Harder, better, faster, stronger. Those words might have formed the title of dance band Daft Punk's hit single, but they could equally be applied to the new Audi R8 – the V10.

It's those last three digits that make the difference – they turn the sublime R8 super coupe into a full fat supercar that is the fastest and most expensive road car Audi has ever built. Stuart Milne put the car through its paces in Spain ahead of its May launch.

Snick first gear through the Ferrari-style exposed metal gear gate. Build the revs until the 5.2-litre V10 howls like the Berlin Symphony Orchestra. Drop the clutch…and hold on.

First gear is over in a blink of an eye. The engine - also found in the Lamborghini Gallardo - picks up like few other engines, and is the only I've driven that allows you to feel the torque curve, rather than imagine it on a piece of paper.

Hit the 8,700rpm redline, reach for second and do it all over again.

If it sounds as through I'm won over by the latest incarnation of the R8, you'd be spot on. It takes the excellent V8-engine version and raises it to all-new heights.

Audi's engineers haven’t simply dropped in the 5.2-litre V10 engine behind the seats, they've given it a thorough working over to make the big vee rev like a motorbike. That means this astonishing engine - also found in the Audi RS6 and Audi S8 - revs to 8,700rpm.

But more importantly, fact fans; there's a 517bhp dollop of power that peaks at 8,000rpm and a massive wedge of torque – 391lb/ft – that kicks in at 6,500rpm. And the R8 V10 has the best power to weight ratio of any Audi yet – an eye watering 319bhp per tonne.

This adds up to headline figures that would be no embarrassment to any member of the supercar set: 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, and a 197mph top speed – both markedly more impressive than the R8 V8.

There are plenty of superlatives to describe the R8 V10. Audi says it’s the fastest, most powerful and highest revving, as well having the best power-to-weight ratio and retaining the strongest used values in its class. Alongside the Porsche 911 Turbo no car accelerates faster.

But it’s the way the power is delivered that really impresses. It's tractable from low speeds, easy to drive around town and b-roads can be devoured at an alarming rate using only third and fourth gears.

Like the standard car, the steering is a sensation with hydraulic assistance providing enormous levels of feedback. On the road the front end seems to have so much grip understeer is virtually non-existent, and because 65 per cent of its power is sent to the rear wheels you get a little tail-out action – but not too much.

If there's one criticism about its road manners, it's that the car feels wide and we'd expect it to take a little longer than the afternoon we spent in the R8 to become fully accustomed.

But in every other respect, it’s an incredible piece of engineering. The ride is firm but very comfortable; road noise is minimal and there's only the howl from the engine when you want it. It does the whole GT thing better than some genuine GTs we've driven.

Even steep speed humps were tackled without a scrape or bang.

We tried both gearboxes which will be available from launch. The six-speed manual's gearstick has a longer throw than expected and needs to be manhandled through the exposed gear gates. The six-speed R Tronic is an automated manual, meaning the driver needs to lift off to make a smooth change, else it's quite jerky.

An Audi insider told us a version of the S Tronic (or DSG) gearbox is on its way as they've only just managed to make it handle the V10's awesome power.

The standard brakes offer a good, progressive feel and vicious stopping ability, although a costly ceramic set is available for those interested in ultimates.

At around £20,000 more than the V8-engined R8, the V10 is a lot of money, especially when you try to find the visual differences. Ten points to those who spotted the new rear diffuser, fifteen to those who saw the high gloss grilles and twenty if you noticed the extended vents in the side 'blades'.

But it's not really as though the R8 doesn't stand out in a crowd already.

More impressive than the exterior tweaks is the extra equipment offered. It'll cost around £10,000 to add these new bits to the R8 V8, so that extra £20,000 starts looking a little more realistic.

Standard equipment above the V8 includes:
• Audi magnetic ride active damping
• All-LED headlights (a world first)
• 465-watt Bang and Olufsen audio system
• Metallic paint
• New 19-inch alloys
• Electrically-adjustable heated front seats
• Interior lighting package
• Hill hold assist
• Oval tailpipes
• New rear diffuser
• DVD sat-nav
• Automatic lighting and wipers

Of course, running an R8 won’t be cheap. I'll devour a gallon of fuel every 19.2 miles (20.6 for the auto) and emissions of 351 and 327g/km for the manual and auto will keep the treasury happy. It does, however, have long service intervals which can be up to two years/19,000 miles apart.

Audi is remaining tight-lipped on whether the R8 will be offered with just two engines, although it has displayed a diesel R8 concept at various motorshows.

For now, at least, the V10 is the ultimate evolution of Audi's ultimate supercar.

The V10 Audi R8 shares its engine with the Audi RS6: