A topless version of the Audi R8 practically seemed inevitable from the outset. Look first at its competitive set for reasons why; then consider Audi’s open-cockpit racecars from which the R8 borrows its name. When the wraps came off the R8 Spyder, we were none too surprised. We were, however, left wondering whether the open-top car would live up to the performance pedigree of its namesake or simply be more hairdresser car than hairpin star. Would it be the king of South Beach or the prince of Sebring? Last week we fired up the V10 of Audi’s new roadster at the Nice Airport and headed out for a drive along the French Riviera to discover for ourselves.

On first inspection of the R8 Spyder, there is plenty familiar about the car. The overall footprint of the R8 has not changed and most of the design of the car from the doors forward looks largely unchanged, save the satin silver windshield frame. At the nose, the R8 Spyder comes standard with Audi’s all-LED headlight system whereby high beams, low beams and turn signals are all powered by light-emitting diodes and accented by 24 more LEDs on each side that comprise the menacing, signature daytime running light array.

Move around to the side and the rear of the Spyder and the changes become more apparent. Gone with the roof is the signature sideblade of the coupe. Along with a folding fabric top, the drop-top R8 features monotone bodywork and a contoured engine cover with two rows of matte silver aluminum-look vents. That engine cover, plus both rear quarter panels have been redesigned and are now manufactured in carbon fiber reinforced plastic (as they are on the related Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder) to negate the requisite additional weight that always accompanies the removal of a fixed roof.


The engine cover is no longer transparent as on the coupe, hiding the artistic design of the R8’s engine that so delights gearheads when viewed from above. This change (likewise seen on the Gallardo) happened because the stowed top would block much of the engine anyway.

While other manufacturers are jumping to folding hardtops, Audi has avoided the move categorically across its entire range, believing instead that a high quality fabric top can be made to be just as quiet as a folding hardtop with less weight and complexity while still allowing for operation at speeds up to 31 mph. We can particularly appreciate this as we cruise through early morning traffic outside of Nice. It takes just 19 seconds for the top to make its moves, but it’s even more convenient when you don’t have to stop. Our Suzuka Grey R8 Spyder test car cruises between stoplights while stowing its roof with a Z-fold, all the while doing its best impression of a ‘60s-era Chaparral Le Mans racer, rear decklid aloft and taking on the appearance of a massive spoiler.

Glance in the rearview mirror and the view is now unobstructed. While the TT uses roll hoops as a design element as much as for safety, the R8 designers chose instead to hide the hoops and rely on technology to deploy them during a rollover, keeping the overall appearance of the car even more aggressively low. Going hoopless, Audi engineers integrated a rollover protection system more akin to the S5 Cabriolet. Two spring-loaded plates mounted behind the seats pair with head and thorax side airbags to protect occupants in the unlikely scenario that the R8 Spyder goes wheels-up.


From a few paces back, the R8 Spyder does look lower than the coupe. Though the dimensions below the shoulder line haven’t changed, the lower top of the convertible brings the overall height down by 5 mm to 1,244 mm (49.0 inches). While that’s not as short as the low-slung Gallardo coupe at 1,165 mm (45.9 inches), the change is most complimentary to the form of the R8. In fact, it might just be the most captivating variant of the R8 we’ve seen yet.

Let’s face it; all-out performance seekers aren’t usually convertible types, except when no other option exists (see Caterham, Miata, et al). For as enjoyable as a drop-top may be on a warm afternoon or starry night, the experience almost always comes with heft and architectural re-working that negatively affect weight and structural integrity. Serious convertibles like those named above transcend this largely by being engineered from the start as open-top cars. Impressively, the changes made to the R8 Spyder’s frame and bodywork added just 6 kg (13 pounds) to the weight of the body while retaining nearly all of its skeletal integrity.

As you might expect, there are plenty of structural changes to the aluminum space frame that are not as easily spotted. The R8’s monocoque has been reinforced at the sills, the center tunnel, the rear wall, the floor pan and the A- and B-pillars, while Audi went with a super lightweight magnesium framework for the engine to further offset the added bulk. Add in the convertible top and all of the operating hardware that goes with it, and the road-ready R8 Spyder weighs just 100 kg (220 pounds) more than the V10 coupe. Since most of the added mass is associated with the top and its operation, it is surprising that just one percent of overall weight has shifted to the rear of the Spyder, now with a front to rear weight ratio of 43:57.


Blasting down some amazing winding mountain roads outside of Cannes, we’re surprised at just how well the R8 Spyder handles; it feels just as flat, sure-footed, and predictable as its hardtop sibling. With more weight in the rear we would expect more differences, particularly under braking, but our most recent memories of the R8 V10 coupe are surprisingly consistent. Likely it would take a more thorough day at the track to expose any blatant disparities.

