V10 R8 blows its top

Audi has created a new flagship for its sportscar stable and the marquee in toto. The new V10-engined R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro was unveiled this afternoon Australian time, ahead of its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this evening.

Featuring the brand's 386kW V10 direct-injected powerplant at its heart, the Spyder eschews a folding hard-top and, in Audi tradition, features a multi-layered cloth hood which can be operated electronically up to 50km/h. The hood cycle time is 19sec -- almost fivefold the time it takes the R8 Spyder to sprint from 0-to-100km/h (4.1sec).

Audi claims a top speed of 313km/h for the top-of-the-range production R8.

Styling changes include the deletion of the coupe's trademark sideblade body elements. The new side panels and the hood cover are fashioned from carbon-fibre composites. Two arched cowls 'frame' the driver and passenger and extend rearwards to the lip spoiler and include large, integrated air vents. They deliver an aggressive and fresh rear three-quarter signature to the two-seater.

Audi says the soft-top weighs just 30kg. Indeed, the company claims a manual R8 Spyder weighs in at 1720kg -- 105kg more than the comparable V10 hardtop by our reckoning. Reinforcements to the sills, the center tunnel, rear bulkhead floor and A and B-pillars add just 6kg to the Spyder's body-in-white in comparison to the R8 Coupé.

Audi claims the new lid is "fully compatible with high-speed driving" and that at moderate speeds interior noise levels are comparable with the hardtop model. A heated glass rear screen is separate from the top and can be lowered separately.

Among the innovations incorporated into the new R8 Spyder's design is an optional  "seatbelt microphone".

Check out the Carsales Network's Frankfurt show preview and brand-by-brand summaries. And stay tuned for more Frankfurt show news and first drives in the days to come.

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