Color report: Audi R8 V10 RWD Performance Spyder
Sound body
Audi R8 RWD Performance
© press-inform – the press office
Audi has given its rear-wheel drive R8 another 30 hp more. The result is a pleasurable driving machine with an orchestral sound.
Oh how will we miss that sound. One press of the red start button on the steering wheel – and the concert trumpets out of the two mighty tailpipes. Rumbling, hissing, spitting. Ten cylinders let off steam – Audi’s 10th Symphony. This is what the acoustic signature of 570 hp sounds like. And it sounds particularly good to the driver’s ears in the Spyder when the roof is up. Audi has been building the R8 in its factory in the Böllinger Höfe not far from Neckarsulm since September 2006 – mostly by hand and since 2015 in the second generation. Now the Audi employees have gone one better with the rear-wheel drive R8 V10 performance RWD.
More in this case means, among other things: 30 hp and 10 Newton meters more than in the basic Audi R8 V10 RWD model, a few kilos of weight savings, for example through a CFRP stabilizer on the front axle, and even more driving pleasure. The 5.2 FSI engine with dry sump lubrication is one of the last naturally aspirated engines in its segment. In the performance version, the unit has an output of 570 hp / 419 kW and a maximum torque of 550 Nm. Accordingly, the 1,695 kg Spyder takes 3.8 seconds (Coupé: 3.7 seconds) to catapult it from standstill to 100 km / h. In the Spyder the top is 327 km / h, in the Coupè it is 329 km / h. The official fuel consumption: around 13 liters of Superplus per 100 kilometers, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of 306 g / km.
The driving pleasure is by no means limited to the sound or the sheer performance. Thanks to pure rear-wheel drive and a geared chassis and driving dynamics set-up, the 4.43-meter-long two-seater offers significantly more pleasure than the all-wheel-drive R8. It starts with accelerating. A powerful kick on the gas pedal – and the RWD accelerates with a powerful blow to the neck. It never leaves any doubts as to where the forward thrust is coming from: the rear wheels.
In sport mode and with the Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC) switched on, controlled drifts are possible. Out of the curve, a little speed and the rear swings out – but can be caught again at any time by counter-steering. The optionally available dynamic steering ensures direct steering behavior adapted to the respective situation and perfect contact with the road. The relatively deep mid-engine and the 40:60 axle load distribution also ensure perfect balance and precise handling. And the 7-speed S tronic shifts quickly, precisely and without noticeable power interruption. In sport mode there is double-declutching when downshifting.
The exterior design is classic R8. Even when you’re inside: the view in the exterior mirror follows the curved line of the rear wheel arches. The interior is characterized by rather tight lines. The dashboard with the digital instrument cluster, the multifunctional steering wheel, the sports seats. The navigation system is less thrilling. Occasionally, it can be misleading – especially on exits at roundabouts that are close together. This is mainly due to the rather compact size of the navigation screen in the narrow digital cockpit. A larger digital display á la iPad would, however, disrupt the design. Maybe a head-up display would help. There is only a cargo space in the front of the R8. With a capacity of just 112 liters, a standard board case still fits exactly into it.
With a purchase price of 162,000 euros for the open Spyder, the Audi R8 10V RWD Performance Spyder certainly cannot be paid for out of the postage. But if you can and want to, you will definitely have a lot of fun with it. How long this fun will continue to exist – at least acoustically – is the question. Because at Audi they have been working on a purely electric successor for a long time. It will look similarly breathtaking and will certainly not lag behind in terms of acceleration values. But it remains questionable whether a top speed of over 300 km / h in a Stromer will soon be realistic. And that with the orchestral sound – that should then be a thing of the past.