That 4.2-litre has an unmistakable deep thunderous rumble whose sound resonates across plains in search of an admiring ear. Well it found such an ear in our spy photographers who caught the car in full speeding glory being followed around by other Porsche Group products like that orange Lambo and Cayenne Turbo.
The R8 Spider, apart from its retractable soft top, is mechanically similar to its coupe sibling. Notice the twin-clutch R-Tronic gearbox quickly going through its cogs as the R8 approaches corners. The 420hp (309kW) soundtrack does justice to its aggressive but toned-down look. We love the fact that there’s virtually no hiding this monster beneath any type of camouflage, pointing towards an imminent public reveal, either in LA or Detroit.
All we are missing now are the V10 and V12 TDI Spiders. Come Audi, throw a dog a bone, show a little metal ‘flesh’…
Audi R8 Spider Spy Video
Click 'play', hear its roar!
By Thami Masemola
October 16, 2008 11:05 PM
Filed Under: Audi, German, Spy Photos
Comments
kimbo
October 16, 2008 11:13 PM
It does sound like V10 to me...
munch997
October 17, 2008 12:12 AM
that is exactly what i thought. doesnt rumble like a v8 sounds more gallardoish
loki
October 16, 2008 11:26 PM
it'd really surprise me if they'd produse the V12 TDI model. realy.. maybe a (very) limited series, but I don't think so..
as for the V10, production is a matter of time, but this sounds more like the 4,2 V8 to me
and about the car itslef, well it certainly doesn't look as good as the coupé - top up that is. hopefully it'll be more sexy with the roof down. I kninda' trust Audi's design bureau lately..
zdenda20
October 16, 2008 11:35 PM
Sounds like a V8 to me, plus it would b a bad marketing move imho to go straight to a more powerful V10, they should still milk the V8 for what its worth...
Design wise, as with most spiders, it looks shite...the proportions looking from the side view, are all wrong imho...i would def. get the coupe!
M!
October 16, 2008 11:36 PM
not sure if they will offer total of 3 engines in 2 bodies. that's 6 models. with them being hand built, they should strategically plan the marketing in a way that would not upset current owners. for instance, they should keep the V8 Coupe, and introduce a V10 spider, and as a limited edition, the V12 TDI coupe. wait a year or so, and then launch the V8 Spider and V10 Coupe. that way, the current V8 Coupe owners will not be too upset with an engine upgrade, unless they want a convertible.
TSLi
October 16, 2008 11:47 PM
Ooooh nice!
Its definitely a V10 though. If you look at the scene where its being followed by the Orange Lambo the engines sound identical! And seeing as the Gallardo / LP560 does not come in a V8 variant there is no other explanation.
Besides, you have oval exhausts rather than dual twin pipes.
kimbo
October 16, 2008 11:55 PM
yes, definately V10. sound exactly like LP560 in which I had a chance to be a passenger :) probably the same 5.2l engine. 5.0 was different from Audi's 5.0l but lambo's 5.2 is maybe the same they use on the RS6.
_M7_
October 17, 2008 12:31 AM
sound better in low revs than high...prety cool but I still don like the car...its like a porsche or when you compare to a women...just blondes XD
evo82
October 17, 2008 1:35 AM
are you kidding me? listen to other v10 engines. this is definitely no v8. it has the beautiful v10 "singing" note. v8 sound would kinda rumble and hasn't as much "life".
Boomer
October 17, 2008 1:52 AM
That is definitely a V10. It also has the different vent work under both the headlights and the taillights and the oval exhaust tips. I have driven the R8 and it is a phenomenal product. I'd still take a Porsche turbo though. The only concern I have with the Cab is the loss of torsional rigidity associated with removing the roof. I guess we'll just have to wait until the first drive.
Kris
October 17, 2008 5:40 AM
The R-Tronic is a dual clutch design similar to a DSG box. And this will certainly be the V8 even if it does have some slight design variations compared to the current Coupe. Audi wouldn't be silly to ignore the V8 current owners with a new vehicle so quickly...vehicles in Audi have a 7 year model cycle!
evo82
October 17, 2008 7:12 AM
The spyder comes with 5.0L twin-turbo V10 or 5.2L V10. Funny how WCF claims to hear a "deep thunderous rumble" from a V8. Clean your ears or something ;)
Airbag
October 17, 2008 8:53 AM
Audi brand their DSG box S-Tronic, not R-Tronic. It's not a dual clutch transmission, though hopefully the V10 edition will have an S-Tronic transmission. That would be a dream!
Turkle
October 17, 2008 6:45 AM
Not that I can afford one of these... it would take selling quite a bit of what I got, house, cars, wife, kids, an organ or two, and livestock. But tell me why the Spyder version has to look like some kit car? If I lived in a cave (with no Internet), I would be totally duped if someone said that this was a kit car based off some hopped up American donor car underpinnings.
kimbo
October 17, 2008 12:30 PM
it's good that they put V10 there. V8 spoiled whole car. Don't get me wrong it's brilliant engine and brilliant car but sperately!
kimbo
October 17, 2008 12:31 PM
I mean it looks agressive, it looks like a true supercar with engine mounted in the middle and they put small V8 there which is ok for a small saloon! Not an R8.
ceven
October 17, 2008 1:04 PM
I thought Audi had already confirmed the R8 V10 would get a non-supercharged engine?
But then there's enough space and cooling possibilites to squeeze the V12 TDI in, so a 5.0T should be no problem.
munch997
October 17, 2008 9:02 PM
look at footage, the second car IS the V10 (hardtop) then the rest are spyder
munch997
October 17, 2008 9:03 PM
sound exactly the same. V8 would sound different but they dont. V10!!!!!!
Joe_Limon
October 18, 2008 1:53 AM
Is it just me, or does it look like a Carrera GT with the soft top?
kimbo
October 18, 2008 9:30 AM
lol, I thought exactly the same when I saw rear of the car. Even sound is similar in some way.
norther
October 18, 2008 6:31 PM
kinda looks crappy without those carbon fibre vents.. but it is nice, i guess.
benxxl
October 20, 2008 1:26 PM
Ah, ok... the R8... biggest wanna-be-sports-car ever. Looks like pimp my ride and drives -thanks to the AWD- like any other boring Audi... Greetings to the AUDI-Fanboys! ;-)
Phlarzian
October 28, 2008 9:51 AM
I'll place my order for a V10 Spider in meteor grey with 20" black wheels and chennai brown interior - business should be flying in the new year ;-))
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