The sky’s the limit in Audi’s new V10-powered R8 Spyder

By Ronan Glon March 23, 2016

Audi has revealed the new 2017 R8 Spyder at the New York Auto Show.

The Spyder is all but identical to the second-generation R8 coupe from the rocker panels up to the belt line. Above that, it features a multi-layer cloth soft top that opens or closes at the push of a button in 20 seconds, even at speeds of up to 31 mph. Available in black, brown, or red, the top flows into a pair of fins that give the Spyder a distinctive appearance.

The R8 Spyder is fitted with a virtual cockpit, which is Audi lingo for the digital and fully configurable instrument cluster that was inaugurated a few years ago by the third-generation TT. The 12.3-inch screen can be configured to show a variety of information about the car and its surroundings, including acceleration and lateral forces, as well as navigation directions and connectivity options. The virtual cockpit makes the traditional dash-mounted screen obsolete, giving the R8 a clean, crisp-looking center console that’s oriented towards the driver.

Audi hasn’t made any major mechanical modifications. Like the coupe, the R8 Spyder is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 engine that delivers 540 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. A seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission transfers the ten-cylinder’s grunt to all four wheels via Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system. The Spyder hits 62 mph from a stop in 3.6 seconds, 124 mph from a stop in 11.8 seconds, and it goes on to a top speed of close to 200 mph.

Weight checks in at 3,553 pounds, a figure that makes the ragtop nearly 500 pounds heavier than its fixed-roof counterpart. Audi’s cylinder-on-demand technology turns the V10 into a straight-five under partial load, which boosts fuel economy to 20 mpg in a mixed European cycle.

The 2017 Audi R8 Spyder will be built alongside the coupe on the outskirts of Neckarsulm, Germany. Pricing information and availability haven’t been announced yet.

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Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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