Audi R8 review
The Audi R8 V10 has stonking performance and a soundtrack straight from petrolhead heaven. It’s well built and easy to drive, but can’t match alternatives’ exclusivity.
- Cash
- £123,443
- Monthly
- £1,655*
What's good
What's not so good
Find out more about the Audi R8
Is the Audi R8 a good car?
Sensible supercar. If that’s not an oxymoron we don’t know what is. But the Audi R8 really does live up to that title, because unlike some more highly strung rivals, such as the Lamborghini Huracan, you can actually use it every day. Since this model was first launched in 2015 it has grown into a more aggressive-looking sports car with the performance to match.
Just take its front-end for example. Those three rally car-inspired vents above the grille might be shared with the hum-drum A1 Sportback, but the rest of the R8’s gaping, ground-hugging front end screams ‘racing car for the road’.
It’s a similar story at the side, where this latest model retains the old car’s signature contrasting air intake trims, and at the back where a huge full-width mesh grille lets prying eyes get a glimpse of the Audi R8’s snake-like exhaust system.
Sadly, the R8’s drama levels get turned down to a modest six out of 10 as soon as you step inside. Sure, it all looks and feels lovely and everything’s super easy to use, but the R8’s sensible cabin lacks the pizzazz of the Lamborghini Huracan’s bonkers cockpit.
Even the digital driver’s display which the R8 shares with the Huracan looks a little less special in the Audi. The system’s graphics are hard to fault, though, and the steering-wheel-mounted controls make it much easier to use than the vertical touchscreen you get in a McLaren 570S.
The Audi R8 V10 Performance has a heavy metal soundtrack that makes all other supercars sound like they belong on the early rounds of The X-Factor.
The Audi R8 is also easier to live with than the McLaren. For such a low, wide car it’s a doddle to drive – even if you spend lots of time around town – and its suspension is supple enough to protect your spine from all but the most monstrous potholes.
Head out onto faster backroads and the Audi R8 feels even more stable and soaks up ruts and undulations without breaking a sweat. Every model comes with a lightning-fast automatic gearbox and a grippy Quattro four-wheel-drive system which makes sure you always have ample grip, even on slippery road surfaces. As a result, the Audi R8 gives you the confidence to pin the accelerator and enjoy the full acoustic experience of its fabulous V10 engine.
Unlike almost every other supercar on sale, the Audi R8 uses a naturally aspirated engine, meaning it doesn’t rely on power-boosting turbochargers to produce 620hp (in Performance guise). As a result, it responds instantly when you floor the throttle and sounds absolutely wonderful while doing so.
Sure, it’s not particularly economical and the R8’s four-wheel-drive system means it can’t carry quite as much luggage in its front-mounted boot as some rear-wheel-drive supercars, but none of this should put you off. The Audi R8 is seriously good fun to drive and the fact that it’s comfortable enough to use every day means you can enjoy the sound of its fabulous V10 at every opportunity.
How practical is it?
There’s ample space for tall drivers to hunker down and get comfy in the Audi R8, but it can’t muster up quite as much boot space as many alternatives.
What's it like to drive?
It might not be as fast around a racetrack as some of its more hardcore alternatives, but the Audi R8 is still searingly fast yet comfortable enough to use every day.
What's it like inside?
The Audi R8’s cabin feels solid and comes with a decent amount of tech as standard but it just doesn’t look as exciting as the interiors you get in some less well-organised alternatives.
Audi R8 colours
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- From £1,535
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- From £3,950
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- From £8,200
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- From £8,200
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- From £8,200
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- From £8,200
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- From £8,200
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- From £8,200
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- From £8,200
- Cash
- £123,443
- Monthly
- £1,655*
Build your own R8 on carwow
Save on average £7,366 off RRP
*Please contact the dealer for a personalised quote, including terms and conditions. Quote is subject to dealer requirements, including status and availability. Illustrations are based on personal contract hire, 9 month upfront fee, 48 month term and 8000 miles annually, VAT included.