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New V8 Spyder great for posing along coastal roads, even better for bouncing sound effects off cliff faces whilst navigating a mountain pass...
Audi’s expanded its R8 range by transplanting V8 power into the Spyder model.
When the original R8 was launched back in 2007 it was initially powered by the RS4 derived 4.2l V8, with a promise of V10 power to follow – happening late in 2008.
Last year Audi brought a magnificent Spyder derivative of the R8 to market, debuting with V10 power – in a contrasting product strategy to the R8 coupe roll-out.
With a V8 now present in both coupe and Spyder R8s the range features a symmetrical drivetrain offering.
Rev hungry long-stroke V8?
Mechanically the Spyder version of Audi’s 4.2l FSI V8 is a touch keener than its coupe sibling, producing an additional seven units of power to peak at 7 900r/min to a value of 316kW.
Despite the 4.2l FSI engine’s undersquare architecture (bore and stroke ratios of 84.5mm and 92.8mm) it is able to spin to a maximum crank speed of 8 100r/min.
Balancing the engine’s performance billing is 430Nm of peak rotational force available between 4 500- and 6 000r/min.
Distributing the R8 Spyder V8’s drive between its four wheels are a choice between two six-speed transmissions, in either triple or dual clutch configuration – the latter being an R tronic sequential manual set-up.
Performance figures for the R8 Spyder V8 are predictably swift. The benchmark 0-100km/h acceleration time is a scant 4.8 seconds whilst top speed is tantalizingly one unit shy of the psychological 300km/h barrier at 299km/h.
Audi claims the 4.2l FSI V8’s 120bar common rail direct injection system (facilitating a relatively high 12.5:1 compression ratio) allows for fuel consumption figures of 13.9l/100km for the R tronic transmission Spyder V8 and 14.9l/100km for the H-pattern cars.
The R8 Spyder V8 is due to go on sale locally by the fourth quarter of this year.
When the original R8 was launched back in 2007 it was initially powered by the RS4 derived 4.2l V8, with a promise of V10 power to follow – happening late in 2008.
Last year Audi brought a magnificent Spyder derivative of the R8 to market, debuting with V10 power – in a contrasting product strategy to the R8 coupe roll-out.
With a V8 now present in both coupe and Spyder R8s the range features a symmetrical drivetrain offering.
Rev hungry long-stroke V8?
Mechanically the Spyder version of Audi’s 4.2l FSI V8 is a touch keener than its coupe sibling, producing an additional seven units of power to peak at 7 900r/min to a value of 316kW.
Despite the 4.2l FSI engine’s undersquare architecture (bore and stroke ratios of 84.5mm and 92.8mm) it is able to spin to a maximum crank speed of 8 100r/min.
Balancing the engine’s performance billing is 430Nm of peak rotational force available between 4 500- and 6 000r/min.
Distributing the R8 Spyder V8’s drive between its four wheels are a choice between two six-speed transmissions, in either triple or dual clutch configuration – the latter being an R tronic sequential manual set-up.
Performance figures for the R8 Spyder V8 are predictably swift. The benchmark 0-100km/h acceleration time is a scant 4.8 seconds whilst top speed is tantalizingly one unit shy of the psychological 300km/h barrier at 299km/h.
Audi claims the 4.2l FSI V8’s 120bar common rail direct injection system (facilitating a relatively high 12.5:1 compression ratio) allows for fuel consumption figures of 13.9l/100km for the R tronic transmission Spyder V8 and 14.9l/100km for the H-pattern cars.
The R8 Spyder V8 is due to go on sale locally by the fourth quarter of this year.
