Audi R8 and Chevrolet C8 Corvette (German, sedans, coupes, truck)

[T Block]

The Audi R8 is a rear-mid-engine car based on the Lamborghini Gallardo:

Gallardo / Huracan
Wheelbase, 100.8" / 103.1"
Height, 45.9" / 45.9"

R8
Wheelbase, 104.3"
Height, 48.8"
Price, $158000

Now the R8 was once available with V8 engine and rear-wheel-drive at less than $115000. But now it's available with V10 engine and rear-wheel-drive at $158000. Then all-wheel-drive is more expensive.

I once said that Audi could make a deal with GM, put the Corvette truck engine in the rwd R8, and sell it for $75000. What happened instead is that Chevrolet came out with a rear-mid-engine Corvette.

C8 Corvette
Wheelbase, 107.2"
Height, 48.6"
Price, $64500
Price with Z51 package, $70845
Price as Z06 and including a high RPM engine, $105300

Now the C8 is a rear-mid-engine car but is known to have plowing understeer on a skidpad. I suppose that it has collapsing suspension bushings, or hindering shock bump-stops, to do that. The easy fix would be stiffer springs to limit bump suspension travel but one vendor of stiffer springs encourages the release of all spring preload and that doesn't help. Now aftermarket monoball suspension bushings are available
.

[NORTY FLATZ]

Dang, when you go all over the place, you go ALL OVER THE PLACE!!

First, it's external dimensions, then it's engine configs, then suspension settings (only for the C8...)

What we are missing, is a point to your thread. (PS, there's a way to fix under-steer...)

[T Block]

The post is a presentation.

The differences between the R8 and the Gallardo are mostly wheelbase and roof height. The C8 Corvette follows the R8 in broad design philosophy with a longer wheelbase for the rear-mid-engine car.

American cars are well-known to have plowing understeer at the cornering limit due to collapsing suspension bushings or due to hindering shock bump-stops. The understeer increases at the corning limit. See, the understeer increases at the corning limit. Well, the German Opel in 1972 SCCA Showroom Stock racing was famous for not very much increasing understeer at the cornering limit. This fundamental also explains the historical difference between BMW sport-sedans and American sedans or coupes. (There's a 1960's Road & Track article about BMW suspension bushings.)

The C8 Corvette is setup to increase understeer at the corning limit. Now the front-mid-engine Mazda MX-5 does the same thing but fixed on my autocross car with a stiff coilover suspension. Well, I had to say that the C8 Corvette is not setup like more exotic cars that it is compared-to. The fact that the difference is relatively simple is good news
.

[wamer27]

The R8 isn’t thought of as a great car within people buying/owning in this market. It became apparent on the newest Car Trek episode on YouTube. Does many things well, but doesn’t stand out at all. I was heading to my local dealer because they had the V10 one to drive it, but it had sold the prior day.