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In second generation guise, Audi's formidable R8 supercar also came in Spyder form - that's 'without a roof'. With this supercar sports convertible - examined here in updated post-2019-era form - you still get all the good stuff, which means a 5.2-litre FSI V10 engine screaming away just behind your head. It's just that with this variant, you'll be able to hear it even more bit more clearly. Plus the R8 Spyder can be a real driver's tool in this last combustion form, with a rear-driven variant joining the familiar quattro model. Still want that used Ferrari?
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Super-Luxury Convertibles
History
An Audi supercar was the last thing anyone would have expected back in the '80s and '90s when customers had the choice of only three Audi models and weren't buying any of them in any great numbers. By the end of this new century's second decade though, the Ingolstadt maker's range had become vast and the R8's existence was taken for granted. Sharing many components with its VW Group cousin the Lamborghini Huracan, this model was a symbol of how far Audi had progressed and of all the R8 derivatives, it could be this Spyder convertible that best showcased the brand's all-conquering ambition.
The first generation 'Type 42' R8 Spyder model was launched back in 2008, two years after the Coupe version, with this MK2 'Type 4S' version first arriving in 2015, aiming to be a little less of a style statement and a little more dynamically adept. Enhanced Audi Space Frame technology allowed it to deliver on that promise, encouraging Audi to further improve the 5.2-litre V10 engine's performance for the facelifted model we look at here, launched in 2019, its range broadened by the addition of rear-driven derivatives in 2021. R8 Spyder sales finished in at the end of 2023.
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What you get
Visually, the R8 Spyder remains a distinctive cocktail of low-slung curves and delightful design extravagance, though in this improved version of the second generation model, the influential shape of the original 'Type 4S' design is expressed in a tauter, more technically precise way. As before, we're talking Ferrari - but with a German twist. This design's elegant, lightweight fabric top, with its largely aluminium and magnesium linkage, perfectly complements this R8's lightweight design approach - kerb weight's just 1,695kg in the quattro model.
Just 44kgs of that is accounted for by the roof, which opens or closes in just 20 seconds at speeds of up to 31mph. You'd usually activate the process from inside the car but you can also do so from outside by using the standard 'Advanced Key'. The hood mechanism's acrobatics deliver an intricate piece of street theatre, the hood compartment cover moving fluidly on two seven-link hinges. When closed, the top integrates neatly into the design line, stretching low above the body and extending to the rear in two long slender fins.
Otherwise, the design of this Spyder model is familiar from its Coupe counterpart. So, as with that body style, horizontal lines define the front end with its huge sculptural Singleframe radiator grille. Audi took the opportunity in 2018 to introduce a package of updates to this second generation R8, the visual changes made being extremely subtle. The Singleframe radiator grille has a wider, flatter line. Thick bars divide up the large air inlets, and flat slits in the hood are reminiscent of the Audi Ur-quattro brand icon. Plus the smarter front splitter is wider, underscoring the focused look.
Inside, you're introduced to what the Ingolstadt brand calls a 'luxury-level racing atmosphere' and an interior that remains an object lesson in how to package a two seat sportscar. As before, one of the cockpit's key distinguishing features is what the stylists call the 'monoposto', a stylised large arc that encircles the driver's area of the cockpit, starting in the door and ending at the centre tunnel. But if that's familiar, you'll also find plenty that's different if you've yet to experience this post-2015-era second generation 'Type 4S' model, the changes beginning with the grippy, flat-bottomed R8 performance steering wheel. With the second generation R8, extra round satellite buttons were added to control engine start-up and driving dynamics. Plus there are two further smaller round controls - a dial on the left to set the car up for different weather conditions and a button on the right to alter the exhaust note.
As for all the infotainment functionality, well that's is located in the 'Audi Virtual Cockpit', a 12.3-inch high resolution instrument binnacle display screen that presents all necessary information in richly detailed, high-resolution 3D graphics.