Engineers tell us that the car’s notably precise hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering was tuned specifically for the Spyder in order to help maintain the same level of steering feedback and feel as the coupe, compensating for the differences in weight distribution and center of gravity.

Power comes from Audi’s rev-happy V10. This free-revving ten boasts a lofty 8500-rpm red line, hitting peak torque of 391 lb-ft at 6500 rpm and maximum output of 525 horsepower at 8000. Like the coupe the V10 features dry sump lubrication good for uninterrupted oil flow during hard cornering up to 1.2 lateral Gs. Audi claims this version of the Spyder will do 0-62 mph in 4.1 seconds versus the V10 coupe’s 3.9 seconds, while top speed is 194.5 mph versus 196 mph, respectively.

Just like any previous R8, two transmission choices are offered. The six-speed R tronic will be favored by those looking for an automatic even though its single-clutch auto-shift action is a bit unsmooth when driven in a point-and-squirt throttle strategy employed by drivers of most automatic transmissions. While R tronic boasts two automatic shift modes (normal and sport), a manual mode and launch control, and is also stellar on the track, we’d still opt for the six-speed manual. Don’t let the exotic aluminum shiftgate intimidate you, as this is one manual that is both easy to live with and highly rewarding. Interestingly, the R tronic returns better gas mileage (16.9 mpg combined) than the manual gearbox (15.8 mpg).


Inside, the Spyder remains nearly identical to the coupe. Double stitched leather now adorns the triangular section at the center of the dash and the lower center console, and these options will be applied to the coupe as well. Six different interior colors and three top colors will be offered in Europe. For the Spyder, even the pigments used to dye the seats were part of the engineering process, made to reflect infrared light thus keeping the seats up to 20 degrees (Celsius) cooler when exposed to direct sunlight.

Storage space is down slightly with area behind the seats now reclaimed for the rollover protection hardware. Reach between the seats now and you will find three small storage compartments including one in the center for a CD changer or Audi Music Interface depending on your preference. Without the space behind the seats, storage is limited to the 3.5-cubic-foot luggage compartment beneath the hood, which now boasts a handsome double-stitched liner.


The R8’s excellent Bang & Olufsen audio system is standard in the Spyder, albeit with a few changes. The twelve-speaker, ten-channel, 465-watt system has been reprogrammed to automatically compensate and optimize for top-down or top-up motoring. Also clever is Audi’s unique seatbelt microphone for hands free phone integration. Three small rivet-like microphones are affixed to each seatbelt and logic within the system determines which microphone is best positioned to pick up one’s voice. Yet another microphone is mounted in the frame of the windshield. The system works surprisingly well, allowing callers to hear the driver’s voice even at highway speeds. This hardware is a first for the industry and something that will hopefully transfer to other drop-top Audis like the TT, A5, and S5.

With the top down, drivers have two tools to help minimize wind noise. The first, a net-style device, is stored in the luggage compartment and can remain in place when the top goes up. The second is the car’s power rear window glass that can operate independently from the top itself, also allowing for ventilation and excellent exposure to engine note when the top is up. And if going topless in the R8 has one serious advantage, it’s the improved accessibility to the car’s amazing sounding V10.

As tested, our car also included two important options not yet approved for the American market. The first was Audi’s optional ceramic brake setup that we’ve found in the past to be nearly impervious to fade, although learning to modulate this quick-to-grab setup isn’t always so easy. Our Suzuka Spyder also came with Audi’s not-for-America Recaro shell-style seats. Color-matched to the car’s exterior color on their shell backs, these high-sided grippers feature independently adjustable upper and lower bolsters. Unfortunately the seats still haven’t been developed with side impact airbags and until that happens they will remain unobtainable for Audi buyers in North America unless they’re savvy enough to source their own independently.


Audi will start delivering R8 Spyders to European customers any day now with a base price of €156,400. Audi of America promises the first US-bound Spyders will begin to arrive by the fourth quarter of 2010, though the usual "under-promise and over-deliver" mantra of AoA means the cars may arrive in the American market even sooner. That would be a good thing since the US is both Audi’s best R8 market and also its best convertible market. A 4.2-liter V8 version will follow shortly thereafter.

So is Audi’s new R8 Spyder just a glorified beach cruiser or is it a serious chicane tamer with a built-in tanning bed? It certainly has all of the creature comforts of the coupe and then some. However, Audi has made good on the promise that the Spyder gives up little if any performance to the coupe. Combine all of this with an even more menacing low-slung design and we doubt few will be able to resist the car’s even more handsome looks or its even more improved look-at-me factor.

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