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The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2
FSI quattro –Breathtakingly dynamic open-top
driving |
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September 16 2009 |
The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro makes a
powerful statement. The sculptured lines of
the emotion-packed, high-performance sports
car are a fascinating and unique
interpretation of its dynamism. Unlike the
Coupé, the Spyder does not have sideblades
behind the doors. The side panels and the
large cover over the storage compartment for
the cloth top are made of a carbon fiber
composite. Two arched cowls, which extend to
the spoiler lip and include large,
integrated air vents, give the rear of the
open-top two-seater a powerful profile.
Like every open-top Audi, the R8 Spyder 5.2
FSI quattro has a cloth top – an
uncompromising solution for a
high-performance sports car. The soft top’s
approximate weight is a mere 30 kilograms
(66.14 lb); it thus keeps the vehicle’s
total weight and center of gravity low. The
top takes up little space when open and is a
harmonious design element when closed. It
tapers off to two slim fins extending to the
trailing edge of the car, emphasizing the
elongated silhouette.
The electrohydraulic soft top opens and
closes in 19 seconds, even while driving at
speeds up to 50 km/h (31.07 mph). When
opened, it folds like a Z into its storage
compartment over the V10 engine. The
compartment cover opens and closes
automatically. The heated glass window,
which is separate from the cloth top, is
lowered into the bulkhead. It can be
independently raised and lowered at the
press of a switch, with the top up or down.
An additional net-like wind deflector comes
standard and can be latched into the
bulkhead behind the seats in two easy steps.
The top, which comprises an outer skin of a
leakproof textile fabric and the headliner,
is fully compatible with high-speed driving.
When driving at moderate speeds with the top
up, interior noise levels in the R8 Spyder
are barely higher than in the Coupé. The
bulkhead includes integrated rollover
protection in the form of two strong,
spring-tensioned plates. Head/thorax side
bags in the backrests protect the passengers
in the event of a side impact. Full-size
airbags stand at the ready in the event of a
head-on collision. In a rear-end collision,
the integral head restraint system reduces
the risk of whiplash injuries.
In the version with manual transmission, the
R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro weighs only 1,720
kilograms thanks primarily to its aluminum
Audi Space Frame (ASF) body. Despite
reinforcements in the area of the sills, the
center tunnel, the rear wall, the floor pan
and the A- and B-pillars, the body weighs
only 216 kilograms (476.2 lb) – just 6
kilograms (13.23 lb) more than that of the
R8 Coupé. The high stiffness of the ASF
body, which includes an integrated engine
frame of ultra-lightweight magnesium,
provides the foundation for the car’s
dynamic handling and superior safety.
Close attention to detail: the design
Numerous details demonstrate that the Audi
designers put their hearts into the design
of the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro. The air
inlets in the nose, which direct air across
the three radiators, and the lip of the
front skirt are painted high-gloss black.
The struts in the broad, low, single-frame
grille are finely coated with chrome. The
standard full-LED headlights are technical
works of art. Their reflectors resemble open
mussel shells; the daytime running lights
appear to be a homogeneous strip, but
actually comprise 24 individual LEDs that
form a curve at the lower edge of the
headlight.
The full-LED headlights from Audi are
unmatched by its international competitors.
Light-emitting diodes are used for the low
beams, the high beams, the daytime running
lights and the turn signals. With a color
temperature of 6,000 Kelvin, the LED light
is very similar to daylight, making it
easier on the eyes when driving at night.
Additional strengths include excellent light
distribution, long service life and
extremely low energy consumption.
The side sills of the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI
quattro are broad and angular. V10 badges on
the flanks allude to the power of the
engine. A dark surface between the rear
lights emphasizes the car’s width. The
chambers of the lights are colored dark red,
with LEDs generating a three-dimensional
light pattern. The exhaust system ends in
two large, oval tailpipes, and the fully
lined underbody ends in an upturned
diffuser. The rear spoiler extends
automatically at higher speeds.
Audi offers the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro
with a choice of three colors for the top.
The body is available in eleven paint
finishes, with metallic and pearl effect
finishes standard. The windshield frame is
coated with anodized aluminum.
Sporty luxury: the interior
The open-top two-seater from Audi features a
generously spacious interior. The
three-spoke leather multifunction sport
steering wheel is flattened at the bottom as
in a race car, and the low-mounted,
electrically adjustable seats guide and
support the body perfectly.
Quality of fit and finish is extraordinary
and the controls are clear and logical. The
standard driver information system includes
a lap timer for recording lap times. The
instruments and the gear lever knob feature
red rings. The pedals, the footrests and the
shift paddles of the optional R tronic are
in aluminum look. Highlighting the list of
standard equipment are a generous
full-leather package featuring Fine Nappa
leather, an excellent sound system from Bang
& Olufsen, a deluxe automatic air
conditioning system and heated seats. Six
different interior colors are available.
