We’ve sampled the Audi R8 V10 performance quattro in Spyder guise …
The free-breathing 5,2-litre V10 takes centre stage as soon as pressing the engine start button.
Direct steering makes it a joy to pilot Audi’s all-season supercar, no matter the environment
The cabin is driver focused, as it should be in a supercar.
Michelin rubber provides ample grip and optional Laserlight headlamps light the way.
Car reviewsBy: Marius Boonzaier
CAPE TOWN, Western Cape – The sound of an atmospheric V10 echoes from the apartment buildings as we leave the confines of Cape Town for the picturesque Clarence Drive. Driving an Audi R8 has been on my bucket list ever since the introduction of the first-generation model in 2006. Adding fuel to this desire, as soon as I started working for CAR, my colleague and friend, associate editor Gareth Dean, told me that if ever the chance arrives, I must drive an Audi R8 as it’s an extraordinary piece of machinery.
A couple of years on the opportunity finally arrived, and I was handed the keyfob to an Audi R8 Spyder performance quattro. I dialled in the sports seats to my desired seating position. Seated in the lowest setting, I reminded myself of Gareth’s words before pressing the steering wheel-mounted starter button. My expectations were high. How extraordinary of a machine is Audi’s mid-engined supercar?
I placed my right-hand thumb on the red button and, with a subtle press, the 5,2-litre free-breathing V10 erupted, the cylinders firing in sequence: one-six-five-10-two-seven-three-eight-four-nine; lift off! Dynamic driving mode selected – also done via a steering wheel-mounted button – and canvas top stowed away (done in 20 seconds), the mid-mounted motor takes centre stage. I could only imagine that this is what a live open-air Metallica concert must sound like (another item on my bucket list).
Devoid of additional breathing apparatus, throttle response is immediate. Power and torque are delivered to all four corners in a linear fashion. As soon as the digital tachometer needle edges the 6 500 r/min marker, the full complement of 560 N.m is on offer. Moments later, the virtual needle reaches an 8 250 r/min crescendo, and the total power output of 449 kW is directed to the road via Audi’s S tronic transmission. The sound is intoxicating, echoing from the mountain faces as we arrived at the coastal road.
Direct steering makes it a joy to pilot Audi’s all-season supercar, no matter the environment
The dual-clutch ‘box is rapid in its workings. The gearchanges are near imperceptible when manually operating the seven-speed S tronic via the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. A corner fast approaching, I depress the brake pedal – the carbon fibre-reinforced ceramic discs (eight-piston items measuring 380 mm in diameter up front) do a remarkable job at reining in speed – and shift to second gear, and turn in. The amount of grip provided by the quattro all-wheel-drive system and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber (measuring 245/30 R20 fore and 305/30 R20 aft) is astonishing, especially considering the R8 Spyder performance quattro tips the scales a hair short of 1,7 tonnes.
The seating position is near perfect. “Near” because it doesn’t quite match the Porsche 911’s inch-perfect – and arguably unparalleled – driving position. The R8 test unit was equipped with the optional dynamic steering system. The steering is direct, not uncomfortably heavy when negotiating corners and just supple enough to accommodate daily driving, which is one of the R8’s many talents. An ample amount of feedback is relayed from the road to the driver via the tiller. The steering wheel, which is wrapped in perforated leather, feels good in hand. Audi arguably makes some of the best-feeling and easy-to-operate multifunction steering wheels out there. Enhancing the ride quality, the press car was fitted with Audi’s magnetic ride system.
The interior design is as it should be in a supercar, minimalistic and driver focused. For a contemporary supercar, the facelifted second-generation R8 feels surprisingly analogue on the inside. The only display found here is Audi’s Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster, which is operated via either the tiller or the centre console-mounted dial. It’s a tactile environment, with the aforementioned dial and climate control switchgear making pleasing “click” sounds when operating it, which contribute to the cabin’s premium feel. The interior is solidly constructed and offers a plethora of additional convenience items as standard, such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Audi’s MMI Navigation Plus software, which – like the reverse-view camera’s video feed – are all displayed on the digital instrument screen.
The cabin is driver focused, as it should be in a supercar.
Driving mode set to its most comfortable setting, the V10, though not making its presence unknown, quieted down. With our hair back in position (a fair amount of wind permeates the cabin when driving with the canvas roof folded down) we made our way back to Cape Town, listening to our favourite tunes via the standard-fitment 13-speaker Bang & Olufsen surround sound system. No sound was lost with the canvas roof stowed away as each of the seats’ headrests incorporate speakers. And, as the sun descended below the horizon, we activated the seats’ heating functionality.
The R8 truly is an all-season supercar and, when the weather is just right, the Spyder version, with its roof stowed away, offers an amphitheatre-like experience. But how long will the V10 continue to sing before having to perform its swansong? This seems to be a question already answered: not for too long. Unfortunately. But then again, that’s what’s been said for over a decade. And more than ten years since the R8 first adopted a V10 engine, the 5,2-litre FSI is thankfully still here.
As soon as I started working for CAR, Gareth told me that, when I’m ever given the opportunity, I must drive an Audi R8 as it’s an extraordinary piece of machinery. He was right, it is. Bucket list item, checked.
Be sure to grab a copy of the July 2021 issue of CAR magazine for a comprehensive road test on the Audi R8 V10 performance quattro.
Keyword: DRIVEN: Audi R8 Spyder V10 Performance quattro S tronic