Audi R8 4.2 Coupe Limited Edition
High-spec special-edition version of the Audi R8 celebrates the firm's Le Mans wins
Nobody buys an R8 without plundering the options list, so the £93,935 Limited Edition with thousands of pounds worth of extras as standard is a great way of getting better value from one of our favourite supercars. The driving experience, with quattro four-wheel drive and a roaring V8, is as intoxicating as ever. Want one? You’d better get in quick, as the Limited Edition is limited to just 100 cars.
This year’s Le Mans 24 Hours may have been six months ago, but the R8 Limited Edition, made to celebrate Audi’s 10th victory in the race, has just arrived. And we’ve driven it.
At £93,935, it’s £7,000 more than the standard R8 V8 coupe, but comes stacked with options that would normally cost you many thousands more.
There are no badges or plaques to denote the new model – the biggest outward clue is a set of red brake calipers and 19-inch titanium-finished GT alloys.
You can enhance the Limited Edition’s looks further with a £3,500 Carbon Package, which splashes carbon fibre on the door mirrors, side blades, sill trims and around the illuminated engine bay.
The go-faster material is also used liberally inside, where you’ll find standard illuminated door sills and a fancy interior light package, exclusive red accents and stitching on the Nappa leather seats, DVD satellite navigation, Bluetooth and a Bang & Olufsen sound system controlled via the Audi Musical Interface. You’d usually have to pay extra for all of that.
Also standard is Audi Magnetic Ride. It’s normally a £1,380 option and provides a supple ride yet incisive control when the roads get twisty.
The steering isn’t Porsche-sharp, but the R8’s ability to carry its speed through bends remains deeply impressive – there’s vast grip and plenty of surefooted traction thanks to the quattro four-wheel drive.
The V8 might not have the ultimate firepower of its V10 relative with ‘only’ 436bhp, but the 4.2-litre engine is no poor relation.
It takes the car from 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds and on to 187mph at full stretch, and sounds good enough at high revs to politely ignore Audi’s average fuel economy figure of 19.9mpg.
The engine’s spread of torque makes this R8 quick in any gear, while the six-speed manual, with its smart open gate, is a precise, enjoyable shifter. We’d certainly choose it over the R tronic automated manual which costs another £5,490.
