Pros: Supercar performance capabilities; traffic-stopping looks; base models are relatively reasonably priced as mid-engined exotic cars go
Cons: Minuscule cargo room; difficult entry and exit; restricted rear visibility
CG Says: The R8 offers head-turning style, pulse-quickening performance, and superb build quality, yet is quiet and comfortable enough for daily commuting. It’s as thirsty as any high-power car, and aluminum-intensive construction makes it more costly than some rivals with equal or better speed and handling. Still, most buyers shopping for vehicles in this price class can afford a more practical second or third car, and low production insures the exclusivity such people expect. Overall, the R8 is an impressive supercar achievement and a great drive. Our pick is the smooth, yet extremely powerful V8. The V10 models are faster, but we don’t think the gains justify the steeper pricing.
