Supercars are a rare breed: expensive to produce, and expensive to buy, they remain members of an exclusive club on the top rung of the automotive ladder. The Audi R8 may bear a mainstream badge, but its supercar credentials are beyond reproach, thanks in part to a close relationship with Lamborghini. The R8 V10 Plus is the most powerful production R8 yet - and it may also be the best.

It would be easy to consider the Audi R8 little more than a Lamborghini Gallardo dressed up in a more sober, German-tailored suit. And in some ways, that description is a valid one. But it in no way expresses just how different the two cars are, nor that the R8 is very much an Audi.

Is that a good thing? Well, yes. Audi has become a brand best known for its ability to marry technology with craftsmanship; for cars that express both dynamic appeal and reassuring longevity. And when you're spending more than R2-milliion on a sports car, those are all vital elements.

The comparison with the Gallardo stems from the fact that the cars share platform components and, in the case of the V10 versions, the...