The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro – Breathtakingly dynamic open-top driving
• Audi high-performance sports car with lightweight cloth top
• Distinctive styling, carbon fiber body parts
• Mid-mounted V10 engine producing 386 kW - 525 hp and exceptional performance
5.2 FSI quattro. Its lightweight cloth top opens and closes fully automatically; several body parts
are made of a carbon fiber composite material.
The V10 engine produces 386 kW (525 hp) and launches the open-top two-seater
to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 4.1 seconds on its way to a top speed of
313 km/h (194.49 mph). Featuring technologies such as the Audi Space
Frame (ASF), quattro permanent all-wheel drive, full-LED headlights and
with an innovative seatbelt microphone available as an option, the
R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro is the new top-of-the-range Audi.
The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro makes a powerful statement. The sculptured
lines of the emotion-packed, high-performance sports car are a fascinating and
unique interpretation of its dynamism. Unlike the Coupé, the Spyder does not
have sideblades behind the doors. The side panels and the large cover over the
storage compartment for the cloth top are made of a carbon fiber composite. Two
arched cowls, which extend to the spoiler lip and include large, integrated air
vents, give the rear of the open-top two-seater a powerful profile.
Like every open-top Audi, the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro has a cloth top – an
uncompromising solution for a high-performance sports car. The soft top’s
approximate weight is a mere 30 kilograms (66.14 lb); it thus keeps the vehicle’s
total weight and center of gravity low. The top takes up little space when open
and is a harmonious design element when closed. It tapers off to two slim fins
extending to the trailing edge of the car, emphasizing the elongated silhouette.
The electrohydraulic soft top opens and closes in 19 seconds, even while driving
at speeds up to 50 km/h (31.07 mph). When opened, it folds like a Z into its
storage compartment over the V10 engine. The compartment cover opens and
closes automatically. The heated glass window, which is separate from the cloth
top, is lowered into the bulkhead. It can be independently raised and lowered at
the press of a switch, with the top up or down. An additional net-like wind
deflector comes standard and can be latched into the bulkhead behind the seats
in two easy steps.
The top, which comprises an outer skin of a leakproof textile fabric and the
headliner, is fully compatible with high-speed driving. When driving at moderate
speeds with the top up, interior noise levels in the R8 Spyder are barely higher
than in the Coupé. The bulkhead includes integrated rollover protection in the
form of two strong, spring-tensioned plates. Head/thorax side bags in the
backrests protect the passengers in the event of a side impact. Full-size airbags
stand at the ready in the event of a head-on collision. In a rear-end collision, the
integral head restraint system reduces the risk of whiplash injuries.
In the version with manual transmission, the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro weighs
only 1,720 kilograms thanks primarily to its aluminum Audi Space Frame (ASF)
body. Despite reinforcements in the area of the sills, the center tunnel, the rear
wall, the floor pan and the A- and B-pillars, the body weighs only 216 kilograms
476.2 lb – just 6 kilograms 13.23 lb more than that of the R8 Coupe. The high
stiffness of the ASF body, which includes an integrated engine frame of ultra-
lightweight magnesium, provides the foundation for the car’s dynamic handling
and superior safety.
Close attention to detail the design
Numerous details demonstrate that the Audi designers put their hearts into the
design of the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro. The air inlets in the nose, which direct
air across the three radiators, and the lip of the front skirt are painted high-gloss
black. The struts in the broad, low, single-frame grille are finely coated with
chrome. The standard full-LED headlights are technical works of art. Their
reflectors resemble open mussel shells; the daytime running lights appear to be a
homogeneous strip, but actually comprise 24 individual LEDs that form a curve at
the lower edge of the headlight.
The full-LED headlights from Audi are unmatched by its international competitors.
Light-emitting diodes are used for the low beams, the high beams, the daytime
running lights and the turn signals. With a color temperature of 6,000 Kelvin, the
LED light is very similar to daylight, making it easier on the eyes when driving at
night. Additional strengths include excellent light distribution, long service life and
extremely low energy consumption.
The side sills of the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro are broad and angular. V10
badges on the flanks allude to the power of the engine. A dark surface between
the rear lights emphasizes the car’s width. The chambers of the lights are colored
dark red, with LEDs generating a three-dimensional light pattern. The exhaust
system ends in two large, oval tailpipes, and the fully lined underbody ends in an
upturned diffuser. The rear spoiler extends automatically at higher speeds.
Audi offers the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro with a choice of three colors for the top.
The body is available in eleven paint finishes, with metallic and pearl effect
finishes standard. The windshield frame is coated with anodized aluminum.
Sporty luxury the interior
The open-top two-seater from Audi features a generously spacious interior. The
three-spoke leather multifunction sport steering wheel is flattened at the bottom
as in a race car, and the low-mounted, electrically adjustable seats guide and
support the body perfectly.
Quality of fit and finish is extraordinary and the controls are clear and logical. The
standard driver information system includes a lap timer for recording lap times.
