2008 Audi R8 V8

The first-generation R8 in V8 manual specification is widely considered the most honest iteration of Audi's mid-engined flagship. The automated R-tronic option blunts the connection the car is otherwise capable of, and Audi quietly dropped the manual altogether in subsequent generations — making surviving examples like this increasingly worth seeking out. This 2008 car has covered just 21,677 miles from new, has been with one local owner since delivery, and carries a full service history maintained at the same dealer throughout.

The factory options list was ticked well: Audi Exclusive extended leather pack, carbon sigma inlay, Alcantara headlining, Bang & Olufsen advanced audio, LED headlights, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, and Phantom Black Pearl Effect paintwork. That finish is one of the more complex options on the Gen 1 palette — dark and multi-layered in changing light, and it suits the car's proportions cleanly.

The 4.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 produces 414 bhp and pulls to a quoted 187 mph top speed. Low-mileage, single-owner, manual-gearbox examples of the first-gen R8 are genuinely thinning out — this one combines the most desirable drivetrain combination with a clean ownership history and a factory spec that holds up well.