Audi R8 V10 Plus Spyder – the best open-tiptop supercar?

More power provides Audi's R8 Spyder with the ultimate performance, merely we'd exist difficult pushed to take one over a McLaren 570S

25 Oct 2017

If you wanted your current Audi R8 sans roof the only state of melody offered in V10 Spyder guise was a mere 533bhp. We know, shocking. How were we meant to sleep at night?

Audi has been quick to rectify this, and at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed it appear it was to turn the wick up on its V10 and offer its R8 Spyder in Plus spec every bit it does with the coupe, which means 603bhp and 413lb ft of torque. Now you can sleep piece of cake.

Engine, transmission and 0-60mph time

5.2-litres, 10-cylinders, seven-speeds, four-wheel bulldoze, 0-62mph in 3.3sec and a peak speed of 203mph; the R8 Spyder V10 Plus wants for very little in the numbers department.

Audi's dry-sumped V10 engine in Plus spec is an exhilarant mix of vocal brilliance and violent functioning. Large chapters lungs give information technology the tractable low down driveability so many crave and are accustomed to from today's crop of turbocharged engines, while the 8700rpm redline provides a quite remarkable top end with genuine reach and athleticism.

Past today'southward standards the R8'due south seven-speed dual-clutch Due south-tronic transmission may appear to exist a ratio or two short compared against some rivals, only it'due south matched perfectly to the engine's power and torque characteristics, shuffling through the ratios without a hint of interference. Naturally it wants to climb up to the highest ratio as soon as possible in order to meet its faux emission targets, merely the combination of its speed and willingness to change gear on its own accord with a sharp immediacy, combined with the V10'south traction and low-end grunt ways it's rare for you to have to step in and flick a paddle to find the right gear. Which is handy, because they are disappointing in terms of size (too small) and action (too switch like) and hopefully Audi Sport volition exist putting an order in with cousin Lamborghini to procure the paddles used in the Huracan Performante sooner rather than later.

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In that location's nothing disappointing about the V10 Plus Spyder'south operation, even so. A most three-2nd 0-62mph time and a 203mph maximum are serious numbers, especially so when yous consider an R8 with no roof weighs 1695kgs (the fabric roof weighs 44kgs). Requite it the full potatoes in the kickoff iii gears and y'all'll need more than Mr Loophole to keep yous from a stint at her majesty's pleasure. Practise the same in the following three gears and you lot'll want to hope the local police force's helicopter hasn't been cleared for have off. For all of Audi's bad behaviour and blatant cheating when it comes to dieselgate y'all have to stand up back and admire this V10 masterpiece: involving, thrilling, exhilarant and as destructive every bit a pull a fast one on in a chicken coop, at present if merely McLaren could notice its way to building a naturally aspirated motor…

> Click here for our McLaren 570S Spider review

Currently the R8 Spyder V10 Plus is simply available with Audi's quattro iv-bicycle drive system, we expect a rear-wheel drive example to join to the recently announced R8 RWS to get in at some bespeak in 2018. As with the R8 V10 Plus coupe, a mechanical limited-slip differential is fitted equally standard.

Technical highlights

Carbonfibre brakes and lightweight forged blend wheels are standard on the new R8 Spyder V10 Plus, and where the coupe has a fixed rear spoiler the Spyder has a smaller, more unimposing carbon lip spoiler. The rear diffuser has also been tweaked to assist in reducing lift and producing equally much as 100kg of downforce at maximum speed.

Lightweight bucket seats are also standard in this summit line Spyder derivative and if y'all desire you can too have the machine'southward side blade produced in carbonfibre. Virtual cockpit is standard, those bucket seats tin can be switched for more than comfort orientated chairs and there'due south a host of colours and trim available, too.

Built on Audi's lightweight aluminium space frame, the R8 Spyder V10 Plus benefits from the structure techniques used in the regular R8 Spyder, which ways a combination of aluminium and carbonfibre at its cadre and the stiffest possible chassis.

Audi's Drive Select system is standard, assuasive you to select either pre-determined settings – Comfort, Auto or Dynamic – for the engine, gearbox, interruption, steering, differential and frazzle note or yous tin can pick 'n' mix equally you delight in Private style.

What's it similar to drive?