The instruments and the gear lever knob feature red rings. The pedals, the
footrests and the shift paddles of the optional R tronic are in aluminum look.
Highlighting the list of standard equipment are a generous full-leather package
featuring Fine Nappa leather, an excellent sound system from Bang & Olufsen, a
deluxe automatic air conditioning system and heated seats. Six different interior
colors are available.
Many additional fine features documents the top status of the Audi R8 Spyder
5.2 FSI quattro. The leather for the seats are colored with pigments that reflect
the infrared component of sunlight, which keeps the seats up to 20 degrees
Celsius cooler.
Door sill strips coated with aluminum and adorned with black satin finish
applications impart an air of luxurious sportiness. Three storage compartments
are integrated into the rear bulkhead, one of which contains the optional CD
changer or Audi music interface, if desired. There is a front compartment for
100 liters (3.53 cu ft) of luggage.
The latest version of the navigation system plus with MMI operating logic is also
standard in the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro. It features higher resolution and
particularly fast route calculation. The system’s most visible new feature is the
high-resolution, 6.5-inch display. The topographic view can be scrolled in any
direction. The system can be combined optionally with a rearview camera that
serves as a parking aid.
Audi offers custom extras, such as exclusive leather packages and special inlays.
A worldwide first is the optional seatbelt microphone for the hands-free unit,
which makes it possible to talk on the phone even with the top down on the
highway. Three small, flat microphones are integrated into both seatbelts. At least
one of them is ideally positioned relative to the speaker when the belt is on.
There is a fourth microphone in the windshield frame.
Uncompromising power the engine
The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro, which was developed in cooperation with
quattro GmbH, dazzles with uncompromising performance. The V10 engine with
the aluminum crankcase, much of which is hand-built, follows in the grand
motorsports tradition at Audi. The normally aspirated engine produces 530 Nm
(390.91 lb-ft) of torque at 6,500 rpm. Peak output of 386 kW (525 hp) is reached
at 8,000 rpm, and the rev limit is not reached until 8,700 rpm. Specific power
output is 100.9 hp per liter of displacement; each hp only needs to move 3.3
kilograms (7.28 lb) of weight.
Performance reflects this awesome potential: 0 – 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in
4.1 seconds; 0 – 200 km/h (124.27 mph) in 12.7 seconds; top speed is 313 km/h
194.49 mph, with the six-speed manual transmission. As load and revs increase,
the engine unfolds the rich, unmistakable Audi ten-cylinder sound – a powerful,
throaty roar with musical undertones.
The 5.2-liter engine features FSI direct fuel injection. The high 12.5:1
compression ratio that this enables contributes to the high performance and good
fuel efficiency. Equipped with a manual transmission, the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI
quattro consumes an average of 14.9 liters of fuel per 100 km (15.79 US mpg) –
a good figure given its power. With R tronic, this figure improves to 13.9 liters
16.92 US mpg). Dry sump lubrication, another motorsports technology, ensures
that the supply of oil is maintained even at the maximum lateral acceleration of 1.2 g.
The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI is also available with an optional automatic six-
speed transmission. The R tronic offers a normal and a sport program as well as
a fully automatic and a manual mode. The manual mode allows the driver to
make lightning-fast gear changes using the joystick on the center tunnel or with
the paddles on the steering wheel. The open-air sports car also comes with
“Launch Control” – a program that manages engagement of the clutch perfectly
to maximize acceleration at start.
The quattro permanent all-wheel drive features a central viscous coupling and
distributes power to all four wheels with a heavy rear bias. It works together with
the locking differential on the rear axle to provide significantly greater traction,
stability, cornering speed and precision. It is the superior technology – in
particular for a high-performance sports car.
Dazzling performance the chassis
The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro has a 2.65-meter (8.69-ft) wheelbase and a43:57 axle load distribution.
Like in a race car, there are double triangular
wishbones made of aluminum at all four wheels. The hydraulic rack-and-pinion
power steering conveys highly precise road contact.
The chassis is tuned for good comfort, thanks in part to standard Audi magnetic
ride technology. This uses magnetic fields in the shock absorbers to adjust their
response to road conditions within milliseconds and adapt to the driver’s style.
The driver can choose between two base characteristics. A sports suspension
with conventional shock absorbers is available as an option.
The R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro rolls on 19-inch wheels of 10-spoke Y design. The
front rims are shod with 235/35 tires, with 295/30 tires at the back. 305/30 tires
are optionally available. The brakes offer impressive performance: The four discs
are internally ventilated and perforated, with eight-piston calipers up front and
four-piston calipers at the back. The ESP stabilization system has a Sport mode
and can also be completely deactivated. The brake system includes an assist
function that facilitates starting on gradients.
The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro is built by quattro GmbH at the Neckarsulm
plant. The vehicle, including the ASF, is largely hand-built. The open-top two-
seater will be launched in Germany in the first quarter of 2010; sales will start in
the coming days. Its base price is EUR € 156,400
