With talk of NASA trialling supersonic, sub-orbital travel, my mind is cast back to the days of Concorde and hearing the sonic boom as it broke the sound barrier. Bear with me, I have a point.

I know I’ve spoken recently about how unprepared we are for ZEVs and the ban of pure petrol/diesel cars, but I want to state for the record that I am 100% behind this move. And while as a true petrolhead I will miss the days of old, during my latest test drive I came to the realisation that it is not actually the fuel source that I will miss.

Neither is it the exhilaration of acceleration. Anyone who’s driven a Tesla, for example, will understand that the exhilaration is there. In spades. No – what I’ll really miss is the sound.
Whether this is just me, or something all petrolheads will recognise, I don’t know – feel free to let me know – but there are distinctive sounds different types of engine will give. For me, a V6 growls, a V8 rumbles and a V10, as found in this month’s review car, shrieks and whines with a noise closer to that of a race car.

This car. This car has been on my hit list for some time. More conventionally available in four-wheel-drive derogation, this is my first time in the RWD variant. I’ve loved this car for a while; it is the unmistakable Audi R8.

A head turner from the kerb

A head turner from the kerb, I think what I like about the aesthetics of the R8 is that it’s not too ostentatious and not just on ‘super car’ terms, but in general. Yes, the wheels are massive and the air intakes for the mid-mounted engine just behind the doors are aggressively styled, but the whole is (in my opinion) the understated elegance that you’d expect from Audi.

All that refinement, understated looks, etc. disappear, however, when you hit the starter button. Then all 5.2 litres and ten cylinders fire up about two feet behind your head and anyone hoping for a lie in within a quarter of a mile is sadly disabused of that fantasy.

The noise is tremendous. You feel it as much as hear it and, coming back to my original point, that’s what I will miss after the inevitable demise of the petrol supercar.

Yes, some manufacturers try to emulate it with electronic noise tied to the current speed (Ford Mustang Mach-E, I’m looking at you), but it just doesn’t work. I genuinely think it’s not because it’s artificial but because there’s no feel; no hum or vibration, and that, coupled with the actual sound, is what makes a supercar so rewarding.

Understated, functional and beautiful

So, looks: tick. Sound: tick. Performance: wow. That leaves the interior. And here, again, understated, functional and beautiful are the three words Audi have focused on. There is everything you need; great stereo, comfy (if slightly small for me) bucket seats, great satnav and the ever-great Audi virtual cockpit. Nothing is superfluous, nothing is too flashy.

Everything is there for a reason and if there’s no reason for something, then it’s replaced with a plain section of dash in a quality finish. The Audi R8, for me, has it all; looks, sound, performance. Everything you need and nothing else. Pure, simple, functional and beautiful. Someday, I truly hope to own one, before it’s too late.