Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 13,333 tests

Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old R8 examples track each other at the test bay.

Pre-2018 cohort 11,298

Pass

93.7%

Fail

5.1%

PRS

0.6%

Avg mileage at test

37,263 mi

2018–2020 cohort 1,730

Pass

93.2%

Fail

2.8%

PRS

3.6%

Avg mileage at test

18,766 mi

2021+ cohort 305

Pass

93.8%

Fail

4.9%

PRS

0.0%

Avg mileage at test

10,622 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

The picture

R8: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 4,072 MOT tests, the R8 returns 89.4% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is shock absorber damaged to the extent. An obligatory rear fog lamp missing and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 35,005, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 48–50

A high-group car — insurance costs will be significantly above average. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.

Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →

48–50

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage

139 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
02

Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

117 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
03

An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

106 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
04

Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

77 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
05

Wiper blade defective

64 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
06

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

61 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
07

A tyre seriously damaged

29 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
08

A tyre cords visible or damaged

27 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
09

A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

25 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
10

Number plate showing an incorrect registration

20 occurrences · 0.2% of tests

Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.

Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures

£35–£80

If every one of this R8's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. Pass rates barely move across bands here, so the year you buy Audi R8 makes little measurable difference to MOT outcomes.

Best band to buy

93.8%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 93.8% — a 0.5-point improvement. Tests in this band average 10,622 miles — roughly 8K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: does not conform to the specified requirements, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.

Band to be cautious about

93.2%

2018–2020 registration

On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 93.2% pass rate against a fleet average of 93.8% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: blade defective, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, and has a serious fluid leak. Average mileage on test for this band is 18,766 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2021+ (93.8% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (93.2% pass). That's a 0.5-point spread across 1,730 older tests and 305 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.

Item 01 · Amazon UK

MOT-spec replacement number plate

Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.

Search Amazon UK

Item 02 · Amazon UK

Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades

Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.

Search Amazon UK

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Summit

Summit ADRG-215 Audi Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS

£9.89

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Summit

Summit ADRG-216 Audi Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS

£14.29

View at My Motor World →

Draper Expert

Draper Expert Oil Filter Socket for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and VW

£18.69

View at My Motor World →

Draper Expert

Draper Expert Audi/VW Drain Plug Key, 1/2" Sq. Dr.

£21.99

View at My Motor World →

Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Mobile mechanic · UK-wide

Book a mechanic at your door.

Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.

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Recall history

6 UK recalls on record.

The R8 has 6 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping an R8?

Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.

If you own an R8 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.