Buyers continue to queue up for the Audi R8

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Introduction

When Audi said it was going to build a supercar there were many doubters; with the R8 they've been silenced.

What are its rivals?

The R8 is unusual among its rivals as it's mid-engined. A base price of £78,045 puts it firmly into competition with cars like Porsche's 911 and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, but it feels and looks a good deal more exotic than such rivals. The raw numbers put the R8 up against such competition too: the 0-62mph time is just 0.1 seconds faster than that of a 911 Carrera S or the Aston, while the Porsche can better the R8's 187mph top speed - albeit by just 1mph. With Audi having no sports car previously in this price and performance sphere the R8 lacks the sort of deep-rooted heritage on offer from its German and British rivals, but that doesn't seem to have put buyers off one little bit.

How does it drive?

Sure it looks beautiful, but Audi has always done a good job on style with driving coming a distant second in the list of priorities. With the R8 Audi has nailed the driving experience. Naturally, the R8 features Audi's quattro four-wheel drive, but it's rear biased to give it the feel of a rear-wheel drive car. With its 414bhp, 4.2-litre V8 engine situated behind you the R8 is beautifully balanced too, the steering sharp and well weighted and the R8's responses to input hugely faithful. It's also an easy car to drive, the R8 never shocking with its responses.

When the tyres reach the limit of their grip the R8 understeers initially, though that is easily neutralised by use of the accelerator - the R8 can oversteer with the best of its rivals. It's fast, though not brutally so, with the V8's power delivered in a very linear manner. Stick with the slick shifting six-speed manual if you want smooth gearchanges, as the optional S tronic paddle-shift system is hopeless in comparison. If there's one must-have option it's the magnetic dampers, as these give the R8 the ability to mix saloon car ride comfort with sports car sharpness. In short, the R8 is Audi's best driver's car by a huge margin, but it still does not offer quite as intense or involving a driving experience as its key rivals do.

What's impressive?

As Audi's first foray into Porsche's territory the R8 is a hugely impressive effort. It's sharp to drive, yet not so edgy or demanding that a typical Audi buyer can't get in and enjoy it. The R8 remains utterly faithful to Audi's beautiful styling language; it's one of the best looking cars you can buy at any price point. That transfers into the interior: the R8's cabin is an absolute demonstration of Audi's prowess in producing cockpits that eclipse their rivals for fit, finish and functionality. With the optional magnetic dampers the R8 rides with sensational suppleness; it actually rides with more composure than Audi's S8 sports saloon.

The detailing is sensational inside and out. You just need to open the engine bay and look at its super neat installation and marvel at how Audi can afford to build the R8 with such precision and attention to detail for any profit. It's a car as automotive sculpture, the R8 one of those rare sports cars that attracts admiration rather than envy.

What's not?

For all its beauty and attention to detail the R8 never really gets under your skin as a driver's car. As brilliant as it is, it lacks that final layer of detail and involvement that you'll get in Porsche's 911. You'll soon tire of the click-clacking of the manual gearshift through the gate, particularly as it doesn't signal the sort of metallic, operatic engine note you'll get if you're shifting through the gears in an Italian exotic. Indeed, the R8 is strangely devoid of voice, the V8 only making any sound at the very upper reaches of its rev-range - and even then it's not the sort of intoxicating, spine-tingling sound that will have you seeking out every opportunity to rev the V8 to its red-line.

Practicalities are perhaps something that most sports car buyers are happy to forgo, but the R8 really is short on luggage space. The front 'boot' will take a couple of overnight bags, but there's no space inside the cabin for additional luggage. If you're a golfer you'll need to buy a 911 or an Aston Martin V8. Fuel consumption is pretty heinous too; the 4.2-litre V8 only achieves 19.3mpg on the official combined cycle. A CO₂ figure of 349g/km isn't great either - Porsche's 911 Carrera S can return 8.1mpg more and emit some 107g/km less while producing the same performance.

Should I buy one?

Good luck getting into a new R8 immediately, as there is still a decent-sized waiting list for Audi's flagship sports car. We'd certainly recommend it though, as the R8 is a brilliant sports car that's beautifully built and enjoyable to drive.

Kyle Fortune