They’re saying it will be the fastest and most powerful Audi ever produced. The new Nuvolari hypercar, dramatically revealed last month, will boast 987bhp from a twin-turbo V8 hybrid, which will take it from 0-62mph in just 2.6 seconds.
This, of course, is not the company’s first attempt at building a supercar. The legendary Audi R8, which arrived in 2006, showed that the German firm had the know-how – and the chutzpah – to cut it against established rivals from Porsche, Lamborghini and, yes, even Ferrari.
Not only that, but it boasted something few other supercars could master: everyday usability. The beauty of the R8 was that you could jump into it for the drive to work, and it would be no more taxing to do so than would a TT.
There’s no word on the price of the Nuvolari yet, but figures north of £500,000 are being bandied around. That’s in stark contrast to early R8s, which, while clearly nowhere near as quick, still offer an intoxicating combination of a thrilling driving experience, an awesome soundtrack, and that remarkable level of day-to-day usability, as they did when they were new.
Despite this, prices are remarkably affordable; what’s more, they’re unlikely to drop any lower, which means if you buy an R8 now, depreciation probably won’t feature in your ownership costs.
Take a look, for example, at the 2012 R8 4.2 Quattro I found. It’s done just 49,000 miles, comes with a full year’s MOT and a comprehensive service history, and best of all, it’s the Spyder version, which means a convertible hood and easy access to that fabulous V8 soundtrack. Yours for £39,995: a stonking deal whichever way you look at it.
But if that’s a little too old for you, how about a second-generation R8? This, for me, is peak R8: a yowling, howling V10 engine just inches behind your ears provides one of the all-time-great soundtracks, and combines with the extraordinarily fluent chassis that marks the R8 out as one of the best supercars of its time.
This example is a 2023 Performance model, with a not-inconsiderable 562bhp to its name, and with rear-wheel drive instead of the standard four-wheel-drive setup, allowing for an even more involving drive. It’s done just 4,000 miles in its life, which means it’ll drive like a brand-new car.
Despite this, it’s yours for £99,995, a whopping £7,548 less than it’s worth according to its CarGurus Instant Market Value (IMV), which is what our data says its really worth. And a five-star rating for the dealer should add peace of mind, too.
But usable supercars aren’t the exclusive preserve of Audi. Indeed, you could argue that it’s the Porsche 911 that has dominated the genre for the last 62 years.
Of course, it’s the Turbo that most fits the supercar mould. But you don’t want a Turbo. Why? Well, for my money, the best 911 of all is the simplest and, consequently, the purest: the basic Carrera. And right now, it’s the 997-generation that’s the most tempting of all, with a 2007 example going for just £26,970 on CarGurus right now.
That price puts it at a huge £7,650 below its IMV, which makes this example a serious bargain: especially given the richly documented Porsche main dealer and specialist history, which is what you want to see on a car like this.
The mileage is perhaps a little high, at 82,000, but that just shows that this is a car that’s been used and loved, rather than a garage dweller. And with that service history, it should pose no issues.
But perhaps a 911 is just a little too… obvious. In which case, may I introduce you to the Corvette Stingray. Wait, what? A Corvette? In the UK, and right-hand drive at that?
Yes. You see, what most people don’t realise is that Chevrolet does still export Corvettes from America to the UK by special order. In other words, you just have to ask them nicely. But because most people don’t know that, very few are sold, making it a startlingly exclusive proposition.
Mid-engined, with 474bhp on tap, the latest Corvette is every bit a pukka supercar, and it’s scintillating to drive. Yet it’s also as simple to pootle around in as any other car here, and all the while you do so, you’ll be accompanied by that hairy-chested V8 burble.
Sounds tempting? Well, a 2025 Corvette Stingray with just 1,000 miles on the clock can be yours for a stunning £89,898. That’s a spectacular amount of car for the cash, and the CarGurus IMV agrees, placing this example at £7,112 below its real worth. What a bargain, and a great buy if you can’t wait for (or, perhaps more importantly, stretch to) Audi’s latest revelation.
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