Audi R8 Review

The Audi R8 is a very fast but forgiving supercar. All versions are easy to drive, well-equipped and comfortable over long journeys. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the performance and handling characteristics of 200mph high-performance vehicles then the R8 will be a good place to start. The cabin is luxurious, spacious and easy to use. Top-spec models get a comprehensive package of parking sensors and cameras, which means you won’t have to spend 15 minutes trying to successfully park at your local supermarket. 

The naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 engine may look and sound intimidating, but this engine is one of the most predictable high-performance engines on the market. The power delivery is smooth and predictable, while the seven-speed automatic gearbox is smart and will not hesitate on either the up or downshift. 

The R8 doesn’t feel as cutting edge as its rivals at speed: the steering is slightly overpowered and the four-wheel-drive system can make it difficult to explore the car’s limits. The four-wheel-drive system provides mind-boggling levels of grip, but it has its limits and only veteran drivers will be able to read the minute tell-tale signs of when they are being surpassed. 

However, for everyday comfort and easy to use, we rate the R8 as the best all-round supercar. 

The Porsche 911, McLaren 570S and Honda NSX are all key rivals to the Audi R8. Both the Porsche and McLaren are sharper and more involving to drive, while the Honda has lower fuel costs due to its hybrid powertrain.

The R8 is easier to live with on a day-to-day basis, with its refined low-speed handling and useful driver tech making it easier to use. Audi’s comprehensive parking assistance package (fitted as standard) makes parking a breeze. 

If you want a comfortable supercar with a luxurious interior then the Audi R8 will probably be the car for you. The R8’s cabin is far superior to the 911, 570S and NSX, with higher quality materials used throughout. Audi’s infotainment system is also head and shoulders about anything that’s produced by Porsche, McLaren and Honda right now. 

The quality of the cabin is one of the best in the supercar segment. The fit and finish is excellent and on par with anything else in Audi’s line-up. 

The low roofline and wrap-around dashboard cocoons the driver and passenger, but never feels claustrophobic. The dashboard is covered with a sea of soft-touch leathers and plastics, while the door pillars are covered in a high-quality suede cloth. 

The steering wheel is a particular highlight on post-2019 models, with a large starter button on the lower part of the flat bottomed wheel. The outer edge of the steering wheel and gear lever is covered in a grippy microfiber suede material that adds to the race car feel. 

The Audi R8 has one of the best infotainment systems of any supercar. All versions get a sophisticated navigation system as standard, along with DAB audio and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. 

Audi’s ‘virtual cockpit’ replaces the traditional instrument binnacle with a 12.3-inch display with pin-sharp graphics. This lets you toggle between different display modes and also adjust the digital instrument cluster to suit your driving mood.

At launch, the virtual cockpit system was only fitted as standard to V10 Plus models. However, as part of the mid-life update in 2019, it was added to all models as standard. We wouldn’t buy an R8 without it. 

Most of the infotainment controls are operated via buttons and wheels on the steering wheel. There is also a rotary dial with a finger pad in the centre console. However, unlike the 911 and 570S, there isn’t a central infotainment screen on the dashboard. 

Supercars seldom win awards for practicality and the Audi R8 is no exception. The 112-litre boot is large enough for a couple of cabin bags, but little else. 

There’s some storage space and a shelf behind the seats in the cabin, which means you can squeeze a soft overnight bag into the interior. But the R8 isn’t a car that’ll cater for those who require lots of luggage. 

There is space for a couple of cups in the centre storage box. There is also a pocket at the lower part of each door, but the space is small and only suitable for loose change or loose scraps of paper. 

There isn’t much choice when it comes to engines. The Audi R8 is limited to a naturally-aspirated 5.2-litre petrol V10. This isn’t a problem, however, because this V10 is quite simply one of the greatest engines ever built. 

The V10 shares 50% of its components with the legendary R8 LMS GT3 race car. This means you get a genuine hand-built legend. And it shows in the numbers, with top-spec models capable of reaching 205mph. 

At launch, the V10’s output was split between 540PS and 610PS. The 0-62mph sprint takes 3.5 seconds (3.2 for the V10 Plus) and peak power is delivered at 8100rpm, which means the V10 has a high-revving nature. 

In 2019, the V10 received a power upgrade as part of its mid-life update. The entry-model was uprated by 30PS ( to 570PS) while Audi rebranded the V10 Plus as ‘V10 Performance’ and received an extra 10PS, taking its total output to 620PS. 

Power is fed to the quattro all-wheel-drive system via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox - there’s no manual gearbox option. The driver can manually select the gears via steering wheel mounted paddles. 

A rear-wheel-drive version of the R8 was added as a special edition model in late-2018 and became a permanent part of the model line-up in mid-2019. The R8 RWD uses the same engine and gearbox as the coupe, but uses a limited-slip differential on the rear axle to maximise rear-wheel drive traction.

