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The Agenda Trends agents has an apparent attraction with the Audi R8. From our aboriginal drive, to our on-track experience, to our review, to our Car of the Year awards, every bit of bench time in the German automaker’s aura archetypal has larboard us abashed acclaim to anyone who will listen. You could say we had a acceptable activity branch into this appraisement of the topless version, but because annihilation can be taken for granted, we (sacrificially) beggared into the mid-engine supercar for accession round. So, afterwards added ado, apprehend on for our 2018 Audi R8 Spyder V10 review.
Audi’s additional bearing R8 debuted in 2016 with evolutionary administration tweaks, added power, bigger autogenous technology, and an all-new platform. The R8 Spyder V10 shares an engine, platform, and bodywork with the V10 Coupe, but modifies the supercar’s contour with a folding bendable top. As of this writing, alone a abject V10 Spyder is available, admitting a 610-horsepower adaptation (to bout the V10 Additional Coupe) is due aboriginal abutting year.
As a accepted rule, convertibles cost some of the artful adroitness of their auto counterparts. Something about the console gaps of a folding auto or the bunched bolt of a ragtop aloof looks…off. In bright abuse of this trend, however, is the Audi R8 Spyder.
Miles Branman/Digital Trends
Miles Branman/Digital Trends
Miles Branman/Digital Trends
Miles Branman/Digital Trends
Miles Branman/Digital Trends
While drop-top versions of best sports cars assume like afterthoughts (“just lob the top off here, Bill”), the R8 Spyder feels like a ground-up redesign of an already handsome car. In accurate — whether its bolt roof is aloft or stowed — the R8 Spyder showcases its carbon fiber-trimmed louvers, low profile, and continued rear end. Why adumbrate august bodywork below a folding roof, alone absolute the best angles post-conversion? The R8 Spyder is attractive 24/7.
While drop-top versions of best sports cars assume like afterthoughts, the R8 Spyder feels like a ground-up redesign.
As a architecture progression from aboriginal to additional generation, we best acknowledge the R8 Spyder’s contour and rear views. The board is still out on the adapted supercar’s ultra-sharp nose, but those arresting LED headlights are universally bad-ass. Our Vegas Yellow tester (which fluctuates amid a Pantone and Mustard cast based on lighting) draws affluence of attention, yet is still added bourgeois than its Lamborghini Huracan Spyder cousin.
Until the V10 Additional adaptation hits showrooms, the 2018 Audi R8 Spyder is appealing cut-and-dry. At $177,100 to start, the ragtop archetypal is $12,200 added big-ticket than its anchored roof counterpart.
Standard affection highlights board Nappa covering 18-way acrimonious action seats, 19-inch artificial admixture auto captivated in Summer tires, LED headlights, automated altitude control, MMI Navigation, Audi Virtual Cockpit, a 13-speaker Bang & Olufsen complete system, and a rearview camera.
To set your R8 Spyder apart, Audi offers a atramentous optic amalgamation ($3,000), carbon exoteric trim ($4,800), carbon autogenous amalgamation ($3,400), architecture stitch covering ($3,500), adverse bond ($500), 20-inch 10-spoke artificial admixture auto ($1,500), and red corrective anchor calipers ($700). On the achievement end, Audi’s capricious arrangement council arrangement adds $1,400 and carbon bowl brakes bolster the basal band by a whopping $9,900.
Supercars tend to be ‘super’ from the alfresco in, acceptation their exoteric architecture and agent mechanics beacon the conversation. While the R8 Spyder has absolute alley attendance and animated performance, abundant of its wow-factor can alone be accomplished from aural the cockpit.
Interior technology takes centermost date from the moment you activate the R8’s claret red agitation button. Instead of a ailing chip centermost monitor, an undersized TFT monitor, and analog gauges, Audi consolidates all advice aural one 12.3-inch agenda affectation – positioned anon in advanced of the driver.
Miles Branman/Digital Trends
Miles Branman/Digital Trends
Miles Branman/Digital Trends
Miles Branman/Digital Trends
Miles Branman/Digital Trends
Audi’s ‘Virtual Cockpit’ is according genitalia adult and intuitive, with a reconfigurable interface to access or abatement the bulge of Google Earth maps/navigation, achievement data, media, music, and telemetry data. So absorbing is the disciplinarian bore that we don’t alike absence Apple CarPlay or Android Auto functionality.
Complementing the R8 Spyder’s beheld artifice is a analgesic audio system. 13 speakers and 550 watts of Bang & Olufsen advantage transform the R8 Spyder into a concert area — for you and surrounding traffic. A brace of USB ports, bifold SD agenda slots, a distinct aux jack, Bluetooth audio, HD Radio, and Sirius XM board abounding charging and music arena options. Then again, with an on-demand V10 soundtrack, you may balloon about addition audio entirely.
Beyond its cutting-edge gadgetry, the R8 Spyder’s berth is a visually stimulating, chiefly adequate allowance for two. Autogenous architecture flows from the driver’s compartment, afterward a bottomward angled console on the dashboard into a wraparound layout. Each detail is aggressive appear the pilot, including the air vents, altitude ascendancy nubs, and centermost stack.
The R8 Spyder champions a added adequate ancillary of supercar ownership.
This affords the disciplinarian a faculty of complete command, emphasized by his or her adeptness to ascendancy about every accessibility and achievement acclimation afterwards appropriation a duke from the flat-bottomed council wheel.
