The month that was January | Hammered!

The original Audi R8 is rightly labeled as a modern classic. The design is as stunning now as it was in 2007, the V8 is one of Audi’s best and of course you could pair it with a six-speed manual gearbox. But what about the second generation R8? Audi has made great progress with the Type 4S; the V10 delivered 620 hp in full-fat version, bringing the R8 far into supercar territory. The company then managed to gain a further 10 hp in 2018, despite the introduction of mandatory particulate filters. With no replacement R8 on the horizon, let alone one with a V10, these later cars may soon be regarded in the same eyes as the original.

The one we have here is a 2020 V10 Performance Quattro, which means it gets 620bhp split between both axles and the facelift looks sharper. It could be the supercar you could ever need, reaching 62mph from a standstill in 3.1 seconds while being genuinely usable in all conditions. This particular car has only covered 15,420 miles and has a full Audi service history, so it was always going to be a hit with bidders. The final result was £88,976, including buyer’s costs, which is a strong return for a supercar that is now six years old. As for the buyer, they bagged a lot of cars for that amount of money, and one that will likely remain in high demand if they ever choose to put it up for auction themselves.

There was excitement in the air when Lotus launched the Evora. For more than a decade the company’s product range consisted exclusively of four-cylinder sports cars based on the Elise chassis, so the arrival of a mid-engine V6 and a dash of GT indicated that Lotus was in a strong position to expand. Despite being considerably larger and heavier than the Elise, the Evora handled like a proper Lotus, with the Toyota-sourced 3.5-litre V6 in the middle delivering a decent 280bhp – and a sublime soundtrack to boot.

Lotus would eventually make the Evora for eleven years, with numerous special editions, more performance and wilder styling. That doesn’t make the original any less special, and a smart example like this 2010 car in red on black leather will always be in high demand. The fact that it had driven only 60,887 kilometers and had recently been thoroughly serviced obviously enhanced the appeal of this example, as did the replacement of the clutch master cylinder and various other parts. With 50 bids placed in a seven-day period, the hammer fell to £24,227 including the buyer’s premium, leaving the seller with some cash in hand to fill the empty space in his driveway and the new owner with a car that will be ready to rock once the rain clears.

It’s funny how a car that was never officially sold here can attract as big a following as the original Mustang. The US couldn’t get enough of it when sales opened in 1965, with both muscular and stylish looks, a big V8 with 275 hp if you ticked the right options, and a price tag that was within reach of the average hard-working American. We’d have to wait until 2015 to get the Mustang in Britain, but the charm of the 1960s original means it’s Britain’s automotive Americana enthusiasts who are still trying to get their hands on this one.

This 1966 example is one of the first cars, and while it looks mostly original on the outside, it’s anything but underbody. Up front, a 4.9-liter (or 302 cubic inch in American) V8 has been retrofitted from a later ‘Stang’, boosting power to 290 horsepower, while the brakes have been upgraded with Wilwood calipers to accommodate the extra grunt. It’s also pristine inside and out, without any signs of corrosion. Valuing a car like this is always difficult because there isn’t much to compare it to, so going the auction route seemed like a smart move. Especially when the car eventually sold for £29,480, including buyer’s premium – or double that of the other 1966 Mustang currently in the adverts…

1. Porsche 911 (992.1) GT3 – £135,000
2. Audi R8 V10 Performance Quattro – £88,976
3. MG X-Power SV – £36,180
4. Subaru Impreza P1 – £31,088
5. 1966 Ford Mustang – £29,480
6. Lexus RCF – £28,944
7. Mercedes-Benz E 63 S Estate – £27,640
8. Lotus Evora – £24,227
9. Porsche 911 (996.1) Carrera 2 – £16,348
10. Porsche Panamera 4 – £16,000

*Prices shown include buyer’s costs, which amount to 6% of the sales price + VAT, with a minimum of € 695 + VAT

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