Supercars don’t traditionally rate highly for refinement, with carmakers happy to sacrifice noise suppressing materials for lightness and speed. However, while the R8 might be a noisy brute, it fares better than many of its supercar rivals for general refinement. 

The cabin quality’s on par with anything from Audi’s luxury car range, with low levels of ambient road and wind noise. Very little heat or vibration is transferred to the cabin from the R8’s huge V10 engine, which is located behind the passenger compartment. 

This is particularly noticeable when driving the R8 through heavy traffic; a situation where the mid-engine layout will usually cook up the interior as the engine heats up. 

The Audi R8 is not a quiet car, though. The naturally aspirated ten-cylinder V10 will wake your neighbours in the morning, as it barks into life. And even the lightest touch on the throttle will prompt the ten-cylinder into a deep burble that’ll rattle nearby windows.  

Things do quieten down on the motorway,  with the V10 ticking over at 2500rpm, but the low-din of the engine is ever-present.  Some drivers and passengers will find the harsh engine noise tiring over a two- or three-hour journey.

The R8’s bodyshell is constructed from a combination of aluminium and carbon fibre, which makes it lightweight and extremely strong. Audi has never submitted the R8 for Euro NCAP testing, but all models get driver, passenger and side-impact airbags, along with a seatbelt pre-tensioner system that’s designed to mitigate whiplash-type injuries.

Then R8 gets the usual mixture of high-performance ABS and electronic stability control systems, which will tame the 5.2-litre V10 engine when roads are challenging in wet or wintery weather conditions.

However, while top-spec cars get a comprehensive array of parking aids and cameras, there is no blind-spot monitoring system. Autonomous emergency braking isn’t offered, either. 

All versions get a set of  ISOFIX anchor points for the passenger seat, which means you can fit a child seat. The front passenger airbag can also be deactivated, which lets you carry a child seat facing backwards. 

There is no spare wheel of any kind in the R8, but a tyre repair kit is available if you do suffer a puncture. A first aid kit can also be supplied with the car, as an options extra. 

The R8 is the fastest and most desirable car in the Audi range. This means all versions sit in Group 50 for car insurance. It pays to use a specialist supercar broker to find the most comprehensive cover, as sometimes the cheapest deals will also have the highest excess costs. Owing to its colossal tailpipe emissions, the R8’s BIK rate is 37% across the range. 

The naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 in the R8 isn’t what you’d describe as an ‘eco-friendly’ engine. In fact, with CO2 emissions exceeding 300g/km, the R8 is among the most polluting cars on the road. 

The highest road tax costs are for models registered between 2015 and 2017 - these fall into the old CO2 based VED system, of which the R8 sits in the highest band (M) which means you’ll be looking at £600 for 12 month’s VED. 

Things are slightly better for cars registered after 1 April 2017. These models are taxed against the newer VED system which employs a flat rate for all petrol and diesel cars. This means you’ll be looking at £475 per year.

When the car reaches six years of age the £40,000 premium rate is dropped and this lowers annual VED for the Audi R8 V10 to just £150 per year. So it pays to find a car that qualifies for the newer 2017 VED system. 

Given its supercar status, it won’t surprise you to hear that all versions of the Audi R8 are well-equipped as standard. 

Luxury features, like LED headlights, 19-inch aluminium wheels, metallic paint and leather seats are fitted as standard. The cabin features leather heated sports seats with electric adjustment (as standard) along with automatic air conditioning and a fully digital instrument display. 

However, if you want height-adjustable seats, you'll need to buy the V10 Plus model, which also adds bucket sport seats and stainless steel pedals. Cruise control is also added, but strangely there is no adaptive cruise control option.

Range-topping models get some notable exterior upgrades, with a carbon fibre front spoiler and a large fixed rear spoiler replacing the hydraulic adjustable system used on the ‘standard’ R8. V10 Plus models also get ceramic brakes, in place of the steel discs used in the entry-level model. 

The R8 was given a comprehensive update in 2019, with Audi’s virtual cockpit system fitted as standard. The V10 Plus was also rebranded as V10 Performance and given 20-inch wheels and a new multifunction steering wheel with a built-in starter button.

Over the years Audi has launched a number of special editions for the R8, with most getting 20-inch wheels and a multitude of aerodynamic tweaks to sharpen the styling and race track performance. 

The most exclusive edition of the R8 is the 10 Plus Selection 24h, which was commissioned to celebrate the R8 LMS GT3 car’s 300th victory. Just 24 examples were built, with each features an exclusive tricolour paint finish and track-focused interior. 

Rear-wheel-drive models were added to the R8 range in 2019. These can be identified by the larger front grille and rear diffuser. The side blades (the bits of coloured bodywork that sit behind the door and window) are also finished in a glossy mythos black, while the bottom blade is painted in the colour of the vehicle.