And beyond that? Well, were we to be graduating into this car from a 911 Cabriolet, we'd miss the little rear seats that Porsche give you there, so useful for chucking a jacket or a designer shopping bag on to. The lack of storage space behind the seats is quite significant because the room you actually get in the boot is extremely restricted. At 112-litres in size (the same as in an R8 Coupe), this trunk offers less than half the amount of luggage space you'd get in, say, a rival Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster from this period. To be fair, the boot beneath the bonnet of a rival 911 Turbo Cabriolet is about the same size.
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What to look for
Most owners in our survey seemed happy. Test the roof mechanism obviously (ideally by running it through a car wash). And make sure the car is in perfect condition. There's no reason why it shouldn't be but any dents, scratches or interior damage will knock values hard. It's a buyers' market right now. Check for crash damage at the front and inspect the tyres for signs of uneven wear. The majority of cars that crop up on the used market will have been equipped to well above standard spec. Typically, there will be around £10,000 worth of extras fitted and demand for the R8 is such that sellers will be able to reflect this outlay in the asking price.
As for future residuals, well avoid outlandish colour combinations and this Audi should be a sound bet by supercar standards. The running gear is tried and tested and shouldn't throw up too many problems. Otherwise insist on a full service record. You can expect a clutch to last a minimum of 20,000 miles, and you should budget about £3,500 for a new one. Lower rear wishbones could also fail, requiring a new unit and hub - this could cost about £3,000 in parts alone. Magnetic dampers have been known to sometimes fail, too, at a cost of around £800 each.
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Replacement parts
(approx based on a 2019 R8 Spyder - Ex Vat) An oil filter costs in the £18 to £26 bracket. Spark plugs are around £22. An ABS sensor sits in the £58-£75 bracket. A rear brake pad set costs around £102. And the bespoke tyres are fearsomely expensive to replace; bear that in mind before you go track day showboating.
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On the road
As with the Coupe R8, Spyder buyers get a mighty mid-mounted 5.2-litre FSI V10 normally aspirated engine with dual injection system, dynamic throttle response and a distinctive hard-edged soundtrack which could be amplified further by the sports exhaust system fitted to quattro variants: a rear-driven entry model was also briefly offered. The quattro variant gets a 620PS version of this emotive powerplant, enough to take you to 62mph in 3.2 seconds on the way to a top speed of 204mph. The RWD 570PS version is hardly any slower - 62mph in 3.8s en route to 203mph. Either way, older owners' toupees will need to be firmly tied down. Or at least they'll need to be if the fabric hood is open: it retracts in just 20 seconds and can be operated at speeds of up to 31mph.
Stopping power is equally ferocious, thanks to the ceramic brakes that come with quattro-spec. That AWD set-up is able to flash 100% of power to either axle instantly on demand and as a result, traction levels are astonishingly high. The car feels agile too, aided by a torque vectoring system, though a slight vagueness in the steering to some extent masks small recent improvements made to the suspension and the steering. Bear in mind that the rear-driven model has no adaptive dampers, the steering has a fixed ratio and the limited slip differential is of the conventional mechanical type. With either drivetrain, behind the V10, there's a seven-speed S tronic transmission and the dynamic handling owes much to the engine's low mounting position, which is achieved thanks to dry sump lubrication. The wheels are controlled by lightweight aluminium wishbones - a layout that reveals motorsport DNA. As for efficiency, well don't allow this V10 engine's cylinder deactivation tech to get your hopes up. Official figures suggest that up to 20.9mpg on the combined cycle and up to 305g/km of CO2 is possible from a V10 RWD model; the figures are up to 20.3mpg and 315g/km for the alternative 4WD quattro version.
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Overall
With the R8, Audi established itself as a supercar manufacturer to be taken very seriously. The R8 Spyder sits at the top of the Audi pile, adding a slickly engineered fabric hood to the standard R8 package. It's a touch more visually elegant than the muscular coupe but those all-wheel-drive V10 mechanicals mean there's no let-up in its performance.
The improvements to the post-2019-era MK2 model we look at here didn't fundamentally affect this car's appeal, but they were welcome nonetheless, further smartening the already jaw-dropping looks. Do you really need more than this in a lottery-winning convertible supercar? You'd have to wonder.
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