Soft covering adorns the seats, council wheel, aperture panels, accessory selector, centermost tunnel, and (if so optioned) the dashboard to drive home the R8’s exceptional positioning. Anthracite or carbon cilia inlays, forth with brushed metal accents attending and feel spectacular. Accepted heated, 18-way adjustable action seats board accomplished crabbed abutment while prioritizing comfort. Optional diamond-patterned bond on the seats and emphasis bond abroad brings the aphotic black covering to life.
A supercar is, afterwards all, a egocentric indulgence; why not accept one with autogenous and exoteric spoils?
The 2018 Audi R8 Spyder will not try to annihilate you. If your archetype for a supercar acquirement includes approved near-death active experiences, may we advance the Dodge Viper or agnate lunacy. Certainly, the apple has charge for “bite the duke that feeds” achievement machines, but the R8 champions a added adequate ancillary of supercar ownership.
Miles Branman/Digital Trends
Ride affection is that of a affluence car aboriginal and a achievement agent second, advanced and rear overhangs don’t scrape on annihilation with an incline, the seven-speed dual-clutch chiral is bland as cottony in automated mode. These refinements culminate in a altogether reasonable circadian driver. Sure, not aggregate is family-sedan practical. Like any added mid-engine supercar, the advanced block or “frunk,” if you will, is hardly ample abundant for a baby suitcase, and added continued doors beggarly an awkward avenue in a awash parking lot. So, you know, maybe buy a additional car to booty stuff?
In the agrarian west of accessible roadways, the R8 is best ill-fitted for your lead-foot shenanigans.
“Livable,” you scoff. “Another way of adage ‘boring,’ you mean!” Alone if you accede motor sports arid aback no one crashes. As abundant as the R8 Spyder is advised to accommodate, its boot orders are to thrill. Anon abaft the cockpit, a 5.2-liter artlessly aspirated V10 agent converts agitation into eye-watering dispatch and ear-phoric complete (we ran out of absolute words to call it). Numbers: 540 application and 398 pound-feet of torque; 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, 198 mph top speed; 8,500 rpm redline; 17 accumulated mpg.
Unlocking the engine’s music box is as simple as beating the throttle, but accessing the R8’s achievement abeyant takes a brace added steps. Audi’s drive baddest arrangement tunes council weight, burke response, and abeyance damping according to three pre-set drive modes and one custom selection. Additionally, the seven-speed bifold clamp gearbox appearance accepted drive mode, action approach (faster shifts, best accessory holds), and abounding chiral mode. Shifting on your own is accessible via the accessory selector itself or via the council wheel-mounted paddles.
Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive arrangement is a marvel. Alike with absorption ascendancy in beneath akin “Sport” mode, the car’s brave anchor and adherence creates great confidence. Amplifying the affirmation and assurance is a hyper-responsive council arrangement and able-bodied braking. Added supercars may accept college cornering limits, but alone a able disciplinarian on a antagonism ambit would be able to accomplish them. In the agrarian west of accessible roadways, the R8 is best ill-fitted for your lead-foot shenanigans.
The R8 Spyder will accept you allure to its achievement beat, but the absolute jam-fest starts the moment you bead that top.
The 2018 Audi R8 V10 Spyder comes accepted with a disciplinarian single-stage and advanced commuter dual-stage airbags, ancillary airbags, disciplinarian and advanced commuter knee airbags, ABS, adherence control, a advancement camera, parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control. Audi does not action accession disciplinarian aids for the R8 lineup. Like best supercars, the R8 has not been blast activated by the IIHS or NHTSA.
Thanks to a acceptable account of accepted features, we would accumulate our 2018 Audi R8 V10 Spyder anatomy adequately simple. While cool, carbon cilia trim does little to appulse the vehicle’s weight, appropriately we’d abandon those exoteric or autogenous packages. Accepted argent corrective exoteric accents antithesis our adopted Vegas Yellow acrylic job nicely. Our sole exoteric advantage would be the beauteous 20-inch Y-design artificial admixture auto ($1,500). Inside, we’d add on the diamond-stitched covering amalgamation ($3,500). Including these extras, our absolute R8 Spyder would set us aback $182,600 additional destination and handling.
We’ve generally wondered, if there wasn’t a committed accumulation of convertible consumers, would automakers alike go through the accomplishment of designing, engineering, and bearing accession archetypal variant? Considering coupes are generally bigger looking, added practical, and added affordable — conceivably not. If not for the 2018 Audi R8 Spyder, we ability abide a anchored roof mandate, but a apple afterwards this adventurous drop-top is a apple we never appetite to see. As it turns out, demography the lid off accomplishment alone lets us adore it added completely.
Is there a bigger alternative?
The 2018 Audi R8 Spyder competes best anon with the McLaren 570S Spider and Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet. Among these, the McLaren is the best powerful, the Porsche is the quickest to 60 mph, and the R8 Spyder is (in our eyes), the best fetching. Buyers who appetite a raw achievement experience, sans roof, will adopt the $208K McLaren, and those who appetite to blind their car’s authority in a approved ol’ sports car anatomy will accept the Porsche. Everyone abroad will acquisition added than abundant beheld and acoustic contentment in the R8 Spyder.
How continued will it last?
2018 is the aboriginal archetypal year for the additional bearing Audi R8 Spyder, so don’t apprehend any cogent changes for actually some time.
Should you get one?
Can you allow it? If the acknowledgment is, “yes,” and you are in the bazaar for a convertible supercar, the 2018 Audi R8 Spyder is actually the one to have.
