I DON'T mean to be derisive to folks of my vintage nor to Audi, but the R8 is really an age-friendly Lamborghini.

The car has all the basic right stuff to earn the 'super' prefix. A pure beef mid-mounted V8, rear-biased all-wheel drive, a clutch-actuated gearbox and a top speed that breaches the magical 300kmh line.

But it isn't hard to drive. It isn't hard to get in and out of. And it isn't as loud as Linkin Park.

In other words, it isn't like a supercar. At least, not the hallowed supercars you and I have been brought up to revere - the ones that dictate that there's no gain without pain.

Well, you know what - those cars are fine if you have the bones and sinews of a 20something.

But if your mid-section is your centre of gravity, you want a mid-engined racer that is a bit more flattering. Because there is nothing sadder than the sight of a mature man clambering out of a Gallardo.

Enter the R8. This car is a German NS-X (a Ferrari contender Honda made in the 1980s which was as easy to drive as a Civic).

The R8 is a bit like the all-aluminium NS-X, only more lethal, more high-tech and packing more displacement across two more cylinders.

The heart of the R8 is a 4.2-litre eight-cylinder with 420bhp at its disposal, a powerplant that showed its brilliance in the Audi RS4.

But in the two-seater R8, it displays a decidedly brutal side. The car is seriously quick, with a forceful acceleration that literally pins you to your seat.

Its robotised gearbox comes from the Gallardo, a car it shares componentry with (Audi owns Lamborghini). You would not have guessed it though. The Gallardo E-gear shifts with the subtlety of a wounded bull elephant, but the R8 does its job with the reasonable smoothness of a racehorse, even when in automatic mode.

To exact the most performance from the R8, it is best to use it like a clutchless manual. For added oomph, depress the Sport button (a function which immediately doubles your revs and trebles your fun).

This way, you can get to the engine's 'sweet spot' more effortlessly, without anticipating when the programming will do it for you.

This 'sweet spot' isn't found anywhere below 3,000rpm. In this lower band, the car is either eerily quiet (so unlike a supercar) or betrays a discordant transmission whine.

But as the revs pile on, the car comes on song, with the bellow of a tightly tuned V8 reverberating just aft of your backrest. Unfortunately, there aren't many opportunities here to let the R8 rip. Or to try its deadly Launch Control.

What you do get to enjoy consistently without the risk of having a WRX (marked 'police' or 'beng') on your tail are its immensely powerful brakes, unbelievably direct steering and quick-response paddle shifters.

Oh, not forgetting its drop-of-your-hat torque. At 1,500rpm in sixth, the car still pulls willingly.

Its suspension is also beautifully sorted, offering both ride comfort and an aptitude for hard driving. The car comes with Magnetic Ride Suspension, the latest in adaptive damping applications.

The car needs a couple more things to make it complete. First, keyless access and ignition (nothing like a red Start button to complete a sports car). Second, better attention to detail in the cabin. The test unit betrays a door panel that rattles intermittently and a sidewall next to the footrest which sounds like an empty can of Milo when your shoe comes into contact with it.

The young turks probably won't notice these incongruities. But the type of customers the R8 attracts are far more picky.

AUDI R8
Price: $497,000 with COE
Engine: 4,163cc 32-valve V8
Transmission: Robotised manual with paddle shift
Power: 420bhp at 7,800rpm
Torque: 430Nm at 4,500rpm
0-100kmh: 4.6 seconds
Top speed: 301kmh Fuel consumption: 20.4 litres/100km (city)
Agent: Premium Automobiles