Used Audi R8 2007-2015 review

The Audi R8 was a car that changed people’s perceptions of what an Audi could be.

It sent shockwaves through the supercar world back in 2007 when it launched the R8. It wasn’t just good, it was utterly brilliant, and beat the established players – such as the Porsche 911 and Aston V8 Vantage – at their own game.

Before its launch in 2007, the brand was seen as a maker of fine, premium-quality family cars and executive saloons, with the occasional rip-snorting, fire-breathing sports model thrown in for good measure.

The R8 is unashamedly a supercar, with a lightweight two-seat body, a mid-engined V8, four-wheel drive, and the sort of performance once reserved only for Ferraris and Lamborghinis.

It’s a sensible supercar, though, being usable, reliable and easy to drive, and it didn’t take long for people to realise it was a very fine car indeed. Used prices are now reasonable, and many owners have kept them in top-notch condition.

Engines and performance: Now, anyone searching for a used high-performance car could do no better than seek out an R8. Its 4.2-litre V8 engine was joined in 2008 by a 5.2-litre V10, a modified version of the engine used in the Lamborghini Gallardo, and fresh-air fanatics could enjoy an open-top Spyder version soon after that.

A refreshed model appeared in 2012, with a superior seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic gearbox option and new headlights, grille and interior trimmings. There were also several stripped-out and limited-edition models available at this time, too, although the V10 R8 Plus was the top-of-the-range version, with an impressive 0-62mph time of just 3.5sec.

The R8 is great to drive. The 424bhp V8 version is plenty fast enough and sounds great, but the 523bhp V10 model offers proper supercar pace and sounds even more glorious.

Ride and handling: Whichever engine you choose, though, the R8 handles brilliantly, and there’s an immense amount of traction from the standard four-wheel-drive system.

The R8’s body, chassis and double wishbone suspension are aluminium for lightness, although the car still tips the scales at 1565kg. The quattro system sends 70% of the car’s 415bhp output to the rear wheels, the balance going to the fronts.

The automatic S-Tronic gearbox adds more appeal to what was already a brilliant supercar. If you value driving thrills above all else, the R8 is unbeatable.

Trims and equipment: Standard equipment includes 19in alloys, xenon headlights and leather seats. Be wary of the optional magnetic ride system. There are enough reports of it failing expensively in later life to make the standard set-up the smarter choice.

It was all change in 2012 with the arrival of the refreshed R8. Out went the optional R tronic transmission, replaced by the infinitely superior seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch auto. New LED lights across the range, a restyled exhaust, new grille, sat-nav and Bluetooth took care of the nice bits. The V8 and V10 engines remained the same, but the lighter, more compact S tronic ’box helped to reduce CO2 emissions (VED is still £515 for all versions, though).

At the same time, the new R8 V10 Plus, offering 535bhp and a 0-62mph time of 3.5sec in S tronic form, became the flagship of the range, at least until the 562bhp V10 LMX special edition arrived in 2014. Nice – but not as sweet as a well-bought 2007 V8 manual for £39,000.

An all-new, second-generation, lighter and stiffer R8 went on sale in 2016, carrying on all the good qualities the first version of this very able sports car displayed.

"This is the car I've always wanted since I first saw one in the Iron Man films. Tremendous fun and really good value now." – George Hill, used cars writer

Find a used Audi R8 for sale in our classifieds section here.

Unbelievably for a car so special, you can buy an R8 from as little as £30,000. This will get you an early 2007 V8, with what for a supercar we could consider an average to high mileage for the year, say around 60,000, from either a private sale or a trade dealer. Between £35,000 and £45,000 will buy you good, clean examples from either 2007 or 2008, with a below-average mileage and from an independent dealer. Upping the money to £45,000 to £50,000 will get you 2009 and 2010 cars with a low mileage, again from a trusted dealer. Around £50,000 will get you the cheaper Spyder models, and later, or low mileage, regular cars.

MPG

It may be the sensible supercar and cost less to run than some of its Italian thoroughbred rivals, but the R8 still won't be exactly cheap to run. For example, the early V8-engined R8 will consume petrol at the average claimed rate of about 20.8mpg, according to the government figures, and taxing it will be correspondingly high.

Road tax

All of these R8s were registered before the tax changes of April 2017 came into force, and therefore, tax is based on CO2 emissions.

Economy actually improved on the later V8 cars despite the power increases – even more so after the R8's refresh in 2012 – but don’t expect to see much better than 20mpg from the V10 versions. Tyres and brakes will be of a higher performance level and will cost more than average, too.

Insurance and servicing

Audi recommends an annual service for the R8. These services aren’t cheap, especially at an Audi dealer, but several specialists will take on this work for you for less outlay and some prestige dealers will offer bespoke servicing packages when selling an R8.

The R8 is nothing short of brilliant to drive. It handles beautifully and its driving experience is truly special. The four-wheel drive system provides the R8 with bags of grip and the driving position is spot on. The R8 is usable around town, too, and rewarding to drive even at sensible speeds.

In its life, there have been two basic engine configurations, a V8 and a V10, with both in various states of tune depending on age, and we would happily recommend either. Later V8s are more economical than earlier ones, so it might be better to try and seek out one of those, especially with the upgraded automatic gearbox, which makes the whole drive even smoother and actually faster.

The V10 makes a wonderful noise, especially so in the Spyder version, where there isn’t a roof to impede on the glorious sounds issuing from the car’s exhausts. It’s a wonderfully fast car, with huge reserves of power, but, of course, you’ll pay for the privilege. In fact, the latest R8 makes do with just the V10 engine, but in most circumstances if you’re buying an older car you’ll probably find the V8 to be the better all-rounder.

Our favourite Audi R8: V8

When it first appeared, this was one of very few sensible supercars, although there’s a case to be made for calling the Porsche 911 one of those as well, with its rear seating and reliability record. However, the latest two-seat, mid-engined models from Ferrari and Lamborghini are the R8's more natural rivals, and they have all upped their games of late, being not only stunningly fast and good to drive, but also usable day-to-day and more reliable than such cars were in days of old.

This generation of R8 competed against the Ferrari 458 for much of its life, and a good show it put up, too. The Ferrari has the edge on excitement, though, with its stunning looks and more showy interior and fittings. It offered 562bhp and a top speed in excess of 200mph. It was a car of scintillating performance, reasonable practicality and, because of its high-tech approach, it was a supremely interactive and rewarding car to drive. It was replaced by the brilliant 488, which just upped the game even further.

The Lamborghini Gallardo shared some of its underpinnings with the R8, and both had their own versions of the same V10 engine. It was four-wheel-drive too, and it had earth-shatteringly fast performance. It handled well, had a suitably stunning interior and felt special, but it wasn’t quite as sharp as the Ferrari or as advanced as its other main rival at the time, the McLaren MP4-12C. In time, it was replaced by the Lamborghini Huracán, which is even better to drive and even more stunning to look at.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? Newsletter here