It's impossible to ignore, so nosotros'll showtime with the V10. Roof up or down in that location is no escaping its thunderous soundtrack. Stick with the former and you can drop the small rear screen over your shoulder to let the noise in while keeping the wind out. And what a dissonance. It has everything we admire near large capacity, naturally aspirated engines. Revs become addictive, total throttle escapes from junctions and out of corners a must. Get the forepart wheels hooked upward, manage the slightest corporeality of push and squeeze the throttle as the lock unwinds and you'll be pulling gears quicker than film ceremonies pulling Harvey Weinstein's invitation.

> Click here for our Porsche 911 Turbo review

Being a 603bhp supercar we've taken the liberty of presuming you'll want the engine's throttle response in its sharpest setting, to do and so sets the V10 upwards to be cipher just electrifying in its response to the slightest throttle opening. Yes, you can curt shift and surf that torque but you'll be missing out on electric top end that you sense would rev until the valve gear fired itself through the carbon engine encompass if it could. Criticisms? The pops, crackles and artillery burn from the exhaust in Dynamic mode are far too much and far as well furious. And then too the riotous start-up process, which won't earn you any favours with the neighbours if yous're an early starter. And the seating position, which in our test automobile with the regular seats and not the racing buckets, was pretty poor. To adjust the folding roof the rear bulkhead has moved forward, the result existence you tin can't get the seat base of operations far enough back, nor the back of the seat to recline plenty. Our long term exam R8 Spyder (non-Plus), fitted with optional bucket seats was a far better, if still not perfect combination.

Dynamically there's scant trade off compared to the coupe. On poor UK roads the steering column will rumble in your palms more so than information technology does in an aluminium-roofed equivalent, and if you take hold of a poor surface or a lump in the road with the chassis nether serious load you'll catch the faintest of wobbles through the body. It's not as rigid as the carbon tub of McLaren'south 570S at the limit, but information technology's much steadier, more controlled and surefooted than AMG'due south GT C roadster or Ferrari's 488 Spider.

The R8 V10 Plus Spyder has few vices. Its damping manages the ride with clarity, rarely phased unless presented with a damaged surface and flows with precision and reassurance. The carbon ceramic brakes shed serious speed with serious intent, the nose is quick to plow and even with Dynamic steering you lot can place the R8'southward olfactory organ with precision. Audi still has some piece of work to exercise with its Dynamic steering set-up, though. While yous no longer have to take continuous bites and nibbles through every corner, there remains a remoteness on initial plow in and yous feel the messages you're getting back from the front axle are delayed and less than articulate as to what'southward going on. At times you feel you're on tiptop of it all, flowing from turn-in to apex to get out, and and then nothing. For a dissever second the communication channel is closed before immediately reopening. But in that time the smallest corporeality of doubt has crept in.

Stride over the limit and the diff locks up quickly and cleanly and a roll of the wrists will utilise the required lock to hold, then allow you to bulldoze through the transition. Out of tighter turns you tin piece of work the quattro drivetrain to your reward and become on the power sooner than you think and drive out of a corner with more throttle much earlier, with the front end tyres guiding you out as the rears take all the torque they tin can and a little bit more while you lot add some counter steer. For a wide, heavy, 4-wheel drive automobile the R8 V10 Plus Spyder tin be unexpectedly agile.

Prices and rivals

At £145,315 the R8 V10 Plus Spyder crashes a very decorated party. McLaren'south new 570S Spider is the host with its carbon-tub, exquisite steering and a chassis that even Ferrari'southward 488 Spider from the grade above tin can't match. AMG's GT C roadster is a different take on a ii-seater roadster beingness a more thuggish and perhaps a piffling more one dimensional but no less exciting, whereas Aston Martin's new DB11 V8 Volante will demand to be prepared to get amongst it if it'southward to challenge this burgeoning sector. And, of course, at that place'south the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, not our first pick 911 – nor our fourth – merely its pace and composure cantankerous-state can never be ignored.

Where once roadsters, spyders and spiders, and Volantes were seen every bit the poor relation in the drivers' car pecking order they have more come of age and you lot'll need to work hard to find one that falls flat on its face and in this esteemed company the R8 Spyder V10 Plus holds its head high.

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