Can anyone modify an R8 successfully?

This is a picture of a one-off chrome-effect R8 that's been created by Audi and donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation for the EJAF charity auction. It is, of course, revolting.

But seeing as the manufacturer's taste failings generated £250,000 for the charity last night - that's £132,290 over book price - we shan't pile into it too much.

We will, however, use it as an excuse to show you how they could have done it. Click on for a gallery of the better-looking tuned R8s this side of Ingolstadt.

We'll start with a bodykitted version - this one's got an updated lip spoiler, front splitter and side skirts - and set of 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels. OK, so it's a bit Stormtrooper, but it's an odd kind of cool.

This one's barely been touched - it's only got Kahn's lowering kit and a set of 20-inch F1-X carbon fiber wheels - but isn't it pretty?

Heffner's not bothered with much in the way of spoilers and trinketry, but it has gone ABSOLUTELY MENTAL on the engine. The 5.2-litre V10's fitted with a twin-Garrett-turbo setup running 6psi of boost, which wrings 725bhp out of the original engine. At the wheels. Oh. My. God.

Video: click to watch

The gold striping and look-at-me wing dangle it precariously on the edge of acceptability, but we'll let off the PPI GTR-10 on account of its 601bhp. The V10 gets a roof-mounted air intake, vented liftgate glass, a free-flow exhaust system and remap job. Nice.

A hot new intake manifold, barky exhaust system and clever ECU software boosts power by 28% to 540bhp. It also gets lowered suspension, wide 20-inch alloys, uprated brakes and a stealthy satin finish.

Video: click to watch

It's got a special height-adjustable racing coilover suspension setup, stainless exhaust and remap job, which boosts power to 592bhp. It also looks EVIL.

The V10's been fiddled to produce 580bhp, there's a funky new exhaust, downforce-fond body accoutrements, lightweight wheels and, of course, bright green paint. Yes it's shouty and gauche, but that's what an R8's all about, right?