Audi R8
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Audi R8 is dead. The last R8, a Coupe Performance Quattro Edition in a suitably subtle hue – Vegas Yellow, rolled off the production line near Stuttgart in March, destined for the Audi Tradition collection.
Under the engine cover was the naturally aspirated, 5.2 litre V10 lump all recent R8s have been powered by, producing an incredible 612hp & 580Nm torque, all of which was very loud. It sat on 20” “5-V spoke Evo” alloys, much like our test car here. With a lump in our throats and moistened eyes, we say goodbye to the delightful Audi R8.
Le Mans Quattro
The R8 first saw the light of day at the Paris Motor Show in 2006 and was loosely based on the Le Mans Quattro coupe concept car from 2003. It shared many parts with sister company, Lamborghini’s Gallardo – their baby supercar at the time – and came with a 4.2l V8 nestled behind the seats, producing a respectable, if not breathtaking 417hp, meaning 0-62mph came around in 4.3s.
V8 – V10
2009 saw the introduction of the 5.2l, V10 FSI engine and power output leapt up to 525hp. The same year saw the first glimpses of the convertible, Spyder variant and it went on sale the following year in 2010.
Following a couple of obligatory design tweaks and engine upgrades, the MK2 R8 came along in 2015, again loosely based on Lamborghini’s baby – the Huracan and it’s this version that’s seen the model out. The V8 option was dropped completely, as was the manual gearbox, in their place was the V10 & V10 plus which took power output north of 600bhp, mated to Audi’s 7-speed S Tronic ‘box.
Lots going for it, so what’s the issue?
So, why has the R8 been killed off? Its looks are frankly jaw-dropping; more supercar than sports car. That V10 engine and the way it screams to 8,700rpm is totally different to anything else currently available. The Audi Quattro system and that S Tronic ‘box mean this is a car you could realistically use every day and, perhaps most importantly, if you opt for this coupe version you get to stare at that engine through its glass cover all day, should you so wish.
When you sit inside the R8, and it is a proper, low-slung seat with your legs way out in front of you, it again feels more super than sporty. Could the dashboard and switchgear have been a bit more ‘special’? Yes – it could, there’s a bit too much generic Audi content for a car costing north of £150K – a lot of which would also be right at home in a TT, before they were killed off too, of course, which would cost you a third of what this does.
R8 vs 911
Going back to what the R8 would set you back – £158K before options in the case of our test car – it does make it a bit of an anomaly. You see, when the original R8 came out, it was targeted directly at Porsche’s 911. The V8 R8 cost just over £77K so it was aiming for a Carrera S, not the base model 911, but it was designed to knock the evergreen Porsche off its mantel.
The R8 looked far more special than the 911 and with that 4.2 litre V8 providing the soundtrack it turned more heads too. Ok, it lost out in the practicality stakes slightly thanks to being a strict two-seater with minimal boot space but surely that was a sacrifice worth making for those looks?
The arrival of the V10 R8 immediately raised the list price over the £100K mark, well-over if you wanted to take the roof off, and that price has continued to rise.
A bit pricey now
The cost of a 911 Carrera S in 2024? – £110k – two thirds of the cost of the R8. It’s V10 vs flat-6, admittedly, and the Porsche will take over half a second longer to get from 0-62mph, topping out at 191mph where the R8 is capable of breaking the magical 200mph barrier.
So where does that leave the R8 in terms of competition? The cheapest McLaren – the Artura is closer to £200K – the ‘entry level’ Sports Series Mclarens were killed off which is perhaps quite telling. To get into a Lamborghini you’ll have to part with circa £235K for a Huracan so that’s another league altogether. Cheapest Ferrari? – that’s the Roma at around £185K – it’s more pretty sports car than the R8’s supercar and probably wouldn’t take to being driven every day quite as well, but I suspect the lure of the prancing pony on your bonnet would be too much when put next to Audi’s four rings.
So, yes, the R8 falls in between quite a few stools but where it sits depends on perspective; cheap, useable supercar or expensive sports car. It’s hugely fast, properly put together and comes with a wailing soundtrack and yet, the world just didn’t embrace it in the numbers it deserved.
5.2l V10 – what an engine
Ironically, it’s more than likely that magnificent V10 engine that’s been the final nail in the R8’s coffin. And what an engine it is; where modern performance engines feel artificial, this one is just raw, unadulterated mechanical power. Part of its charm is that it’s purely naturally aspirated but that lack of turbochargers and electrical assistance doesn’t make for good reading in terms of economy. Averaging 21.7mpg and emitting 296g/km CO2 with no scope for improvement is quite a hard sell these days.
Goodbye, R8, it’s been emotional
Farewell to the raucous, sleek Audi R8, then. Just a quick footnote, though; when Audi announced the end of R8 production they were inundated with so many orders they had to postpone its demise to fulfill them. Maybe if buyers had been quite so keen before that announcement, it’d still be on sale today.
By Ben Harrington
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