*NOW UPDATED WITH VIDEO* Second generation drop-top Audi R8 Spyder makes its debut at this year’s New York Motor Show.
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Audi’s brand new R8 Spyder has made its debut at the New York Motor Show, with the V10-powered soft-top set to go on-sale next year.
As expected, the new Spyder shares much of its bodywork and mechanical underpinnings with its coupe counterpart, but features a wider rear deck for the fabric roof, and a rear window that retracts when the roof is stowed, as well as – obviously – a retractable hardtop roof that opens and closes in 20 seconds and at up to 50kph.
Obviously the latter brings with it a significant weight increase over the coupe (158kg in this case for a 1612kg dry weight), although Audi claims that the new carbon-fibre and aluminium spaceframe chassis used on both the new second generation R8 and the Lamborghini Huracán means rigidity is up 50 per cent over the old Spyder. Even despite the weight increase, the second gen Spyder still weighs in 113kg less than its predecessor. Inside the cabin design remains much the same, and includes the TT’s Virtual Cockpit layout and flat-bottomed steering wheel complete with a red stop/start button, much like the Ferrari 488 GTB.
Power comes from the same 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 that powers the coupe, punching out the same 523bhp and 398lb ft of torque figures that is sent to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. The more powerful ‘Plus’ R8 – like the one we drove in Portugal last year – will likely not arrive before summer, though in its current guise, the Spyder is still capable of 0-100kph in 3.6 seconds – a tenth more than the Coupe – and a 317kph top speed.
Pricing has yet to be announced, though it’s been speculated the Spyder will creep $15K over the coupe’s premium $168,700 price tag.
Source – Audi Germany
