2010 Audi R8 Spyder V10 Photos, engines & full specs

Audi was happy with its R8’s success on the market, especially after it launched the V10 version, so it considered chopping the roof of its supercar to be a good idea.

Audi gained a seat at the supercar-makers’ table with the coupe version, but that was not enough for the German automaker. So, after the world financial crisis showed clear signs of slowing down and the automotive segment started to bounce back, it launched the R8 Spyder as a contender against other high-powered, expensive vehicles. After all, the car shared its underpinnings with the Lamborghini Gallardo, which was also offered as an open-top vehicle. But since Cabriolet sounded too mundane, Audi used the Spyder name instead. A nameplate that was considered specific for high-speed vehicles, and the R8 perfectly matched the description.

At the front, the automaker placed the specific signature element named the singleframe grille. It surrounded it with a chromed trim and adorned it with an egg-crate style mesh. The entire assembly was flanked by the LED headlights that sported pearl-like daytime running lights on their lower and outer sides. Underneath them, Audi installed the air intakes that cooled the front rotors and decorated them with two slats, specific for the V10-powered version of the R8.

From its profile, the roof-less R8 featured thick A-pillars that also served as protection during a rollover crash. It also created a new storage area behind the cabin for the retractable rag-top and covered it with an aerodynamically profiled lid that featured two small bumps. Unlike the coupe, which featured contrasting-colors side intakes, the R8 Spyder featured body-colored ones. The overall waved shapes of the vehicle were extended towards the back and ended into an almost flat and tilted forward rear fascia. There, the automaker installed the taillights with visible rectangular light blocks inside them. Underneath the bumper, the car featured broad cooling vents with two horizontal and two vertical slats. Finally, on the lower side of the apron, flanking the diffuser, there were two oval exhausts.

Inside, the two-seat convertible provided sports seats with high-bolstered areas. Fronting the driver was a binocular-styled instrument cluster with large dials for the speedometer and tachometer and smaller ones for the coolant temperature and fuel level gauges. In addition, a red TFT display showed data from the car’s onboard computer. Audi installed a power-operated mechanism for the roof, and the driver could open or close the cabin in 19 seconds at speeds of up to 50 kph (31 mph).

Behind the cabin and the retractable roof compartment, Audi installed the 5.2-liter V10 engine. Thanks to its direct fuel injection system, it provided 525 PS (518 hp) that it sent in all corners via either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic.