Driving a really, really fast car is every blokes dream come true. Hang on, same went for this girl too

DRIVING a really, really fast car may be every blokes dream come true. Hang on, driving one of a first, all-new Audi R8 for this girl was a good dream too.

OPINION

MY head bounced from side to side like a bobble-head; my body convulsed as the brakes went on, but boy, what a 250km ride it was.

As an addition to the formal unveiling of their second generation of the Audi R8 (built only in V10 and V10 plus variations. Read: power-packed) Audi had me, yes me, that well-known fast-car enthusiast take it for a spin.

Usually, Uber or my trusty old Golf tootle me around the place, but not this day. No. This day the road was mine. All mine as I shared front seat with an Audi ‘sport legend’, Dindo Capello, the Italian former race driver who won the prestigious Le Mans 24-Hour race three times.

I’ll get to my driving experience with the re-imagined R8 soon, but as I drove with Dindo at one point (once my head regained control of its neck after one corner) I seem to recall looking over and seeing around 257km/h on the speedometer.

I hasten to add this was all being conducted under supremely controlled circumstances and at Sydney Motorsport Park (aka, the former Eastern Creek).

I did try to talk to Dindo in the car, but have you heard the roar of these things? They are relentless, ridiculously noisy and stressful, but sexy and kind of wildly invigorating all at the same time.

“Your carriage awaits’, says three-time Les Mans winner Dindo Callelo

Me getting kitted up in a serious kind of driving suit

Top speed for the race car that Dindo had me in was approximately 250km/h down the main straight on the track and while I had read up about how seriously fast these drivers go, I couldn’t quite fathom the speed until I experienced it.

I literally thought my head was going to come off. A bit like one of those bobble-headed dolls as we took to corners and swerved around one very fast track. I was also sure that once the brakes were slammed really, really hard, I thought my chest cavity may find its way out of its home and onto the windshield.

But never fear, I was shooting with a big gun of racing here and he had it totally under control. No. Seriously.

What Dindo and I experienced was what is called a ‘hot lap’ experience: “It’s the experience we offer at the end of some our Audi Driving Experience days,’’ said the car-maker’s Shaun Cleary.

“Having a race driver of Dindo’s calibre to drive for the hot laps was a special privilege for you and certainly us.”

Entering the passenger seat; where’s the valium?

With all the confidence of a, well, passenger . .

All of this was a ‘treat’ to a small group who were invited to test drive (OK, fang) the newest Audi R8. Yup. The new R8 in V10 and V10 Plus is a sports car that goes like a rocket and can get up to 100km/h in 3.2 seconds. While other Audi guests have been dining at invite-only NOMA nights, I was chosen to don racing attire. and loved every minute. Hey, you only live once.

While my PB getting to 100km/h was 4.2 secs (which kind of pleased me considering it was the first time in this particular new model and where else are you even allowed to go that fast?) the car does positively sizzle.

The new R8 model — which will set you back $354,900 and $389,900 respectively (now you can start choking) is a bloody sensation and it being positioned somewhere above the Mercedes-AMG GT S and below the Lamborghini Huracan and Porsche 911 Turbo.

Driving it and writing about it from a mere layperson’s perspective, I’m not going to go into car psycho babble, talk torque, revs, throttle or power.

So, here are 10 reasons why I loved my experience of the new R8:

I’m waiting for you: hello Audi R8 V10

•The R8 goes fast. Very fast, and can get up to 100km/h in just 3.2 seconds.

•I loved the driving mode ‘buttons’ and laser headlights that made it feel ever more sports car than normal

•It has a seven-speed, dual clutch automatic or you can just put it in ‘D’ and away you go forever

•The interior is HOT. I mean really hot with a cockpit kind of feel, air vents that aren’t overpowering and one thing some girls look out for (it’s true!) a great rear vision mirror that doubles as your touch-up, lipstick mirror

•This car encourages you to lose weight, such is the angle you need to get into in order to slide into the seat.

A Hoyer there!

•Audi must be doing something right with their pricey R8 as they sold 404 of them since 2007

•I seriously think you could pick up driving this car around town especially with the Bang & Olufsen belting out a bit of Run To Paradise.

•The word out there on car street in that there is no other production car that is closer to a legit racing car than the R8.

•When you turn a corner (and we are talking on a legit Motorsport Park track here, not your suburban street) it’s not necessary to plant your foot on the brake hard, but instead, rev it up a bit more — it’s like the wheels literally stick to the road. Serious hot wheels indeed.

•The car just always seemed so safe whether we had it in wet, dry, snow modes and to be honest, I was happy with it to be in one mode the entire time.

The Verdict: catch me if you can ...

Follow Melissa on Twitter and Instagram @melissahyer

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