History & character

Unveiled in 2007 as a coupé and then in 2010 as a Spyder, the first R8 (Typ 42) established Audi in the world of supercars at a single stroke. Built around an aluminium Audi Space Frame chassis, it pairs a naturally aspirated 4.2 FSI V8 producing 430bhp in a mid-rear position with quattro all-wheel drive. Its reputation has remained untarnished: the performance of a supercar combined with the ease of use of an Audi, usable in all weathers and on a daily basis.

The V8, derived from the RS4, revs to over 8,000rpm with a pure mechanical soundtrack, free of turbocharging. This 2011 Spyder example is fitted with the manual gearbox featuring the exposed aluminium gate, now the most sought-after configuration on the market, well ahead of the R tronic automated transmission. Wind-in-the-hair motoring, a naturally aspirated V8 and the chromed gate: a combination that is fast disappearing, placing the R8 V8 among the modern classics.