Item: Audi R8
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

Compared with supercars such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/lamborghini/huracan/coupe/review/n17163">Lamborghini Huracan</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mclaren/570/coupe/review/n17142">McLaren 570S</a>, the Audi R8 looks good value, especially the RWD. However, it still costs considerably more than many other rivals, including some versions of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/911/coupe/review/n98">Porsche 911</a>.

With its maniacal&nbsp;V10 engine, it's obviously not going to be cheap to run, with insurance, servicing costs, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/what-are-wltp-and-rde-new-fuel-tests-explained/n1223">fuel consumption</a> and road tax all coming in at&nbsp;'extremely pricey'. The R8 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/depreciation-what-is-it-and-how-do-i-avoid-it/n1122">depreciates slowly</a>, though, which will help if you’re planning to sell it&nbsp;on in a few years, and that's also good news if you’re planning to buy your R8 on finance – its hefty residual values keep the monthly instalments competitive.

Our favourite model, the RWD, costs more than the entry-level 911 but you make a lot of that back in the equipment it comes with. The highlights include:&nbsp;19in alloy wheels, keyless entry, heated seats, metallic or pearlescent&nbsp;paint, climate control, nappa leather with&nbsp;Alcantara sports seats&nbsp;and power-folding door mirrors.

The Quattro brings full nappa Leather, the ‘sideblades’ behind the doors in Mythos black paint and extended leather throughout the interior. Meanwhile, the Performance benefits from 20in alloy wheel design,&nbsp;carbon fibre trims,&nbsp;ceramic brakes, bucket seats and a sports exhaust with black tailpipes. Finally, the Carbon Black version adds a lot more black carbon fibre inside and out.

The R8 doesn’t come with as much safety and security kit you find on more down-to-earth Audis, but then neither do most sports cars. You get four airbags,&nbsp;an alarm and immobiliser, and that’s about your lot. A tracker is available as an official dealer-fit accessory – worth considering for the extra security it provides.

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This wonderful 5.2-litre V10 comes in three states of tune: 533bhp in the RWD (rear-wheel drive) model, 562bhp in the Quattro (four-wheel drive), and 612bhp if you opt for the Performance (also four-wheel drive).&nbsp;

Whichever version you choose, there’s one constant: the fusion of noise and visceral performance that beats the competition hands down – well, apart from the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/lamborghini/huracan/coupe/review/n17163"> Lamborghini Huracan</a>, which uses the same motor. Er... and perhaps the fantastic flat six in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/911/coupe/review/n17328">Porsche 911 GT3</a>.&nbsp;

Why is it so great? Part one of the answer to that lies in it being naturally aspirated. There’s no turbocharger inducing lag (the delay between putting your foot down and the car starting to accelerate). You get at least some lag in most of the R8’s turbocharged rivals, from the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mclaren/570/coupe/review/n17142">McLaren 570S</a> to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/amg-gt/coupe/review/n17866">Mercedes-AMG GT</a>.

But this V10 responds instantly to every tendon twitch and rips through the rev range to 8000rpm. It doesn’t feel as forceful at low revs as a turbocharged engine, but who cares? Crikey, it’s not weak. In higher gears, at low speeds, it starts pulling&nbsp;well from 3000rpm. Yet the real fireworks begin after 5000rpm, and that staged trajectory adds to its appeal: the shove isn’t all in one hit, with a turbocharged slamdunk at 1500rpm.

