Spider found on web

Audi's R8 Spider will add yet more razzle-dazzle to one of Germany's most successful prestige car brands.

Building on momentum generated over the last five years with a new model assault that has encompassed almost every car segment, the new R8 Spider makes the exclusive super car even more, well, exclusive.

Though only the images have been leaked at this stage -- Audi will reveal all at the Frankfurt motor show -- the rear exhausts mirror those of the V10 coupe model, suggesting that Audi will launch with the 5.2-litre 10-cylinder range-topping model, adding the V8 at a later date.

The R8 Spider is likely to be heavier than the coupe because of the reinforced doors and frame that are required due to the lack of a rigid roof, so performance may be slightly down on its coupe cousins.

Compared to the Audi R8 Coupe, the Spider has several points of difference, least of which is a folding roof (expected to be cloth). The sideblades of the coupe models have been removed to create a more seamless overall design, while twin buttresses behind driver and passenger give the vehicle a more aggressive top-down image.

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