autos

Nearly-new buying guide: Audi R8


And that brings us to the only fly in the R8’s rather wonderful ointment: the cost. Used prices now start at around £70,000 to £75,000 for an early car, creep up to around £80,000 for a 2018 model and reach £90,000 or more for later examples.

These prices may be relatively low, but you’ll still need a property portfolio or a generous trust fund to have the wherewithal to run an R8. Even if the official fuel economy of 21.6mpg for the standard car or 21.4mpg for the Plus doesn’t frighten you off, the huge cost of insurance and maintenance probably will.

Need to know

R8s built between 1 October 2015 and 30 November 2017 were recalled, because the gearbox could leak oil if you drove hard on track, resulting in smoke from the engine bay and possibly a fire.

Any R8 registered before 1 April 2017 must pay road tax under the old system that was based on CO2 emissions. Later R8s will have to pay the flat rate fee along with the surcharge for cars sold new with a list price of £40,000 or more.

Replacement parts for the R8 will be very expensive indeed, so once you have your heart set on a car, consider getting it professionally inspected to identify any potentially costly repairs.

Our pick

V10: The regular R8 is no slouch and still has 99% of the ability of the more powerful model. Look out for cars with the Driver Assistance pack, because that adds cruise control and a rear-view camera. The sports exhaust is also a worthy option.

Wild card

V10 RWS: The keener driver’s choice, with less weight and greater agility, plus remarkably deft steering and handling. You’ll be lucky to find an RWS, but the RWD should now be trickling on to the used market.

Ones we found

2016 R8 V10, 23,000 miles, £71,995

2017 R8 V10 Plus, 22,000 miles, £81,500

2018 R8 V10 Plus, 5000 miles, £88,950



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