The R8 is crafted almost entirely from lightweight aluminium and powered by a rear-mounted 420bhp 4.2-litre V8 engine or an even crazier 517bhp V10, so it comes as no surprise that performance is not for the faint-hearted. Working the engine to its maximum dispatches it from 0-62mph in just 4.6 seconds in the V8, and 3.9 seconds in the V10.

Thanks to bags of traction and immense cornering grip, the R8 can be driven safely as well as quickly. The chassis is wonderfully taut, resulting in minimal body roll, yet the ride is fluid and extremely comfortable. Should you overstep the mark, and you'd be pushing it hard if you do, there's a host of electronic drivers aids and phenomenally powerful brakes to help you regain control.

Drive it in town or drive it to the South of France, it makes no difference. The R8's cushy ride makes it comfortable while the slinky shape skims through the air with minimal resistance; reducing wind noise to a minimum. Even the engines, which bellow a deep exhaust note, are superbly balanced and devoid of vibration and mechanical racket.

Audi sold the first thousand R8s before anyone had even sat behind the wheel, so it's safe to say that residual values will remain strong for many years. Those aluminium panels will be extremely costly to repair, so expect punitive group 20 insurance premiums. Running costs are par for the class, and you can get fuel returns of 20mpg - but only if you drive it like a granny.

We've seen beneath the skin of the R8 and the quality of engineering is unsurpassed, even in this rarefied class. The tightness of the panel gaps and the fit and finish of the interior quality provide further evidence of scrupulous attention to detail, while Audi's quattro drive and the engines are well proven.

Four airbags and every conceivable electronic driver aid come as standard, but the best safety devices are the huge levels of grip and massive braking power built into every R8. Security is every bit as good as any top of the range Audi, while thieves will find a car as distinctive as the R8 hard to sell on.

Although many of the major controls are recognisable from lesser Audi models, every component is of a very high quality. Carbonfibre door pulls, supportive sports seats, aluminium detailing and a flat-bottom steering wheel emphasis the sporty theme, and you can even specify ambient lighting to highlight the engine under its glass cover at night.

You'll need to watch your head as you slide behind the wheel, but once you're in, there's plenty of leg and shoulder room. While that steeply slopping bonnet provides a good view of the road ahead, we suggest ordering parking sensors to help you judge reverse parking. No-one buys a supercar for its practicality, but the R8 is better than most. At a push, you can get a couple of sets of golf clubs behind the seats, and a large suitcase will fit under the bonnet.

The R8 comes with all the essentials you'd expect in a bespoke supercar, including remote central locking, air-conditioning, leather interior, 19-inch alloy wheels and a retractable rear spoiler, but you really pay for extras. A semi-automatic gearbox version adds around £5K to the invoice. However, magnetic ride, which features adaptive suspension, electric seats and satellite-navigation are all standard on the V10.