Audi supercar is GR8

Driving second generation Audi R8 round Loch Lomond.

Being a motoring journalist is fun even at the worst of times. But there are moments when it’s one of the best jobs in the world.

This is one of them. Two versions of Audi’s spectacular R8, a starting point on the shores of Loch Lomond and a whole afternoon of driving ahead.

The original was launched in 2006 and was the firm’s first foray into supercar territory. To call it a success would be an understatement.

It won universal acclaim for marrying a thrilling drive with reliability, being good in the winter and beautifully built. That even early 07 plate cars can barely be had for less than £40,000 shows just how well they’ve held their value.

Now Audi has released the second generation R8. They’ve done away with the “entry level” V8 engine model, instead going for a pair of V10-endowed options with 540 or 610bhp.

Both are pretty quick. The lower powered version gets from 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds and tops out at 198mph.

The V10 Plus model (figures in the Vital Stats box are for this version) uses its extra 70bhp to trim the 0-62mph time by 0.3 seconds and break the 200mph barrier – top speed is 205mph.

So what else is new? Its shape is a little less angular and more curvy, with Audi’s designers betting that softer lines will age better.

The body is lighter and stiffer, thanks to the substitution of several large aluminium parts in the shell with carbon fibre.

There’s no longer a manual gearbox, which will disappoint some but the seven-speed twin-clutch semi auto is so good few people will really miss it.

And Audi has grabbed the excellent “Virtual Cockpit” display from the TT, which still looks sumptuous in a supercar setting.

I set off along the A82 at Loch Lomond. Heavy traffic meant progress was slow but it showed me a side to the R8 that surprises many – how relaxed it is when you’re not pressing on.

The mid-mounted engine is a muted thrum behind my head and the suspension soaks up bumps far better than the car’s low-slung stance would suggest.

Off towards the Rest And Be Thankful and traffic eases off. Time to let rip a little.

I bury the throttle and the engine lets out a delightful yowl as we surge forward.

Performance in either version of the car is phenomenal. The lightweight chassis, the four-wheel drive and that V10 engine combine to send you surging forward with an astonished grin on your face.

A quick blast around Hell’s Glen, a wonderfully named, deserted single track stretch of road above Loch Long, is enough to find that the limits of the R8’s grip cannot be safely explored on a public road.

From the V10 I switched into the V10 Plus for a quick dash along to Drymen.

It’s more of the same only with a little, well, plus. The car blasts forward with even greater alacrity. You really don’t need any more power but if you can afford it, why not?

Speaking of which, the R8 was never cheap but now it’s pitched right into supercar territory. The V10 R8 costs just under £120,000, with the Plus model weighing in at almost £135,000.

If offered that kind of budget, however, I’d be tempted to take the R8 over any of its rivals wearing a more traditional “supercar” badge. It offers as much excitement but is comfortable and reliable enough to use every day.

The original was the first supercar I drove, just a few months after I became The Courier’s motoring correspondent in 2006.

I was utterly bowled over by the car and 10 years on, I’ve driven hundreds of cars – plus a score of supercars.

But the R8 still dazzles me.

Pictures: Audi. Still crazy after all these years. A decade after the original R8, the second generation car continues to thrill.