Even with everything switched to the sportiest setting, the V10 feels remarkably calm and composed, even on relatively poor road surfaces where the ride quality never feels as quite brittle as that of a 911. There's not a ton of feedback through the steering—it's certainly nowhere near 911 or Jaguar F-Type standard—but there's noticeably more response from the front end than in the old R8, especially during initial turn-in.

Emitting a glorious bellow every time you gun it, the naturally aspirated, 5.2-liter V-10 feels crisply muscular through a broad range of revs, allowing you to finely balance the car on the throttle mid-corner and punch it hard when the road opens up. And yet it's equally happy loafing along when you just want to sit back and enjoy the scenery. In an era where more and more sports car makers are being forced to switch to smaller displacements and turbocharging to meet emissions, this is an engine to be treasured. In fact, this R8—along with its Lamborghini cousin, the Huracán—may well be one of the last of the big-banger mid-engine sports cars: The V-10 is by no means a certainty for the next-generation R8.

The Audi R8 V10's easy drivability, combined with creature comforts from the 550-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system to the geek-fest that is the 12.3-inch virtual cockpit display, make it very usable as a daily driver. But with that big engine longitudinally mounted behind your shoulders and a diff and driveshafts around your ankles, there isn't a lot of room left for luggage. No matter. The Audi R8 V10 is still a greatgran turismo, a car worthy of epic road trips across continents. Just remember to pack light.

2017 Audi R8 V10
BASE PRICE	$164,150
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Mid-engine, 4WD, 2-pass, 2-door coupe
ENGINE	5.2L/540-hp/398-lb/ft DOHC 40-valve V-10
TRANSMISSION	7-speed, twin-clutch auto
CURB WEIGHT	3,750 lb (est)
WHEELBASE	104.3 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	174.2 x 76.4 x 48.8 in
0-60 MPH	3.5 sec (mfr est)
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB	14/22/17 mpg
ENERGY CONSUMPTION	241/153 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	1.16 lb/mile
ON SALE IN U.S	Now

Photos of the2017 Audi R8V10 Plus: