Used Audi R8 for sale: everything you need to know
For so many years, the Porsche 911 was the default everyday sports car. Then the Audi R8 arrived in 2006 and stole the 911’s thunder for a while - here was a true mid-engined supercar that was as usable as an Audi A3. The second generation arrived in 2015 and finally went off sale in 2023, and it carried on that legacy to the end.
All 2015-on R8s use V10 engines, and that alone gives it one of the most charismatic drivetrains of any modern car. It’s hugely fast too but the car’s ease of use and fantastic interior mean it still delivers the true Audi experience of a car that’s a pleasure to live with, not just to drive. Its popularity means older R8s are now getting temptingly affordable.
Should you buy an Audi R8?
The Audi R8 is one of the best all-round, high-performance sports cars available - a car you can mention in the same breath as the Porsche 911. It has the looks and performance of a supercar but forces very few compromises on you, meaning it’s surprisingly easy to use every day.
Mid-engined styling means the R8 has real visual appeal, and despite this very different silhouette from any other Audi, it’s very clearly still part of the family. The same goes for the cabin, which in many ways is more appealing than other Audis - not just for the low-slung, supercar-style driving position, but thanks to its simple, driver-focused layout that doesn’t cover your field of view in touchscreens. Quality is excellent, too.
It’s all about how the R8 drives, though. All second-generation cars are powered by a 5.2-litre V10, similar to that found in the Lamborghini Huracan. It’s a little quieter and more cultured here than in the Italian supercar but still hugely charismatic, very powerful, and easily accessed through a quick-shifting dual-clutch gearbox and in most models, all-wheel drive. But the R8 handles well too, being agile but not too demanding of the driver, while there’s enough pliancy in the ride that it won’t beat you up on British A- and B-roads.
Depending on the age of the R8 you’re looking at, rivals for the R8 are fairly wide-ranging - the Porsche 911 is the most obvious, with a very different look and feel to the R8 but a similarly broad range of talents, while the BMW i8, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, McLaren 570S/570GT (and others), and even the Nissan GT-R are all options - or, if you’re prepared to look a little older, even some Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
What’s the best used Audi R8 model to buy?
There’s not a huge variation between R8 models, and if you’re sold on the idea of an R8, then no model is likely to disappoint. Performance trim became standard later down the line and this gets you more power, though earlier, non-Performance R8s were hardly slow to begin with. Styling changed slightly over the years too - early cars looked a little more subtle, later versions with fixed wings may appeal to more extroverted buyers.
Used Audi R8 fuel economy and performance
- Audi R8 V10 Performance RWD: In rear-wheel drive form the R8’s 5.2-litre V10 develops 570PS and has a standard dual-clutch automatic transmission. 0-62mph comes up in under four seconds, top speed is over 200mph, and economy is 22.4mpg combined.
- Audi R8 V10 Performance Quattro: With all four wheels driven you get more power, at 620PS, and the 0-62mph time is quicker as a result - just 3.1 seconds. Top speed is 205mph.
What used Audi R8 trim levels are available?
- The Audi R8 V10 Performance RWD starts the range with 19-inch alloy wheels, a pop-up rear spoiler, leather upholstery and a rear-view camera.
- The Audi R8 V10 Performance RWD Edition gets extra kit over the regular RWD, with 20-inch alloys, gloss black exterior details, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, carbonfibre trim details, and a fancy Alcantara headlining with diamond stitching.
- The Audi R8 V10 Performance quattro has carbon-ceramic brakes as standard and a fixed rear spoiler. Exterior details get a matte titanium effect, and inside there’s a pair of leather bucket seats.
- The Audi R8 V10 Performance quattro Edition gains a red finish for the calipers on the carbon-ceramic brakes, and the exterior has gloss black detailing.
Used Audi R8 dimensions and boot size
The Audi R8’s exterior dimensions are:
- Length: 4,429mm
- Width: 1,940mm
- Height: 1,236mm
- Ground clearance: 117mm
The Audi R8’s boot space is:
Used Audi R8 road tax
The earliest second-generation R8s were launched in 2015, which means two years of production are taxed on CO2 emissions rather than at a flat rate, and tax can be as high as £735 as a result. The first few years of April 2017-on cars though are now cheapest to tax, at £190 per year - as they’re falling out the other side of the five years of surcharge applicable after the first year’s tax. In other words, R8s up to six years old are subject to a flat fee of £600 a year.
How much is it to insure an Audi R8?
Much like its closest rival, the Porsche 911, the entire Audi R8 range sits in the maximum group 50 for insurance - though individual models may be cheaper or more expensive to insure than others, while premiums are of course affected by various other factors too.
