Now in the swansong of its life, the Audi R8 is still posing questions for those who seek to better its blend of everyday usability and outrageous point to point pace. And this ‘entry level’ rear-drive model is a case in point.
True, some aspects raise an eyebrow – the price, scruffy interior and anaemia-inducing fuel consumption – but otherwise it has aged well. The V10 remains one of the most viscerally thrilling motors to be found in any car, and anyone who says they’d want more performance on the public road is not seeing straight. It steers beautifully and has such a benign chassis balance up to and beyond its limits, which means at speeds you’ll almost certainly never manage on said public road, I can see little argument for spending extra on the more powerful all-wheel-drive version unless you want a heavier, less well-balanced car. I don’t.