You Can Now Buy An Audi R8 Supercar For S3 Cash

After seeing how affordable used Aston Martin V8 Vantages have become, we decided to have another trawl through the classifieds and see what other rich men's playthings have depreciated to a temptingly low price. Early Audi R8s are something that caught our eye; the cheapest are now under £40k, around what you'd pay for a specced-up Audi S3.

The R8 - Audi's first attempt at a supercar - was initially available with a mid-mounted, 4.2-litre V8, later joined by a 5.2-litre V10 version. The four-wheel drive R8 is often regarded as a touch clinical, but it's an incredibly well-balanced and hugely capable car.

With 414bhp and 317lb/ft of torque at your disposal, 0-60mph can be dispatched in just 4.5 seconds. Find a strip of tarmac long enough, and you'll hit 187mph. If you want one of these things, running costs won't be cheap, particularly when it comes to servicing, fuel and tyres.

But, as far as buying a supercar goes, it's actually quite a sensible choice. Like most cars from Audi, the R8 is solidly built, and there are no common faults to worry about. This one has done just 29,000 miles, has a full service history, and is up for a (rather specific) £40,850.