Audi R8 V8 Buyers Guide

  Sep 20, 2017     Audi R8, Buyers Guide

Straight out of the future, the Audi R8 and it’s striking looks set it apart from rivals. The unique styling cues, its iconic Sideblades, wide front intakes beneath the headlights and tail lights are still bang up to date. Audi have done very little to change the looks over the last seven years, why would they, when they got it so right from the very beginning?

Audi also hit gold with the engine layout and drivetrain. The mid engined format let’s everyone know this is no half hearted attempt at a supercar and the initial sellout of the car for the first 12 months before production started showed they had a winning formula.

The choice of engine was also going to crucial, they started out with the rev happy B7 RS4 powerplant and set it up for dry sump lubrication which crucially allowed them to mount it low in the aluminium spaceframe chassis. This lowered the centre of gravity of the whole car, improving the handling. The other benefit of moving to dry sump lubrication is it eradicates oil pickup and surge issues associated with a wet sump setup. On track it can be pushed to the limits without any lubrication problems.

Why Buy an Audi R8?

• The first Audi supercar.
• Mid engine four wheel drive setup proved to be a very effective combination on the road and track.
• Unique styling is still breathtaking and has aged extremely well.
• Very reliable mechanicals.
• All aluminium construction.
• The look of the car has not been changed dramatically since first launch.
• Relatively low numbers of used cars for sale and prices have been static for some time.

Buying one

Prices vary significantly, with the cheapest cars now around £40,000. There are cheaper cars out there but they are often not HPI clear. The R8 is still in production so prices go all the way up to new car levels of around £80,000. The early cars in particular represent excellent value for money when compared to newer cars.

Maintenance & Parts

The prices of most parts on the R8 are expensive and the fitting prices in addition to this at Audi dealerships will also be significant. However the R8 is seen as a supercar with performance to match this, so make sure you thoroughly inspect any car you are looking to buy, ideally with a professional. 

Particular areas to watch out for are the dampers, clutch and exhaust. Check that there is plenty of life left in the tyres and brakes. The standard alloy wheels are over £1000 each, so make sure they are spotless. Other things to bear in mind is that a headlight for example will be £650 to replace before fitting so look for damage to any part of the car as the costs will add up quickly.

Buyer Checkpoints

Engine

There are no major issues with the V8 unit which is shared with the Audi S4 B7. High mileage and track used engines have no reported problems. If the car is quite smokey from the exhausts on startup then it may have a build up of carbon deposits, but these can be removed with a de-coke.

Clutch & Gearbox

Just like the engine, the clutch and gearbox in both manual and R-Tronic are durable items. Lots of town driving in the R-Tronic will reduce clutch life.

Suspension & Steering

Look out for knocking from the rear as the suspension arms can be a weak point. Those that have had them replaced may have opted to fit the V10 versions. The MagneRide suspension equipped cars will have a great cost associated with replacing dampers so check for unusual ride and handling on a test drive and listen out for any noises from any corner of the car. No problems reported from the steering components.

Brakes

The car is fitted with 8 piston front and 4 piston rear calipers with ventilated discs. Brake discs and pads are costly to replace so check them carefully and factor in their condition when negotiating. The optional carbon ceramic discs that were offered on later cars should last the lifetime of the car and so far no owners have reported otherwise.

Wheels & Tyres

Large width of tyres make these expensive to replace. Check for any pothole and kerb damage to the wheels.

Bodywork

The underside of the R8 is fitted with several underbody trays and it is recommended that you get any car you are interested in buying inspected, including removal of these trays to see if there are any signs of crash damage or fluid leaks being masked.

Ownership

There are three levels of servicing with the most comprehensive costing around £650 from a specialist dealer. A basic service will cost around £300. It is recommended to service the R8 every 10,000 despite Audi setting cars up for a long life service plan when new which had a 20,000 mile/ 2 year interval.

Audi R8 Evolution

2007 – R8 Coupe 4.2 FSI Quattro released, the V8 powerplant is based on the Audi RS4 but with dry sump lubrication and some other enhancements to suit the R8.

2009 – R8 Coupe 5.2 FSI Quattro released, fitted with a V10 based on the Lamborghini LP560-4 unit. The car featured larger wheels and brakes as well as LED headlights.

2010 – R8 Spyder version of the 5.2 litre V10 was released, the first convertible version of the R8.

2011 – R8 Spyder 4.2 FSI Quattro released following the success of the V10 Spyder. V8 Limited Edition R8 of 100 cars was sold in the UK to commemorate the 10th Audi 24 hour Le Mans victory. It featured styling changes including red brake calipers and carbon interior details.

2012 – R8 GT Coupe released as a limited edition model of 333 worldwide. This car featured an uprated V10 engine and 100kg weight saving over the standard V10. It also had updated body styling, a fixed carbon fibre rear wing and red brake calipers. A Spyder version was also made available, also limited to 333 cars.

What the motoring press said about the Audi R8

“It delivers agility and massive cornering grip, but matches this to impressive high-speed refinement and the sort of comfort necessary to devour trans-continental journeys at a sitting.”
Autocar, 2007

“It’s a lovely engine to use (especially above 4,500rpm and even more especially when closing in on the 8,500rpm limiter), mated to an equally lovely gearbox in the open-gated form of the six-speed manual. It just slides so slickly from gear to gear, it’s like the whole thing’s been dipped in caviar.”
TopGear, 2011

“It doesn’t matter what kind of road it is – fast and open, twisty and technical, humped, dipped and wickedly cambered – the R8 will blitz any and all varieties of blacktop.”
EVO Magazine, 2007

Specification

Engine cylinders / capacity	8 / 4163	Power bhp / rpm	414 / 7800	Torque lb ft / rpm	317 / 4500
Max Speed mph	187	0 – 60mph seconds	4.3	0 – 100mph seconds	10.4
Weight kg	1560	Power to Weight Ratio	265	Dimensions Length / Width / Height	4431 x 1904 x 1252
Carbon Emissions CO2g / km	349	Miles Per Gallon	19.3	Wheel & Tyres Width / Sidewall / Diameter	Front 235/40/18 Rear 285/35/18
Weight Distribution Front : Rear	44 / 56	Track width Front / Rear	1632 / 1593	Wheelbase	2650
Transmission	6-speed Manual 6-speed R-Tronic	Drivetrain Engine position / Driven wheels	Mid / 4WD	Price New GBP	78195