with ride-height adjustable coilovers subtracted further weight and allows owners to weight-balance cars to optimize handling. Other than that, the magic comes from strapping yourself into those one-piece seats with a Schroth four-point harness with 3-inch belts, just like the guys on TV. Sadly, regulations don't allow Audi to use Schroth's camlock buckle, and instead it has a more DOT-friendly push-button release.

The GT isn't hard to get in and out of, but there is a procedure. The seats are fairly deep, but not nearly as deep or as narrow as actual race versions. To get in, put your right foot on the right side of the floor on the opposite side of the steering wheel. As you squat into the car, brace your left hand on the door sill. With your right hand on the wheel, gracefully fall into the seat. Did I mention that before any of this, you need to drape the harness belts out over the seat so you don't end up sitting on them? Now that you are in, you probably need to hike your pants down as the sitting process has given you a wedgie. Race cars go full atomic with deeper seats and grippier Nomex material, but Audi went with leather for the GT. Now start with the Adjust the lap belt and tighten it to sit as low on your hips as possible. Now fasten the shoulder belts. There aren't any straps between your legs, so if you over-tighten the shoulder belts, you will just pull up the lapbelt. Now you're in, and you can't reach the door to shut it. That's what crew chiefs and valets are for.

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