There is no reason to buy a luxury or sports car new, unless it’s going to be the car you’re voluntarily buried in. Case in point - this spectacular example of an Audi R8 with looks that eclipse any modern hypercar, the practicality of a daily driver and a price on par with an entry-level sports coupe. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your future.
This 2008 Audi R8 represents perhaps the best supercar value on the market today. Its 4.2 liter moderately high-revving and torque-under-the-curve-having V8 is a staple in Audi’s lineup and it’s likely the most refined naturally aspirate eight cylinder engine Germany has ever put in a production car. It sounds phenomenal and can rocket the car from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in about four seconds. Yes, that’s freaking quick.
What’s even more compelling about this model is that while it has the R-Tronic automated manual transmission, a simple ECU reflash can get the car up to the current R8 GT spec in terms of shifting feel. For a car that has an asking price just under $80,000 versus more than double that for a new R8 with options, this car is an insane performance value.
This clean titled car looks like it has all of its ducks in a row, with just over 27,000 miles on the clock and maintenance records. Here’s an excerpt from the description:
The car is in amazing condition and has always been garage kept & detailed by myself as well as the previous owner. Just about to turn 28K miles and runs super smooth like new, no issues what so ever to speak of. Cosmetically, there are 2 minor spots, one on the tip of the hood up by the passenger side window, and one on the passenger side behind the CF blade on the wheel well. They are both very very minor and we’re like this when I bought it and it didn’t worry me a bit!! I’ve tried to picture the spots but the camera barely picks them up, you really only see them when you are detailing hard.... The 25k mile service was just done at Audi Central Houston and they also just replaced the windshield with an Audi OEM replacement as the original recently got a crack on the highway.
While this car shared its platform with the Lamborghini Gallardo, I’d put the R8 head and shoulders above the me-too Italian stallion just because the R8’s looks are timeless and denote a sense of class, when it’s readily apparent a Gallardo is the base model because of its distinct lack of extra fins and louvers.
For the price, this R8 is absolutely a steal. With hardcore driver’s cars being more in demand by the day, I’m not sure the market can bear a much lower price. The price of entry may increase over the next year when people wake up and realize that not only is this an amazing automobile, but that they can now afford it. Don’t get left behind.
Tavarish is the founder of APiDA Online and writes and makes videos about buying and selling cool cars on the internet. He owns the world’s cheapest Mercedes S-Class, a graffiti-bombed Lexus, and he’s the only Jalopnik author that has never driven a Miata. He also has a real name that he didn’t feel was journalist-y enough so he used a pen name and this was the best he could do.
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