When you rev it out it feels damn zesty, too. So much so that the entry-level RWD is fast enough, rattling off 0-62mph in 3.7sec. The Quattro knocks three-tenths off that and the Performance model the same again&nbsp;(0-62mph in 3.1sec), but partly that’s their four-wheel-drive traction drilling into the Tarmac more effectively.&nbsp;

Part two of why this is arguably the best engine on sale is its noise. Whichever version you choose, it sounds belting. At low revs, it’s rich with deep induction noise. At mid revs, you get the distinctively discordant&nbsp;V10 tune. At high revs, it’s screaming with the mechanical thrash from its four flailing cams. It’s thrilling. Quite, quite thrilling.&nbsp;

The steering feels intuitive, direct and engaging to an extent, but it doesn’t communicate the grip levels and information about the road’s surface quite as well as the 911 GT3’s or the McLaren 570S’s.&nbsp;

And nor is the R8 quite as hungry to dive for an apex as those more focused machines, or the Ferrari F8 Tributo, for that matter. We're talking small degrees here, mind, and the Quattro and the Performance have that&nbsp;advantage of&nbsp;amazing traction to counter. At the same time, their&nbsp;four-wheel-drive system is rear-biased, so they’re still playful but unlikely&nbsp;to bite by spinning you through a hedge.&nbsp;

Somehow, neither does the R8 RWD, even though it’s driven solely from the rear. It’s slightly softer at the edges than the four-wheel-drive R8s or those other rivals we’ve mentioned. That&nbsp;makes it more progressive and approachable.&nbsp;It’s not a mere toy, though, like the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/aston-martin/vantage/coupe/review/n194">Aston Martin Vantage</a> and Mercedes-AMG GT have a whiff of being. It still rewards respect and a dab hand, but almost certainly&nbsp;isn’t as quick around a lap as, say, a 911 Carrera S.&nbsp;

Still, it’s more fun than the Carrera S. It really rotates from the rear as you back off the accelerator on the way into a corner, then maintains a predictable slide as you power out. It’s so much fun that it’s our favourite version, even though we accept that the Quattro and the Performance are technically superior, especially in the wet.&nbsp;

The R8’s standard cast-iron&nbsp;brake discs&nbsp;offer good stopping performance and lots of feel at high speed&nbsp;but they’re a bit snatchy around town. The Performance is equipped with ceramic brakes as standard, which are less likely to overheat on a circuit.&nbsp;

So far, we’ve been talking about the R8’s speed, noise and poise, but what about its&nbsp;usability? It turns out it’s one of the most useable supercars you can buy. When the engine’s not being thrashed, it’s pretty quiet&nbsp;and there are no annoying theatrics, such as the contrived pops and bangs you hear from the tailpipes of the Vantage and AMG GT.&nbsp;

The gearbox, which is as fast and responsive as you need it to be on a track, is smooth and jerk-free around town. At 70mph on the motorway, the R8 is almost hushed; a 911, despite being perceived as the ‘usable sports car', has so much more road and wind noise.&nbsp;

The R8 also rides better than the 911, especially the RWD. It doesn’t have fancy adaptive dampers (optional on the Quattro) that can change stiffness at the touch of a button. Instead, you get one setting that is unbelievably compliant, working&nbsp;as well at keeping things settled at speed&nbsp;as it does absorbing sleeping policemen in the city. There’s no sense of peril every time you’re faced with a ramp or ridge, either. Unlike the Huracan, which will graunch its nose on a piece of discarded chewing gum, the R8 climbs them with ease.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

Being naturally aspirated, the V10 rips through the rev range and responds immediately without the turbo lag you experience in most rivals. You do have to work the R8's engine harder to release all its performance – the real fireworks don’t start until it's past 5000rpm –  but that simply adds to its glorious appeal because by then the noise it's making is spectacular. We love the 533bhp RWD version, which is fast enough, but the extra power (562bhp), hast (0-62mph in 3.4sec) and the stability of quattro four-wheel drive are very appealing.

http://example.com

5.2 FSI V10 Quattro 

52-fsi-570-v10-performance-ed

Being naturally aspirated, the V10 rips through the rev range and responds immediately without the turbo lag you experience in most rivals. You do have to work the R8's engine harder to release all its performance – the real fireworks don’t start until it's past 5000rpm –  but that simply adds to its glorious appeal because by then the noise it's making is spectacular. We love the 533bhp RWD version, which is fast enough, but the extra power of the Performance (a mighty 612bhp), its hast (0-62mph takes just 3.1sec) and the stability of quattro four-wheel drive are all highly appealing.

