The R8 sits in the Audi product range like Batman sitting halfway along row three at the Conservative Party Conference. You look at all those grey-suited executive-types and then, "Bloody hell, where did that come from?"Audi makes some very powerful, very fast vehicles, but almost everything has a quiet, serious look about it. The two-seat R8 sports car, however, smacks you in the face with its sleek profile, its engine-under-glass at the back and its unique "sideblade" air scoops that dominate the flanks. It's like the product of the office Christmas party, when the unaccustomed designers got blootered, put their underpants on their heads and went a bit mad in the studio.The car I've been driving is truly, gloriously excessive and expensive. It’s the latest version of the R8 Coupe with the 5.2-litre V10 petrol engine, pushing an eye-watering 518bhp to all four wheels through a swift-shifting seven-speed automatic gearbox - and it’s got a six-figure price tag.It will reach 62mph in 3.6 seconds and run on to a top speed of 195mph. True, it's neither the quickest nor the fastest R8, but only by a whisker. In the dash to 62mph, it trails the top-of-the-range V10 plus by an imperceptible one tenth of a second, and it's a negligible 2mph slower at its upper limit.Externally, the latest changes to the car are mostly minor. The exhaust outlets are now two huge-bore circular pipes pushing out through the rear bumper and there are some minor tweaks to the front end including new-style all-LED headlamps with high output, low energy and almost no maintenance needs. The one external feature that will trigger conversation is the new rear indicators, blocks of LEDs that animate a ripple of light in the direction you're turning.Under the skin, however, there's plenty to talk about, particularly that lightning-fast S tronic gearbox which replaces the old R tronic version. I have never driven anything that selects and shifts gears more quickly. There's a twin-clutch system that has the next gear partially selected before you've dispensed with the last one so any hesitation during the shift is almost impossible to feel. Select the Sport setting for gearchanges and the engine is screaming at the top end of the power band before it's allowed to shift.Although it's a seven-speed box, the car can apparently reach its 195mph top speed in sixth. In non-frenetic driving, seventh helps reduce engine speeds and fuel consumption.Meanwhile, back at the frenetic, the transmission has the impressively named push-button launch control which, when selected, gives you blistering pick-up from standing starts. Basically it dumps the clutch when the engine reaches optimum speed for a skid-free, maximum performance. It means when you stand on the throttle you don't so much get pushed back into your seat, it's more like you get punched in the back by an explosive acceleration.Of course you can change gear sequentially using the stubby lever or the newly enlarged aluminium paddles under the steering wheel, and when an open, empty road gets tight and twisting, there's a lot of fun to be had dancing between the cogs and making the engine sing.The new gearbox is being credited with small improvements in performance and economy for the V10 R8. The same engine is now taking the car to 62mph around a third of a second quicker and the official fuel consumption is improved by a couple of miles per gallon to an average of 21.6mpg. Psychologically it's nice that it's now in the twenties rather than the teens.Oh and the sound, the sound, the sound of the engine. Textured and trumpeting, menacing and glorious. Grin-inducing for anyone with any grain of interest in motoring, engineering or classical music.The quattro four-wheel drive system on the R8 is heavily biased to the rear wheels where most of the traction is needed in heavy acceleration. Normally only 15% of the torque is fed to the front wheels, though a further 15% can be added when needed. There's also a limited slip differential between the back wheels.Conversely, the brakes are heavily biased towards the front where most of the stopping power is needed in heavy deceleration. There are ventilated and perforated discs at every corner but those at the front have eight calipers while those at the back have four.While we're talking about bias, there's almost a perfect balance between the weights on the axles. The 43/57 split puts the slight advantage to the rear.Just like the outgoing model, there's adjustable suspension which offers a board-rigid setting if the ordinarily rigid setting isn't stiff enough for you.This car also has a three-setting adjustable electronic stabilisation control which works its magic on the power distribution to a) prevent any loss of traction, b) give a limited amount of oversteer for a more sporting full-throttle feel through the corners or c) be totally turned off for those mad, show-off trackdays, broadsiding round the hairpins.The truth is that the R8 can be as reassuring or as badass as you want it to be. Leave all the safety features locked in and you'll be catapulted off down the road in stirring but safe fashion. Alternatively, you can trundle out onto the racetrack, pick and mix from the settings, then explode out into the fray in an act of pure aggression.Even though it's clearly not built to be an everyday car, the R8 could be, at a push. Under the bonnet there's 100 litres of cargo space, and if you need more, there's another 90 litres in the cabin, behind the seats. That's a lot of shopping.As for the price of all this power and glory, the R8 V10 S tronic will set you back £117,710. Well-specified as it is, including the magnificent Bang & Olufsen sound system, there are bolt-on extras you can add if you feel the need to spend more. My test car has a few things ranging from the £225 cruise control to the £3800 worth of carbonfibre reinforced polymer in inlays and on the sideblades.As for those sideblades . . . seven years after seeing them for the first time, I'm still not sure whether I like the look of them. I think those designers had one vodka and orange too many. Engine 5204cc, 10 cylinders Power 518bhp Transmission 7-speed semi-automatic Fuel/CO2 21.6mpg / 305g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 3.6 seconds Top speed 195mph Price £117,710 Details correct at publication date
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