So, When You Chop The Roof Off Of An Audi R8, Is It For Better Or For Worse?

CAR Magazine reports:

It's a fair reflection of the burgeoning Audi range that the new Audi R8 V10 Spyder you see here is comfortably over £100k. This maximum R8 is the most expensive regular series production Audi ever, at £112,500, so it'd better be good. But the omens are good. We love the R8. Really, really love it. Who'd have thought that Audi – purveyor of slick but stodgy front-drive saloons better known for dashboard quality than dynamic nous – would turn out a supercar to bash the 911 right out of the box? Well they did.

The R8 is – believe it or not – three years old now and the surprise factor lingers on after that first US drive back in the March 2007 issue of CAR Magazine. But Ingolstadt has not stood still. The Italian-bequeathed V10 has slotted into the R8 coupé and now the Spyder, meaning the only way to enjoy the open-top Audi supercar experience is to have the bigger engine.

So the Audi R8 V10 Spyder is fast?

Naturally. Study the spec sheet and you'll be left in no doubt the convertible R8 is anything but a fully paid-up member of the supercar A-list. It won't quite hit 200mph, but 62mph passes by in a eye-trembling 4.1sec. And look at those engine figures: 518bhp at 8000rpm – just hear it – and 391lb ft at 6500rpm. It likes to rev, does this V10....

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markanthony0419 - 3/17/2010 10:58:04 PM

+3 Boost

i now believe in love at first sight

Lexus - 3/18/2010 12:01:28 AM

+2 Boost

Wow.......... this is Gorgeous, it Unreal, this thing look just as good or better than the Lambo Gallardo Spyder.

blackbr - 3/18/2010 7:40:04 AM

+2 Boost

Guys, trust me on this one. Saw an R8 Spyder at the Cleveland auto show and it was BY FAR the most droolworthy car at the show. It looks sensational, much better than the coupe. And the bronze paint job.... the thing was just sex on wheels. I want one desperately.

JustaCar - 3/18/2010 8:20:18 AM

0 Boost

EVO magazine has a video test of the R8 spyder on their website. Check it out:
http://www.evo.co.uk/videos/planetevovideos/249637/audi_r8_spyder_driven.html

veyron1001 - 3/18/2010 12:29:14 PM

-2 Boost

Taking the roof off of anything is illogical especially when you have to pay more for a worse car.

1dott8 - 3/18/2010 2:35:39 PM

+1 Boost

i was never the biggest fan of convertibles or anything in red until now. good Lord this is a beauty.

thstone - 3/18/2010 4:20:01 PM

+1 Boost

For better! This is awesome!

Eyecarehawaii - 3/19/2010 9:12:52 PM

+1 Boost

Generally any time you take a car designed initially to be a hardtop and convert it to a convertible it will get heavier and less responsive. If you take a car that's initially designed as a convertible and make a hard top version it tends to be better. I have the feeling that people who are seriously considering getting an Audi R8 V10 Spyder are more interested in asthetics than in all out performace. The buyer gets a choice, Audi makes money, the rest of us can look at a nice car as it drives buy - everyone wins.