Friday, April 9, 2010

Black Audi R8 V10, license plate: Qtrax

So, I was cruising down Rt. 1 in Rehoboth Beach, DE this morning, en route to get some cards made up (because I am tired of writing the name of my blog on napkins for the ladies-one night of that foolishness was enough), when I noticed a black Audi R8 coming up behind me. The last comparison I read of a Cayman S v. the Audi R8 had the Cayman S beating the R8 in every department from handling to 0-60 to braking, but I think that was at the end of '08 or beginning of '09. At any rate, after following me through traffic for a while, this guy finally found a spot next to me and tried to take me on out of the light. Now, I was feeling good about my chances remembering this article I read and I did hold him off for a while, but then when I hit 75 in a 45 I backed off and let him shoot past me because I didn't want to kill anyone, then he backed off and I just hung right behind him waiting for a window of opportunity. That's when I saw the V10 and thought, oh, okay, forget it . . . See, the old R8 V8s only did 0-60 in 4.74, whereas my Cayman S does it in 4.5 (not that Porsche will admit that because they still want you to pay at least $20k more for a 911 that is not remotely as much fun to drive because it's so tail-heavy, and while many people will argue this point, I find that the ones that do so have never actually driven a '09 Cayman S and have absolutely no idea what they are missing). The revamped R8 engine options consist of a V8 that does 0-60 in 4.4 seconds, which would have made for a very close race, but the V10 supposedly does 0-60 in 3.9, so technically this guy should have easily crushed me instead of just catching me at 75 when I backed off.

But alas, he was clearly not a talented driver and when we hit the next cluster of traffic, I easily sliced through traffic with him trying to keep up with my maneuvers and falling farther and farther behind until I was a good 15-20 cars ahead of him at which point, I turned off Rt 1 to end our little real time comparison test because I had errands to do. I noticed his license plate was Qtrax and I'm thinking he is probably a founder or top executive at the company given the sticker price of that car. Funny about him being such a lame driver though, makes me think of all the partners at my old firm who have incredibly expensive sports cars, but drive them like scared little girls. I personally try to make my driving performance worthy of the car I am driving every time I get in it. If you can't handle a real car, don't buy one. On a related note, if you have a vanity plate, you are by definition pretty lame. In summary, Mr. Qtrax has two counts of lame against him, but gets half a win for having the faster car and I get the other half of that win for being the better driver and crossing the finish line first. Yes, indeed, half a win and counting . . . stay tuned.

3 comments:

  1. I hate that I am even responding to this one!!!!.... but, well I have a vanity plate...and its really a "feel good to all" type of thing...its message is for everyone else on the road, not me....is that lame?
    A friend of mine met you in Charleston and says you are heading my way- to the Dirty South!!! In hopes that we will meet- safe travels to you!

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  2. OK-- I'll give you that. I think in fairness there are two classes of vanity plate people: one consists of people who have them to shore up their fragile egos, and the other consists of drivers who just want to entertain the world as they go speeding by.

    Let's definitely meet up in the Dirty South! I'll need a guide...

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  3. Pixie, Getting into Atlanta late tomorrow (Friday) night, email me at DrivingwithGusto@gmail.com. See you soon, k

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