If we’re honest with you, the first time we saw the new Audi R8 facelift we thought it didn’t really live up to all the expectations. We thought it wasn’t different enough from the car it replaced. But now that we’ve seen it a few times out in the open, we are starting to see that all those little changes add up to make a big difference. Up close, you get to see the new R8 is a totally different beast than its predecessor.

Here we have a 2016 Audi R8 V10 in black, spotted somewhere in  Karlsruhe, Germany. While these pictures are enough to convince anyone Audi designers have not been sitting on their bottom all these years and have actually done something, they may also raise another controversy, this time about the quality of their work. Some may argue the new R8 is not, well, elegant.

That has to do with the shape of those grilles in the rear bumper, the plastic vent just above the engine cover, and that rather unsightly front grille. They are fine on their own, but when you compare the new R8 to the outgoing version – especially a tricked-out version like this LB-Works wide body – you can’t help but think some of the charm has been lost. The new model looks way too serious and technical, and, well, German!

Looks aside, the 2016 Audi R8 is one of the finest super cars you can buy today in the sense that it is the most usable on a daily basis. The four-wheel-drive performance machine has enough ground clearance for a comfortable and hassle-free drive, and enough room inside the cabin for you to move about. It has a decent boot and a choice of powertrains covering a wide range of possibilities, from extreme economy to extreme speed.

Via Autogespot