The day will come when screaming engines longer fill the highways of the world, but it is not this day. Direct drive from high-power electric motors will negate the satisfying clicks and snaps of a manual transmission, but it is not this day. Arise, enthusiasts, and embrace the sounds of power and control in this, a rare Audi R8 V10 with a gated six-speed manual being exercised to its limit on the Autobahn.
Okay, we're being a touch dramatic here but this video is just inspiring. It's not as if we haven't seen supercars blasting down unrestricted Autobahn sections before. And we've seen plenty of row-your-own horsepower monsters in action. Truth be told, this Audi R8 hitting 194 mph isn't really that interesting. To understand why we're inspired enough to write about (and share) this video, turn your sound up, hit play, then just close your eyes. That is, after you finish reading this.
There's no mistaking the sound of a high-revving V10, and the 5.2-liter mill in the R8 is one of the best. This eight-minute video gives us multiple pulls right up to the 8,500-RPM redline, and actually, there are a few instances where the engine hits the rev limiter. That's all well and good, but the gated manual is what really makes this clip an aural delight. You get notable pauses in the engine as the driver changes gear slower than a dual-clutch box. You get occasional clicks of the stalk against the aluminum slots in the bezel. You get throttle blips for downshifts. It's a legit symphony, and the driver is the conductor.
The top-speed run toward the end of the video is satisfying, but we find ourselves revisiting the earlier portions of the clip just to soak in the sounds of analog motoring. The future is electric; it will be both fast and fun and thrilling in its own way. But we will miss these sounds once they're gone.
