At $69,995, Does This 2009 Audi R8 Quattro Rate A Look?

Today’s Nice Price or No Dice R8 puts an Audi spin on the Lamborghini Gallardo. Let’s see if this orange two-seater has us naval-gazing over its price.

Overlanding is all the rage these days, and the 2004 Land Rover Discovery we looked at last Friday could be a solid ticket to outdoor adventure. Admittedly bit rough around the edges, the brutish Brit was touted as being otherwise in great shape. Its faded paint and rusty brush guards were considered in the $6,200 asking price, and that consideration earned the Disco a reasonably respectable 58% Nice Price win.

In September of 2003, at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, Audi debuted a mid-engined concept car—the Audi Le Mans Quattro. The car’s purpose was to celebrate Audi’s three victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000, 2001, and 2002. The show car wasn’t built on top of any racer, though. 

Instead, it was based on the aluminum chassis and suspension of the Lamborghini Gallardo, as by that time Lamborghini had become part of the Volkswagen Automotive Group family, and VW had tasked Audi with making the Italian supercar builder a respectable member of the family.

Most show cars never end up spawning production variants, but the Le Mans Quattro became one of the notable exceptions. Again based on the Gallardo, the production car was given the name R8 Quattro and was initially fitted with Audi’s 4.2-liter DOHC V8 and a selection of Graziano Trasmissioni six-speed manual or R-Tronic single clutch auto/manual transmission, and standard Quattro AWD. 

Gaining its Hollywood credentials, the R8 was picked to be the automotive main-squeeze for central character Tony Stark in 2008’s blockbuster “Iron Man” movie.

According to the company’s records, Audi built just a few more than 2,100 R8s in 2009. Of those, only 699 reached U.S. shores. This 2009 Audi R8 Quattro is one of those, and has a few perks on top of what it received coming out of the Neckarsulm factory. 

According to the ad, those aftermarket add-ons include a set of adjustable coil-overs, a Larini exhaust, and some carbon fiber trim pieces. The latter includes a garish rear wing that likely takes a few notches off the top end.

Another, more obvious change from the factory is the full body wrap. That changes the car to bright orange accompanied by a black roof and side blades, and a pair of offset silver stripes. The OEM wheels have also been given a glow-up with a darker hue, and are fitted with Bridgestone rubber. 

The original color under the wrap is described as Daytona Gray Pearl Effect, which looks so nice, it seems a shame to have covered it up.

The interior of this 39,675-mile R8 shows a bit of wear on the driver’s side seat bolster, but otherwise seems in tip-top shape. There doesn’t seem to be any sticky-button-itis on the controls, which afflicts many fancy cars from this era. 

It is also appreciably better laid out and more livable than its Italian-suited cousin, the Gallardo. This being Audi’s halo car, it’s fitted with every gee-gaw the company could think of, right down to the Bang & Olufsen sound system.

It’s what’s under the glass cover in the back that makes the R8 do its thing. That 4.2 is basically the same mill as in the Allroad we looked at last week, but here it makes 414 horsepower (and isn’t broken). In fact, the seller claims this Audi to have no issues with engine, R-Tronic, or Quattro AWD systems at all. It’s also touted to have 20 (count ’em, 20!) service records on its Carfax, and will come with a clean title.

OK, let’s get down to brass tacks. Truth be told, the R8 market is a bit soft these days, and that might make for a good opportunity for anyone who has been thinking about owning one to actually pull the trigger. This car has a lot of unanswered questions, such as what the factory paint looks like under the wrap, and what did the aftermarket exhaust replace, potentially making it persona non grata in states with emissions testing. 

On the other hand, it looks to be in good shape and has those aftermarket updates that make it stand out. Could it then pull in the $69,995 the seller asks?

Where do you stand on the aftermarket bits and bobs? Do they add value or are they little more than an unwanted distraction? More importantly, do you think this Audi is worth that $69,995 asking as it’s presented? Or is this one orange that’s not worth its juice?

You decide!

Facebook Marketplace out of Portland, Oregon, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to Bill Lyons for the hookup!

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