Audi is unveiling the open version of its latest R8 sportscar at the New York International Auto Show.
The R8 Spyder is said to be some 50 per cent more rigid than its predecessor, thanks to use of the latest ?Audi Space Frame? aluminium and carbonfibre construction.
According to its creators the frame has progressed from the coupe version, the aluminium forming a lattice to add reinforcement, notably in the sills, windscreen pillars and windscreen frame. The car weighs around 113kg less than the previous R8 Spyder, 158kg more than the coupe.
Cloth fabric is employed in the folding top, tapering into two fins and stretching the cloth to maintain the sharp lines of the car. It can be opened or closed at speeds up to 31mph, using an electro-hydraulic mechanism and the operation taking 20 seconds to complete. A rear window is sunk into the bulkhead, and this can be retracted or extended.
Power comes from the same naturally-aspirated V10 engine fitted to the coupe with 532bhp, put through a seven-speed DSG auto gearbox and all-wheel-drive. Quoted 0-62mph time for the Spyder is 3.6 seconds, just one tenth slower than the Coupe, with a top speed of 197mph.
According to Audi technical head Stefan Knirsch, the open-air format of the R8 Spyder will add to the excitement of driving the brand?s flagship sports car. ?Compared to the R8 Coupé, the engine sound in the open high-performance sports car now delivers an even more intense experience,? he says, adding that it offers ?undilute...