First Drive: 2011 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro

We take a look at Audis all-new R8 Spyder drop-top supercar.

Transcript

00:00 [MUSIC]

00:08 Wow, here's one of those cars that you really have to open up to appreciate.

00:14 When we started making the Audi R8 Spiders, 525 horses sweat in between

00:19 corners, our mood elevated and our opinion of this car skyrocketed.

00:23 Despite some unfriendly weather and driving conditions that up to this point

00:28 prevented us from exploring the Spider's potential.

00:31 We were first and foremost relieved to discover that the decapitation does not

00:35 blunt the coupe's best handling car winning cornering.

00:39 Thanks go largely to the chassis team, which reinforced the aluminum Audi

00:43 space frame so judiciously that it weighs just 476 pounds, 13 more than the coupe's.

00:50 Rigidity figures were not divulged, but our claim to be very close to the coupe's.

00:55 There's just the merest hint of some wiggle.

00:58 Steering feel may be slightly less sharp than the coupe's and

01:01 it's no Ferrari 458 Italia in that department.

01:04 But when you're hustling it hard, it gives you no surprises and

01:07 helps instill confidence.

01:10 The multi-layer insulated fabric top and its flying buttresses origami themselves

01:14 into the thin shelf above the engine in just 19 seconds at a single touch of

01:19 a button when driving between 4 and 31 miles per hour.

01:23 Cruising with the top up at 80 miles per hour,

01:25 we only notice tire noise, no wind noise to speak of.

01:29 Cabin sound levels at that speed are claimed to equal the coupe's.

01:33 With the top down and a rigid wind blocker in place,

01:35 the cabin remains conversationally quiet.

01:37 But there's more wind than you find in cars with higher,

01:40 less steeply raked windshields.

01:42 One innovation makes its debut on the R8 Spider,

01:45 seat belt microphones for hands-free calling.

01:48 Each belt has three small flat mics in it,

01:51 one of which will end up near the mouth of drivers of all heights.

01:54 Signals from all three seat belt mics and one on the windshield header for

01:58 those foolish enough to drive exotic super cars without seat belts are analyzed.

02:02 And the best one is broadcast with sound quality reportedly like that of a hushed

02:06 luxury sedan even as we motored topless.

02:10 Spiders go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2010 and

02:13 pricing is expected to come in around $172,000.

02:18 Sure, that's high, but it does include standard features like LED headlamps,

02:22 a Bang & Olufsen stereo, and

02:24 seats that are specially coated to prevent them from heating up in direct sunlight.

02:28 All things considered, we think this Audi deserves a spot near the top of

02:32 the shopping list of those who need to work on their tan and go 193 miles per hour.

02:38 [MUSIC]