Audi R8 V8

NO, IT ISN’T a Ferrari. It isn’t even Italian. The Audi R8 does have an atmospheric V8 in its middle, however, and, just like the 348, its manual gearbox has an open gate, so there are at least some important similarities between the two. The truth is you’ll need to spend upwards of £50,000 on a 360 Modena to bag yourself a modern 348 successor, which is why on this occasion we’re leaving Maranello behind and moving on to Ingolstadt.

That’s no bad thing, though, because a looked-after early R8 will be no less enjoyable to drive than any comparable Ferrari. Original R8s are yet to drop to £25,000 but they can be found for around £30,000 (see p52), which doesn’t seem like a huge sum for what is a brilliant junior supercar. The 4.2-litre V8 is very durable, although it does have a thirst for oil.

ONE WE FOUND 2007 R8 4.2, 94,000 miles, £30,995