A year later, the German company unveiled the convertible version of this car, the Audi R8 GT Spyder, a car that takes open-top driving to another level. The high-performance cabriolet is powered by Audi’s 5.2-liter V-10 FSI engine which, mated to a six-speed R tronic transmission delivers 560 hp (412 kW) and peak torque of 540 Nm, enough to take the car from stand to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and up to a top speed of 197 mph.
Of course, the power output increase would not be good enough for the extra performance, so the German engineers managed to make the model 188 lb lighter than the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro. Ultra-light magnesium was used for the engine frame, while CFRP (carbon fiber-reinforced polymer) was used for the soft top’s cover and the side panels.
Compared to the other convertible R8, the GT version features several styling elements to differentiate it, such as the front splitter with a dual flip, red GT badges, dark LED tail lights and several parts painted in contrasting titanium gray paint. The soft top brings nothing new, which means it opens or closes in 19 seconds at speeds of up to 31 mph.
While efforts were made to keep the chassis’ weight down, almost nothing was touched at the interior, the Audi R8 GT Spyder featuring all the goodies the German carmaker has to offer: Fine Nappa leather, premium Bang & Olufsen sound system, automatic air conditioning or navigation. And of course, for the more picky customers there are also some even more exclusive options, like carbon-fiber chassis bucket seats or CFRP inserts.
The German manufacturer announced that the Audi R8 GT Spyder will be produced at the company’s Neckarsulm plant, with only 333 units scheduled to be sold at a starting price of a little more than 200,000 Euros (around $300,000).
