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!
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Comments (40)
munch997
that is exactly what i thought. doesnt rumble like a v8 sounds more gallardoish
October 16, 2008 8:12 pm
loki
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 coup? - top up that is. hopefully it'll be more sexy with the roof down. I kninda' trust Audi's design bureau lately..
October 16, 2008 7:26 pm
zdenda20
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!
October 16, 2008 7:35 pm
M!
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.
October 16, 2008 7:36 pm
TSLi
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.
October 16, 2008 7:47 pm
kimbo
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.
October 16, 2008 7:55 pm
_M7_
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
October 16, 2008 8:31 pm
evo82
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".
October 16, 2008 9:35 pm
Boomer
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.
October 16, 2008 9:52 pm
Kris
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!
October 17, 2008 1:40 am
evo82
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 ;)
October 17, 2008 3:12 am
Airbag
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!
October 17, 2008 4:53 am
Turkle
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.
October 17, 2008 2:45 am
kimbo
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!
October 17, 2008 8:30 am
kimbo
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.
October 17, 2008 8:31 am
ceven
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.
October 17, 2008 9:04 am
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