Many additional fine features documents the
top status of the Audi R8 Spyder
5.2 FSI quattro. The leather for the seats
are colored with pigments that reflect the
infrared component of sunlight, which keeps
the seats up to 20 degrees Celsius cooler.
Door sill strips coated with aluminum and
adorned with black satin finish applications
impart an air of luxurious sportiness. Three
storage compartments are integrated into the
rear bulkhead, one of which contains the
optional CD changer or Audi music interface,
if desired. There is a front compartment for
100 liters (3.53 cu ft) of luggage.
The latest version of the navigation system
plus with MMI operating logic is also
standard in the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro.
It features higher resolution and
particularly fast route calculation. The
system’s most visible new feature is the
high-resolution, 6.5-inch display. The
topographic view can be scrolled in any
direction. The system can be combined
optionally with a rearview camera that
serves as a parking aid.
Audi offers custom extras, such as exclusive
leather packages and special inlays. A
worldwide first is the optional seatbelt
microphone for the hands-free unit, which
makes it possible to talk on the phone even
with the top down on the highway. Three
small, flat microphones are integrated into
both seatbelts. At least one of them is
ideally positioned relative to the speaker
when the belt is on. There is a fourth
microphone in the windshield frame.
Uncompromising power: the engine
The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro, which
was developed in cooperation with quattro
GmbH, dazzles with uncompromising
performance. The V10 engine with the
aluminum crankcase, much of which is
hand-built, follows in the grand motorsports
tradition at Audi. The normally aspirated
engine produces 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) of
torque at 6,500 rpm. Peak output of 386 kW
(525 hp) is reached at 8,000 rpm, and the
rev limit is not reached until 8,700 rpm.
Specific power output is 100.9 hp per liter
of displacement; each hp only needs to move
3.3 kilograms (7.28 lb) of weight.
Performance reflects this awesome potential:
0 – 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in
4.1 seconds; 0 – 200 km/h (124.27 mph) in
12.7 seconds; top speed is 313 km/h (194.49
mph) with the six-speed manual transmission.
As load and revs increase, the engine
unfolds the rich, unmistakable Audi
ten-cylinder sound – a powerful, throaty
roar with musical undertones.
The 5.2-liter engine features FSI direct
fuel injection. The high 12.5:1 compression
ratio that this enables contributes to the
high performance and good fuel efficiency.
Equipped with a manual transmission, the R8
Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro consumes an average
of 14.9 liters of fuel per 100 km (15.79 US
mpg) – a good figure given its power. With R
tronic, this figure improves to 13.9 liters
(16.92 US mpg). Dry sump lubrication,
another motorsports technology, ensures that
the supply of oil is maintained even at the
maximum lateral acceleration of 1.2 g.
The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI is also available
with an optional automatic six-speed
transmission. The R tronic offers a normal
and a sport program as well as a fully
automatic and a manual mode. The manual mode
allows the driver to make lightning-fast
gear changes using the joystick on the
center tunnel or with the paddles on the
steering wheel. The open-air sports car also
comes with “Launch Control” – a program that
manages engagement of the clutch perfectly
to maximize acceleration at start.
The quattro permanent all-wheel drive
features a central viscous coupling and
distributes power to all four wheels with a
heavy rear bias. It works together with the
locking differential on the rear axle to
provide significantly greater traction,
stability, cornering speed and precision. It
is the superior technology – in particular
for a high-performance sports car.
Dazzling performance: the chassis
The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro has a
2.65-meter (8.69-ft) wheelbase and a 43:57
axle load distribution. Like in a race car,
there are double triangular wishbones made
of aluminum at all four wheels. The
hydraulic rack-and-pinion power steering
conveys highly precise road contact.
The chassis is tuned for good comfort,
thanks in part to standard Audi magnetic
ride technology. This uses magnetic fields
in the shock absorbers to adjust their
response to road conditions within
milliseconds and adapt to the driver’s
style. The driver can choose between two
base characteristics. A sports suspension
with conventional shock absorbers is
available as an option.
The R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro rolls on
19-inch wheels of 10-spoke Y design. The
front rims are shod with 235/35 tires, with
295/30 tires at the back. 305/30 tires are
optionally available. The brakes offer
impressive performance: The four discs are
internally ventilated and perforated, with
eight-piston calipers up front and
four-piston calipers at the back. Optionally
available from Audi are oversized carbon
fiber-ceramic discs that are extremely
lightweight, robust and long-lived. The ESP
stabilization system has a Sport mode and
can also be completely deactivated. The
brake system includes an assist function
that facilitates starting on gradients.
The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro is built
by quattro GmbH at the Neckarsulm plant. The
vehicle, including the ASF, is largely
hand-built. The open-top two-seater will be
launched in 2010. Prices and specifications
for the Middle East have not been set yet.
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