In the month since I took delivery of my gorgeous Phantom black Audi R8 I haven't spent as much time with it as I would have liked, mainly due to a two week trip to the West Coast of the United States which included a stint in Las Vegas for the launch of the new Lamborghini Gallardo LP-560-4. 

In the week prior to my departure to sunny California I did my best to get through the recommended 1000 km running-in period. This meant being gentle on the V8, keeping the revs below 4000rpm. In addition I did my best to bed in the brakes to avoid the onset of the annoying squeaking that accompanies stopping in most performance cars. I also had to restrain myself through the bends to allow all the rubber bushings in the suspension to settle in. In other words I pottered around for 1000 kilometres. I wanted to hear the engine bark all the way to its 8000rpm redline. I yearned to put the automated gearbox into sport mode.  I fantasized about drifting through roundabouts holding the R8 on opposite lock.  Instead the first week allowed me to savor the more mundane aspects of Audi supercar ownership.

Even at slow and medium speeds you know you are in something special. The R8 cruises effortlessly and has an uncannily flat and disturbance free ride. While my previous experience with the car displayed its rivetting abilities as a performance car, my current experience was confirming its credentials as a very capable GT that munches the miles with a sublime effortlessness. This isn't ‘effortless' in the way a Rolls Royce is effortless. It is not about refinement. It's the way the R8 takes unessential activity such as little shudders, squirms and fidgets out of the driving equation. There is an impression of the body having been sculpted from a solid block of metal such is the structural integrity of the car. Don't let this fool you into thinking that there is any vagueness in the R8, on the contrary all the major controls have an incredibly direct feel, combined with an incredible clarity and accuracy in the feedback.  Adding to this gratification is the fact that the R8's cockpit is a fantastic place to be. The driving position is excellent, the sense of space impressive, and the use of contrasting materials and bold design make it the most exciting Audi interior by quite a margin. The stainless steel pedals, aluminium gearlever and knurled rotary controls shine brightly against the high-gloss carbon fibre centre console and door pulls, creating an exciting, supercar-like environment while retaining the uncompromising quality and logical layout you'd expect from an Audi.

My biggest concern prior to purchasing the R8 was what the R-tronic flappy paddle gearbox was going to be like to live with, as these types of automated gearboxes can be a bit hit and miss. Happily I can say the Audi version, while not as well sorted as Ferrari's is excellent. Pulling away from a standstill it is very easy to modulate and does not jerk you back and forth unless you are overly abrupt with the throttle. Shifts are relatively smooth particularly as I am short shifting in the middle of the rev range. Although from memory full bore shifts in sport mode are quite violent. One aspect of the R-tronic that is annoying, is that if you come to rest at a traffic light for more than 30 seconds the gearbox will automatically put the car in neutral. The reason it does this is to preserve the clutch, but you often forget and find yourself motionless with the revs rising as you search frantically for first gear while traffic behind you honks impatiently. The solution I have adopted is to slot the gear stick into neutral myself when I come to a standstill, as one would do in a conventional manual.

While I am yet to enjoy the performance aspect of the R8, I have gotten plenty of satisfaction from the captivating looks of my new supercar. Despite the relatively pedestrian badge on the nose, the silhouette of this car is pure exotic. There's certainly plenty to take in, and a few things to get used to, but the overriding impression remains one of purity, cohesion and originality. Despite increased exposure the R8 continues to look futuristic. In a city as blasé towards supercars as Dubai, the attention the Audi receives from passers by is incredible.

To be honest the commotion the rock star looks generate is a bit embarrassing, but it's a small price to pay for the pleasure I get every time I walk towards it. I am not someone who is a big fan of manual labor, but in the short period of time that I have owned the Audi, I have washed and polished it continuously buffing out every streak or imperfection I notice, eager to maintain the pristine condition. This is proving to be a difficult task though as the Phantom black paintwork seems to be a magnet for dust. 

I can happily tell you I completed my 1000 kilometre shakedown just in time to board my flight to the U.S and will be able to give you the juicy details next month when the R8 will be ready to rumble.