SPY PICS: Audi R8 Spyder
New Audi supercar flips its lid – R8 spotted with cloth roof in GermanyThe second-generation Audi R8 coupe is still several months away from reaching Australian new car showrooms, but its high-speed 320km/h convertible cousin has just been spied at the Nurburgring in Germany.
The new R8 Spyder, fitted with an electrically-operated cloth folding roof, will offer an exotic open-air driving experience for those drivers who really want to be seen.
And unlike the Audi R8 coupe, which appears to have taken a step backwards in the style department, this one's angular lines are far better integrated. The cloth roof's trailing edges add a sophisticated look to the car's silhouette and the flatter rear deck also delivers a sportier, more appealing image.
Other areas where the Audi R8 Spyder differs from its metal-roofed relation include mass and performance – it will be somewhat heavier and slightly slower in most performance benchmarks. But for many buyers the trade-off with be more than worth it.
Like the coupe, it will first feature a mid-mounted V10 engine that pumps through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to propel the car from 0-100km/h in an eye-watering 3.6 seconds, give or take.
Many of its rivals from marques such as Porsche, McLaren and even Ferrari are now favouring turbo engines, the R8 Spyder will get an engine similar to the Lamborghini Huracan, a 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10, worth 396kW and 540Nm.
And if it mirrors the coupe range, the R8 Spyder V10 Plus model should bang out cheek-rippling 449kW and 560Nm of torque. In the coupe the beefed-up V10 is good for a 3.2 second sprint to 100km/h, so a 3.3 second run is likely for this model.
There's also a strong chance Audi will deploy an 'entry-level' version of its R8 Spyder, expected to be powerfed by a five- or six-cylinder turbo petrol unit, now that the ageing 4.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8 is being put out to pasture.
Audi's fastest and most exotic two-seat drop-top will command a premium of around $20,000 over the coupe variants, so expect the V10 models to start from around $370,000.
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