A fine example of the first-generation Audi R8 in 4.2L V8 R-Tronic specificatio
Benefitting from a very low, original mileage equating to less than 2,000 a year on average
Fastidiously maintained with 8 services undertaken in 13 years, regardless of mileage
The Appeal
The Audi R8 road car took the motoring world by storm right from its 2006 launch at the Paris Auto Show. It gave autophiles and enthusiasts the opportunity to own a mid-engined, two-seater supercar with all the performance of the usual Italian suspects but imbued with the German firm’s world class engineering values. It probably came as no surprise to anyone that the Neckarsulm R8 factory featured 95 lasers that checked 210 measurements on the R8 to a maximum tolerance of 0.1 millimetres. No pressure, of course, for the 70 Audi Sport GmbH workers who fit over 5,000 parts by hand to craft an R8.
This example represents a rare commodity. A Type 42 R8 with a very low mileage and in admirably original specification. Only a Milltek exhaust system is non standard but is reported to enhance the sound of the R8 still further. With a fastidious service history and over £8,000 worth of extras, this example represents a rare and compelling ownership opportunity.front.jpg1.77 MB
The History and Paperwork
This example was first registered in March 2009
At that point the R8 would have retailed for over £90,000
Between then and December 2018 the car was enjoyed and cherished by 3 owners
The current owner acquired the R8 in December 2018 to become is fourth
He bought the car from BMW main dealer, Chandlers in Hailsham
At that point the Audi had covered a mere 17,145 miles
The current owner has only had to attend to one non-routine maintenance item
This was the replacement of the Gearbox Hydraulic Control Unit in 2019
During his tenure the owner has had two services attended to
These were both with Audi R8 agents Caffyns in Eastbourne
The first was at 19,409 miles in July 2020
The second was at 23,836 miles in July 2022
The R8 comes with the current V5 in the name of the owner
The current, advisory free MOT is present in hard copy and is valid to December 2023
A good number of maintenance invoices are also on hand
These documents the eight services undertaken in the last 13 years
An invoice for the replacement of the Hydraulic Control Unit is also included
This was at a total cost of over £3,000
A Vodafone tracker is fitted and can be transferred if required and practical
The Interior
The sporting cabin of the R8 is exquisitely trimmed in ebony leather
Carpets are in a complimentary light hue lending the cabin an airy ambiance
The focused dashboard positively telegraphs the R8’s sporting credentials
The sublime cabin of the R8 requires you to lower yourself into it in true mid-engined supercar style. The ebony hues of upholstery and carpets give the snug cabin a really bright and airy ambiance. Audi’s legendary attention to cabin quality and detail is certainly in evidence in here.
The sports seats are trimmed in ebony leather and are deeply bolstered and panelled to optimise support. The high-backed seats culminate in padded headrests to the backs and supportive, thigh bolsters to the squabs. The seats feature three-stage heating which was a factory fitted option. The condition of the leather is very good for the age of car with just a minor level of wear reported on the off-side driver’s seat bolster.
Door cards are leather finished, contain recessed speakers and feature useful storage bins. Carpets are finished in a light, complimentary hue and are protected with colour matched, Audi carpet over-mats. The headlining is finished in a light-coloured flock material and appears to be in a pristine condition.
The purposeful dashboard is predominantly finished in black with accents of polished alloy judiciously applied. The clear gauges are finished with silver faces and calibrated in white. The enthusiasts’ eye will be immediately drawn to the 8,000-rpm red line and the 220-mph speedometer. Supplemental gauges monitor the other key metrics.
The centre console houses the multi-function screen and main control interface of the Audi Navigation Plus system. This also provides functionality for the optional Bang and Olufsen premium sound system. The climate control system interface sits below this and ahead of the R-Tronic automated manual gear selector. Paddle gear selectors are also located behind the flat-bottomed, leather steering wheel.
Equipment levels are high, of course, and include satnav, Bluetooth phone, electrically adjustable seats, parking aids front and rear, cruise control, climate control and auto-dimming folding door mirrors. A surprisingly commodious luggage area is located under the sleek bonnet. This is neatly trimmed in hard wearing and practical grey carpet.
This R8 presents in gleaming Phantom Black Pearl paintwork
The signature “side-blades” are finished in a slightly lighter shade
The sublime alloy wheels are staggered front to rear and present beautifully
The Walter de Silva design successfully takes an archetypal Italian supercar profile and seemingly adds a level of Germany efficiency and solidity to the mix. It’s an intoxicating combination that tells you all you need to know about the latent performance prowess of the R8.
The black paintwork is thought to be entirely original and presents in great order throughout. The panels all exude a deep lustrous shine and those 0.1mm maximum tolerances seem to make themselves known in the preciseness of the overall look. The owner does report a couple of minor paint chips to the nose of the R8 which have been touched in at some point.
The five, split spoke alloy wheels are staggered front to back despite the presence of Audi’s legendary Quattro all wheel drive system. This is because the set up in the R8 can route as much as 70% of its power to the rear wheels to promote a rear wheel drive feel whilst retaining optimum traction. The fronts are in an 8.5 x 19-inch configuration whilst the rears are 11 x 19-inch. The condition of the silver finished wheels appears to be excellent. The open spoke design affords sight of the “R8” inscribed callipers. The wheels are shod in a matching set of Michelin Pilot Sport tyres and are reported to retain between 6 and 7mm of tread.
Clearly a highlight of the R8 the mechanical specification reads like an engineer’s wish-list
A 4.2L FSI V8 was originally rated at around 425 bhp delivered at a lofty 7,900 rpm
Usability is maximised via the Audi Quattro all-wheel drive system
The Audi R8 backed up its thinking person’s supercar looks with a military grade technical specification. The howling 32 valve V8 engine could push the car to nearly 190 mph, dispatching 60 mph and the quarter mile in 4.6 seconds and 12.5 seconds respectively.
This eye-widening power is delivered to all four wheels by the R-Tronic automated manual six speed gearbox in this example. The Quattro system is configured to vary the amount of power being distributed fore or aft depending on the prevailing conditions and grip levels.
The mid-engined configuration of the R8 affords a generous eye-full of its glorious V8 engine once the big engine cover is lifted. It looks very well cared for under here and eminently in keeping with the low mileage and fastidiously maintained history of the car. The underside appears very clean and straight, too, with no areas of concern noted or reported.
The owner reports that the car “sounds great, looks fabulous, and goes like a V8 sportscar should. It is always confidence inspiring on any road in any weather condition.”
The Audi R8 managed to tip the mid-engined supercar market on its head with its arrival in 2006. The car seemed to blend the desirable extremes of traditional supercars with the bank-vault-esque quality and engineering prowess associated with the Audi marque. The earlier Type 42 cars offer a level of purity and focus that perhaps became less obvious in later iterations. As such these are becoming very much sought after models.
This example is a delight. Of course, it looks great and goes like a train. That’s a given for an R8. It’s this car’s incredibly low original mileage and diligent service history that sets it apart. Add into that mix a high level of originality and a fine overall condition and you have a very compelling ownership opportunity. It’s a car that’s bound to prove popular so don’t delay in placing your bids.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only. Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.
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