5.2 FSI V10 Quattro Performance

52-fsi-v10-quattro

A spaceship&nbsp;landing in the brand's line-up. That’s how the Audi R8 was described – by Audi – when it arrived well over a decade ago.

Back then, we were used to Audi’s considered approach to its everyday models and also its flurries into motorsport, most notably with the legendary Audi Quattro rally car. But a supercar? That was new. That was news.&nbsp;And, a decade or so on, the R8 has garnered the respect of its rivals.

The latest version represents formidable competition to the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mclaren/570/coupe/review/n17142"> McLaren 570S</a>, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/gt/coupe/review/n17866">Mercedes-AMG GT</a> and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/911/coupe/review/n98">Porsche 911</a>. It serves as a halo model for<a href="http://www.whatcar.com/make/audi"> Audi</a> Sports’ performance line-up, but it’s also been joined by the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/e-tron-gt/saloon/review/n22728">Audi E-tron GT</a> high-performance electric car.

That’s interesting because the Audi R8’s naturally-aspirated 5.2-litre V10 petrol engine is, perhaps, the very antithesis of the electric car. Looked at in basic terms, it’s a positively antiquated piece of engineering, and yet... it’s one of the best engines on sale today.&nbsp;

We’d go so far as to say that its only true rival in the Top Trumps of current motors is the&nbsp;wonderful naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre flat six in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/911/coupe/review/n17328">Porsche 911 GT3</a>. Why? Well, you can read all the reasons later in this review, but reason number one is: it sounds awesome. It can make anyone with a nuanced love of cars weak at the knees.&nbsp;

It comes in a variety of power outputs, although none of them serve&nbsp;up any less than&nbsp;well north of&nbsp;500bhp. All versions come with an S tronic seven-speed <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/automatic-gearboxes-everything-you-need-to-know/n17022">dual-clutch automatic gearbox</a>, but there’s a choice of rear-wheel drive or quattro four-wheel drive.&nbsp;

Is all that enough to make it the pick of a talented bunch of seriously respected supercars? Read this review to find out. And whichever car you settle on, visit the free What Car?<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">&nbsp;New Car Buying</a>&nbsp;service to see how much we can save you on scores of makes and models, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/audi/r8/coupe/deals">Audi R8</a>.

Does the Audi R8 have the&nbsp;best driving position of any supercar? No, it doesn't, because it lacks the ultimate range of steering wheel adjustment that you find in&nbsp;the Porsche 911&nbsp;and McLaren 570S. The pedals are too close to the driver as well. The seat&nbsp;is&nbsp;comfortable and supportive, though, even the manually adjusted one you get in the RWD.&nbsp;

The low windscreen scuttle and thin pillars give you a great view forward of&nbsp;the R8 hoovering up the road, and although the rear window is small, it's&nbsp;relatively easy to see out of the back of (as supercars go).&nbsp;Front and rear parking sensors plus a reversing camera are standard and&nbsp;take the jitters out of&nbsp;manoeuvring, and the standard&nbsp;LED headlights work well at night.&nbsp;

The R8’s multi-function steering wheel controls many things, including the driving modes and on-screen menus. You can also control the whole infotainment system&nbsp;(viewed through the 12.3in digital screen in the driver’s binnacle) via the steering wheel, although the rotary controller mounted behind the gear selector provides a more sensible and less distracting way&nbsp;of interacting with it.

It's one of the easiest infotainment systems to use, actually, with responsive software and&nbsp;simple menus that put some rivals to shame. The screen resolution is a bit old-hat these days, but you get&nbsp;mod-cons like sat-nav and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a>/<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a>. The Quattro version adds wireless phone-charging.

