Audi R8 Coupe V10 Performance quattro 2021 Review

Now deep into its second generation and with its long-term future yet to be publicly clarified, the 2021 Audi R8 Coupe V10 Performance quattro is a performance car of epic quality that deserves great appreciation.

Okay, maybe not for its lengthy name, which insists on leaving little to the imagination. Yep, it’s a two-door two-seater coupe. Yep, it’s powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.2-litre V10 engine and because it’s all-wheel drive (quattro) it comes in the higher 449kW/560Nm specification.

All that will set you back $395,000 plus on-road costs. Chop the top and the Spyder escalates to $416,500 plus ORCs.  The rear-wheel drive version of the R8 V10 which ‘makes do’ with a mere 397kW/540Nm is $100,000 cheaper.

Believe it or not, for all that cost, the R8 V10 quattro is far from the most expensive supercar out there.

Mid-engined rivals like the new (front/mid) Ferrari Roma and Lamborghini Huracan (the R8’s technical relation), and the rear-engined Porsche 911 Turbo, are all more expensive. The McLaren 570S is exactly the same price.

For all that cash you get a lot of go-fast technical depth, which we will explore further along. But in terms of luxury equipment there’s less to ponder, although what is there is pretty cool.

Nappa leather upholstery with diamond stitching, inlays in gloss carbon, Alcantara headlining, power-adjustable and heated single-piece sports seats, a 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit that turns the instrument panel into a sat-nav screen, auto air-con, cruise control, LED interior lighting, flat-bottom steering wheel including red starting button, 13-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium sound, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connection and wireless charging.

The R8 comes with a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and complimentary three-year service plan spread over 12-month/15,000km service intervals.

If you want to talk active safety measures then the 2021 Audi R8 Coupe V10 Performance quattro has them in spades, although maybe not the ones you think we’re referring to.

It has huge brakes and pin-sharp reactions, so it’s a great way to manoeuvre your way out of trouble.

If that option isn’t among your emergency choices then driver assist systems are actually on the light side.

There’s no autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane keep assist or rear cross traffic alert. Instead, it’s the previous-generation stuff like traction and stability control and ABS that’s provided. Active rollover protection is also part of the package.

Other safety features include front, side and curtain airbags, tyre pressure monitoring, brilliant LED/laser headlights, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera and park assist.

There are no front parking sensors, which would be very handy as driving this thing around in a car park is terrifying.

The second-generation Audi R8 is based around a spaceframe chassis built out of aluminium and carbon-fibre. That result is light weight and ultra-stiffness. The claimed kerb weight for the coupe is 1595kg.

The 5.2-litre 40-valve engine adopted dry sump lubrication for generation two. Mated exclusively with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the German car-maker claims the 2021 Audi R8 Coupe V10 Performance quattro can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 3.2sec and keep rolling on to a top speed of 330km/h.

The fuel consumption claim, even with the assistance of cylinder deactivation, is an attention-getting 13.4L/100km on 98 RON fuel. We averaged 16.5L/100km.

The quattro system is managed by an electro-hydraulic centre diff which can shuttle drive 100 per cent to either end. The magnetic ride adaptive damper system mated to double wishbone suspension is driver-adjustable via Audi drive select, as is the drivetrain and the electro-mechanical steering.

Powerful (if sometimes noisy) carbon-ceramic brakes are standard for the Performance model, as are staggered 20-inch alloy wheels.

The thing about the 2021 Audi R8 Coupe V10 Performance quattro is it adjusts your perception of time compared to a normal road car. All the good things can be done earlier, later and more accurately.

Accelerate for longer, hold off on braking deeper into the corner, nail the apex like a hammer thanks to precise steering and then revel in all that grunt again as the exit appears.

There’s no turbo lag or dithering about that engine response, all the way to a mind-boggling 9000rpm.

Anything else is interval, just waiting for the fun to begin again. The car loses it sharpness when cruising; the transmission dithers a bit, the steering seems a little artificial, tyre noise becomes obvious.

You end up gagging for the opportunity to hear the snarl of that V10 once more, slicing though gears like kransky and storming flat as a tack through corners.

Yes, the suspension adjustment allows the R8 to be almost comfortable when cruising. There’s generous stowage in the cabin by supercar standards and enough in the frunk to fit a soft bag or two.

But efficient? No. A commuter? No. Specific criticisms? I couldn’t quite get the relationship between lowest seat position and highest steering wheel position to suit me.

It would be nice to have a touch-screen mounted on the dash for navigation and media. That’s about it.

And one more that’s very personal: I reckon it’s not the best-looking supercar going round. It’s a bit high and humped in the middle. Still looks bloody good but…

The 2021 Audi R8 Coupe V10 Performance quattro is an inspiring, audacious and emotional bit of kit.

Like all these mega-performance, mega-expensive sports cars it’s impossible to justify yet fabulously easy to love.

Hopefully, the R8 has a future beyond the current generation in some form.

How much does the 2021 Audi R8 Coupe V10 Performance quattro cost?
Price: $395,000 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 5.2-litre V10 petrol
Output: 449kW/560Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 13.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 314g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested