Audi R8 GT Spyder arrives

Audi has taken the top off the R8 GT to give us the Audi R8 GT Spyder, a £200k soft-top R8 that’ll do 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds and 200mph. Just 333 to be built – all LHD.

You didn’t think that Audi – Kings of the niche-fill – would settle for producing just 333 tin-top Audi R8 GT, did you? Of course not, so you’ve been expecting the next instalment in the race to make the most expensive Audi, and here it is – the Audi R8 GT Spyder.

Just as it was with the R8 GT Coupe, the R8 GT Spyder will be limited to just 333 cars and all of those will come in LHD, even though Audi expect 30 to be sold in the UK. (Update: Audi now tell us there will be 66 UK cars and they WILL be RHD. Excellent)

Regular readers know we’re not big fans of the Superleggera; the stripped-out, hair-shirt school of a lot less comfort for a lot more money. All it gives you is bragging rights and an edge on track.

Still, if you’ve got the readies and you’ve got your own hair and you like to let the world know you can throw the cost of a house on an Audi (which probably says all you need to know about the buyers), your local Audi showroom will welcome you with open arms. Just make sure you have £200k in your account first.

For your £200k you’ll get a truly spectacular car. The 5.2 litre Lamborghini V10 has had some fairy dust thrown on it and now produces 552bhp and 398lb/ft, enough to get to 62mph in 3.8 seconds and top out at 200mph. Unfortunately, all that power goes through the horrible R Tronic ‘box.

As you’d expect, weight has been shed as well as power increased. Audi has shaved 85kg (almost two supermodels) off the base weight off the R8 Spyder’s frame, thanks to carbon fibre for the frame and seats. And actually, it’s the seats where most of the weight gets saved (31kg). Nothing terribly high-tech there.

Standard kit will include a lap timer (back to bragging rights) and the whole car gets lowered by 10mm from the regular R8. That should mean sharper handling and you can, if you’ve taken your brave pills or you’re on a track with your own hair and your whitened teeth, turn off the ESP.

On the cosmetic front – apart from the hair-shirt seats, you get a new front splitter and bumper, new exhaust tailpipes, a bigger diffuser and lots of red ‘GT’ badges.

Just so you know where your £200k went.

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