All the other controls are&nbsp;well laid out, including the simple, physical buttons for the climate controls.&nbsp;They are also beautifully made, like the rest of the R8's interior. The only gripe is that it perhaps doesn't feel 'special' enough because there are tie-ins with other&nbsp;Audis.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Coupe

Audi is a brand that sets the standard for interior quality, and this, combined with its vast and ever-growing model line-up, has helped it become one of the ‘big three’ German prestige car makers, along with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The A3 hatchback, A4 executive saloon and Q7 SUV have all won their classes at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards in recent years, while the TT coupé is the most decorated car in the history of the ceremony.

At least some of Audi's success over the past 30 years can be attributed to the growth in sales of vehicles with four-wheel drive; the company arguably led the way in bringing 4x4 technology into the mainstream, with its Quattro coupé in the early 1980s.

Today, most Audis are available with at least the option of four-wheel drive, while the list of SUVs from the brand includes the Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7.

AUDI

The Audi R8 does everything a proper supercar should – and then some – while also being user friendly

The first thing that strikes you about the Audi R8 is how easy it is to get in and out of – when you can open the doors fully, that is. Even someone relatively mature should be able to slip in and out&nbsp;without groaning an "oooo"&nbsp;or "agghhh".&nbsp;The doors are very long and thick, though, so getting them to open fully in a tight car park can be a problem.

There's&nbsp;plenty of head room&nbsp;and leg room is decent&nbsp;too, but the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/911/coupe/review/n98">Porsche 911</a> offers that bit more room all round&nbsp;to stretch out if you’re tall.

Odds and ends storage space is acceptable. You get shallow door pockets that will each take a small bottle of water, and a glovebox big enough for that jar of coffee you&nbsp;dashed into the supermarket to collect. Your takeaway coffee, meanwhile, can sit securely in one of the two cupholders.

In the nose of the car, there’s a small&nbsp;112-litre&nbsp;boot that’s capable of swallowing a couple of overnight bags or a carry-on travel case. It's a two-seater, so there's nothing behind the driver&nbsp;except&nbsp;a shelf, which does provide some&nbsp;extra storage. It's not as useful as the small rear seats you get in a 911, though, which may not be big enough to fit adults in easily, but they're great as extra luggage-carrying capacity.&nbsp;

On top of the Quattro, the Performance adds 20in alloy wheels, a sports exhaust, black tailpipes, ceramic brakes, high-beam assist, bucket seats and carbon interior trim. The fuel tank is smaller, though, at 73 litres. 

R8 Performance

performance

Performance Edition

performance-edition

The Audi R8 does everything a proper supercar should and then some. It's rampantly quick in a straight line, especially the Performance model, and features one of the best engines of any supercar on sale. The cherry on top is that the cheapest version is also the best – the rear-wheel drive RWD is the best-riding and sweetest-handling R8. It’s even surprisingly well-equipped, which is another reason why we prefer it to the Porsche 911. Of course, if you're looking for the absolute last word in finesse and purity, there are dynamically superior cars, like the McLaren 570S, which is fine as long as you have pots more cash to spend. If not, then bag yourself an R8 RWD. 

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Ride comfort shouldn’t be sacrificed at the altar of handling sharpness</li> <li>Plenty of power from a melodic engine</li> <li>Handling that doesn’t come at the expense of a back-breaking ride​​​​​</li> <li> Practicality is not essential but nice to have </li></ul>

Driving fun is right at the top of any sports car buyer's priority list, and every one of our award candidates has backroad entertainment coded into its DNA.

The Mazda MX-5 embodies sports-car spirit without wearing an exotic price tag, and has deservedly gained a strong following over the years. Much newer to the scene is the mid-engined Alpine A110. It may carry a name from the past, but this potent, mid-engined sports car was designed with the very latest lightweight thinking.&nbsp;

Rounding off our shortlist, though, is a name that'll be familiar to even those to whom sports cars hold little interest. The Porsche 911 was born an icon in 1964, and the latest generation bridges the gap between sports car and supercar. Yet, somehow, it manages to preserve a distinctly civilised character.

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