There was never anything wrong with the regular R8 Spyder, nor with the V10 version for that matter. Both provided all the thrills you could want with the roof down, plus a great soundtrack, but they were quite as a church with it up. The only little niggle most people had with them was that they were too German, too dignified and composed in a way.
We must admit that the reveal came as a bit of a surprise to us, because we were expecting the car to arrive in Le Mans first, before being fully detailed at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September. Audi’s new convertible won’t mark the first time the brand has lopped the roof off of its R8 super car, but its lighter GT variant had retained a tin top until now.
Well, now Audi has taken the wraps of a new, lighter and more potent version, called the R8 GT Spyder, that only 333 lucky customers will get a taste of. The new drop-top flagship of the Audi range now develops a total of 560 hp – 35 more than the regulat V10 Spyder and the same as the R8 GT Coupe. The drop-top is also full 85 kilograms (187.39 lb) slimmer than the already toned regular version, thanks in part to the extensive use of CFRP. Combine those two figures and you get a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 317 km/h (196.97 mph).
The rear spoiler, front splitter, upgraded brakes and weight reduction regime (less sound isolation, thinner glass and carbon-fiber components) have all carried over from the R8 GT Coupe, as has the Alcantara interior.
Speaking of the interior, it’s black and can be adorned with stitching in a choice of titanium gray or crimson for added refinement. Alcantara upholstery comes standard – on the sport steering wheel and windshield frame, too.
Standard equipment includes LED headlights, LED tail lights, an automatic air conditioning system, the navigation system plus, an alarm system and the driver information system with a built-in laptimer.
Talking about standard equipment and interior quality is a bit theoretical, because only 333 will ever be made, and they should sell faster than new iPhones. The R8 GT Spyder will have a base price of €207,800 in Germany.
