Posted on 02 July 2010.
Audi is adding another model to its R8 high-performance sports car lineup. After the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro comes another model with a V8 engine. The 4.2-liter FSI produces 430 hp and launches the open-top two-seater to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 4.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of 299 km/h (185.79 mph). The engine is mated to the R tronic sequential manual gearbox; quattro permanent all-wheel drive is standard.
The R8 Spyder 4.2 FSI quattro has a lightweight cloth top with a fully automatic drive. Its body is an aluminum Audi Space Frame with large-area components of carbon fiber composite material.
The compact V8, which is hand-assembled at the engine factory in Györ, Hungary, has the classic cylinder angle of 90 degrees and weighs just 216 kilograms (476 lb). Its crankcase is made of an aluminum-silicon alloy using the low-pressure die casting method, which ensures particular homogeneity. The high silicon content makes the cylinder barrels extremely resistant to wear.
Equipped with a manual transmission, the R8 Spyder 4.2 FSI quattro weighs only 1,735 kilograms (3,825 lb) (including driver), and just five kilograms (11 lb) more with the R tronic. The decisive factor for this low weight is the aluminum body, which features an Audi Space Frame (ASF) design.
The R8 Spyder 4.2 FSI quattro will be rolling into German showrooms in the third quarter of 2010. Sales will be starting soon at a base price of €121,000.
