Tuesday 21st April 2015

Audi R8 V10: Spotted

There isn't a manual gearbox available on the new R8 - is now the time to grab an original?

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This Spotted has been entirely motivated by last weekend's Sunday Service. Lurking away in the back of the field at Morgan was an Audi R8. Nothing exceptional by the standards of a PH meet actually, we tend to see quite a few. Oh but look, it has those fancy wheels. Must be a V10. Just have a peer inside and... oh yes, the marvellous open-gate gearbox. Cool car. There won't be another manual R8 and there is no longer another manual V10 supercar available brand new in the UK.

A very rare sight in R8s

Given that, and given every R8 has a superb reputation, this V10 manual must surely be a very desirable car. Or rather it will be very soon. Perhaps it will take the first verdicts on the new R8 to be returned with whingey journos bemoaning the DSG-only range, maybe when the 911 goes all-turbo and buyers miss big capacity naturally aspirated supercars. Because right now, £60K for an R8 V10 manual looks an astonishing bargain.

Let's put that into some context. That's a Porsche Cayman GTS with a few options. A Mercedes SLK55 AMG has a list price of £55,345. Even a new TT could surely be specced up to a price worryingly close to this R8 very easily. These are not intended as rivals of course, more to highlight the value proposition this R8 represents.

That Porsche we all know was of course the R8's main rival new and remains so used. £60K buys some very nice 997 Turbos and GTS Carreras, with manual transmissions if you wish. Don't hold out much hope for buying a manual Gallardo at less than £60,000...

And the inspiration from the weekend!

We have discussed the R8 V10 previously, when Harris described it as 'the most underrated car of its type', with a gearshift much sweeter than the Lamborghini's. Oh, and it's willingness to wheelspin in third gear. Nearly three years ago to the day a barely used car for £90K looked a great deal. This car has only 25,000 miles recorded, making that asking price all the more alluring.

So yes, it appears quite the supercar for £60K. Surely they can't get an awful lot cheaper? Famous last words and all that but the market has to wake up to a car of such quality and rarity soon. Finally, if a plain old V10 doesn't cut the mustard the same dealer has a V10 Plus manual available too!

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AUDI R8 V10
Engine: 5,204cc 10-cyl
Transmission: 6-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 525@8,000 rpm 
Torque (lb ft): 391@6,500 rpm 
MPG: 20.3 [NEDC combined] 
CO2: 346g/km
First registered: 2009
Recorded mileage: 26,550
Price new: £114,835
Yours for: £59,950

See the original advert here.

[Red R8 pic: Ben Lowden]

[mrclav]

Agree with the article. As a everyday ownership proposition, a manual V10 engined supercar like this at this price point can only be something to savour...

[SFO]

what about the R8 V10 Roadsters, are they great value as well?

[Fastchas]

Unashamededly my first lottery win purchase. After seeing many a Porsche/Ferrari and Lambo and thinking 'Meh', the sight of an R8 gives me groin twitches that can't be explained.

[matpilch]

I'm strangely attracted to this. Never thought I'd say that about a silver audi

[T1berious]

matpilch said:

I'm strangely attracted to this. Never thought I'd say that about a silver audi

+1

Goes off to classifieds....

[Dave Hedgehog]

i have been keeping my eye on the V10 man spyders for some time, no roof really allows you to enjoy the noise these banshees make

the updated cars (with wave brakes) drive a lot better than the earlier ones

so much want

[Matt UK]

I think I'd actually have a V8, with a manual gearbox naturally.

Not sure why, I've driven neither. Just seem to remember that write ups earlier in the cars life had the smaller engined variant as the sweeter steer.

[Matt UK]

How do used prices stack up against similar power 911's? (V8 vs S and V10 vs turbo)

[OwenK]

I concur that something about the styling and overall proposition of the R8 makes it an exceptionally desirable object. I would happily take an 8 or a 10.

[TTwiggy]

OwenK said:

I concur that something about the styling and overall proposition of the R8 makes it an exceptionally desirable object. I would happily take an 8 or a 10.

Indeed, and I also think it's a car that looks even better in the metal than in photos. A friend has an early V8 in dark blue with carbon blades and pretty much every extras box ticked. It's a beautiful thing to behold.

[soad]

Looks better in red.

[Matt UK]

I saw a brown / bronze one in France - even that looked good!

[Axionknight]

Very, very nice. I'd happily take a V8 or the V10, I've had a trundle about in a friends early V8 and it was a great all round, easy to use car (or, as all round as something like this can be, anyway).

I saw a brown one once, too, not sure on the engine/box but that looked great with cream leather seats.

The only Audi I have ever looked at and really wanted.

[R8Steve]

I'm amazed no-one has came along to tell us that the R8 is not a supercar yet

[J4CKO]

Cant see that depreciating much, 40 grand is entry level for any R8, Rtronic V8's with a good few miles on, so 60 doesn't seem that expensive for a younger V10.

[culpz]

R8Steve said:

I'm amazed no-one has came along to tell us that the R8 is not a supercar yet

+1 on that!

I personally think it nails it on the styling. Looks how a supercar should. It's got some real shoulders on it and a real presence on the road. Nice and aggressive. Never really got how people can say it's not a supercar just because it has an Audi badge on it.

[Max M4X WW]

0-60 in 2.4?

[R8Steve]

Max M4X WW said:

0-60 in 2.4?

Because supercar innit

Slightly on the optimistic side i'd have thought. Certainly capable of low-mid 3's though.

[graeme4130]

I see there's three Manual V10+'s in the classifieds at the moment too.
Like buses, there's not been one for sale for ages, and three come along all at once
That would make an excellent buy as the V10+ is a big advance over the 'standard' V10

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/a...

[Amirhussain]

Nice...but I would have it in red or blue.