Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus Review: Not The Best Supercar, But The One You Need

The drop-top version of the R8 is now available in 602bhp ‘Plus’ form, and it overcomes its flaws by making very loud and very brilliant noises
Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus Review: Not The Best Supercar, But The One You Need

Pros

Cons

I don’t recall at any point of my drive in the R8 Spyder last year thinking “hmmmm, it could do with a little more power.” Upping the 533bhp output of the 5.2-litre, naturally-aspirated V10 any further is surely akin to heaping sugar over a bowl of Lucky Charms, and yet here we are one year on with - you guessed it - an even more powerful R8 Spyder.

It’s the £147,370 V10 Plus Spyder, good for - in line with the V10 Plus coupe - 602bhp. And good Lord, are those 600 or so horses a rowdy bunch. The optional sports exhaust fitted to our test car is worth every penny of the £1800 it sets you back - the way it ricochets the V10 shriek off trees, lorries you’re overtaking, any buildings in the vicinity and so forth turns your life into one big tunnel run.

Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus Review: Not The Best Supercar, But The One You Need

It’s immense, but perhaps the most surprising thing isn’t the noise the engine produces, rather the noises it provokes you into making. Childish giggles. Whoops of delight. And when I gave my dad a brief ride in the car, screams of terror.

It’ll be a sad day when this engine is no longer with us. It lets out a glorious howl around 4000rpm when the exhaust baffles properly open up, while that last 1000rpm before the near-9k redline provides a swift kick up the arse as the 5.2-litre masterpiece truly comes on song. Not to mention a damn good wail. And yes, you do notice that extra 69bhp. The ‘boggo’ R8 V10 already feels stupidly quick, but there’s an extra sense of eye-widening urgency to the way the Plus propels you forward. Use launch control and you’ll see 0-62mph happen in just 3.3 seconds - a tenth down on the Plus coupe, and three tenths up on the regular Spyder.

Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus Review: Not The Best Supercar, But The One You Need

It looks better too, thanks to lashings of carbonfibre inside and out. The carbon instrument binnacle is a particular highlight, and I’m fond of that cheeky lip spoiler which - if you don’t want to be too flashy - can be specced in body colour. The front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser are made of the stuff too, and you get some natty CF cladding for the side blades - although that last detail can be optioned on the base Spyder.

Finally, the Plus gets carbon ceramic brakes fitted as standard, and additional driving modes. Those are the main differences done and dusted, so I can just copy/paste the remainder of our V10 Spyder review from last year, then mosey off to have a skinny latte or whatever it is R8 Spyder owners drink, right? Well no, actually.

Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus Review: Not The Best Supercar, But The One You Need

Something rather significant has happened since the first drop-top second-gen R8 arrived: McLaren has unleashed the - admittedly £17k more expensive - 570S Spider upon the world. While the R8 Plus Spyder gains over 100kg over its tin top brother, Woking’s ‘entry-level’ alfresco supercar has its kerb weight bumped up by just 46kg.

Its fancy ‘Monocell’ carbonfibre tub means that it needs no underbody strengthening at all - that weight gain is for the folding metal roof, and the folding metal roof alone. Plus, unlike the Audi, rigidity stays exactly the same. So, it’s just as mesmerisingly good to drive as the coupe version.

Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus Review: Not The Best Supercar, But The One You Need

But with the R8, you do feel its extra weight in the corners. It’s still ludicrously grippy and exhibits very tidy body control even on the standard passive suspension (magnetic dampers are an option), but it just isn’t quite as eager to change direction as the coupe, and certainly not as darty in tighter corners.

Like all second-gen R8s it’s a little too keen to understeer, and even if you avoid the downright odd Dynamic Steering option, the R8’s rack is too light, and lacks feedback. This was highlighted further by my drive in a 911 Carrera 4 GTS the day before the Audi arrived at TeamCT’s super-secret out-of-town testing location (also known as my house), because no one does electric power steering better than Porsche right now.

Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus Review: Not The Best Supercar, But The One You Need

The car’s flaws go further than dynamics, too. The rear bulkhead has been moved forward to accommodate the folding fabric roof, which means my six-and-a-bit-foot frame just about fits in, but anyone taller than that is going to feel cramped. And while Audi’s virtual cockpit is a neat piece of kit, it’s not as intuitive as you might think.

But, horribly predictable though this is, all of that stuff falls away when you put your foot down. Naturally-aspirated supercars, particularly ones that send shivers down the spine like this one does, are in short supply these days. And so what if it’s not quite as sharp as the McLaren or Porsche’s 911 Turbo cabriolet? It has no trouble thrilling you with every drive, whether you’re attacking your favourite back road or noisily ambling down to the supermarket.

Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus Review: Not The Best Supercar, But The One You Need

Noise; silliness; compromises; making memories that’ll never budge from your hippocampus - that’s what supercars are all about, and the R8 V10 Plus Spyder delivers every damn time you push the big red ‘start’ button.

Sponsored Posts

Comments

Anonymous

Enter your comment…

10/15/2017 - 07:12 |
8 | 44
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

But still BOTB is there!!!!

10/15/2017 - 07:12 |
4 | 28
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Dude you made the same joke yesterday and you got a shit ton of downvotes yesterday. Were you seriously expecting to get upvotes from the single most overused joke on CarThrottle?

10/15/2017 - 13:33 |
10 | 0
Ali Mahfooz

Fantastic review! I can see why Jeremy Clarkson liked the 1st gen R8 Spyder so much. The twin turbo V6 entry model enters production next year so I’ll take that with a grain of salt the V10 wouldn’t be killed off in favor of the V6.

10/15/2017 - 07:25 |
68 | 2
Darth Imperius/Anthony🇭🇷

In reply to by Ali Mahfooz

It won’t kill the 10, It’s a replacement for the good old 4.2 V8 FSI entry model

10/15/2017 - 09:49 |
16 | 0
Joseph Le Corre

Matt, you have the greatest job ever…

10/15/2017 - 08:46 |
18 | 0
Anonymous

So that we can hear that sweet V10 sound!

10/15/2017 - 09:08 |
2 | 0
Archive Aston (Aston Martin squad)

This is the reason why we got an R8. The V10 is addictive and the suspension is softer than you think it is. Perfect for the pothole filled roads in my area

10/15/2017 - 09:12 |
16 | 2
Rekord 86

Well. I don’t need any supercar and if I’d need one, I would buy the Ford GT. Just my opinion

10/15/2017 - 10:03 |
2 | 0

Well, you can’t really buy it (ridiculous Ford customer selection)

02/24/2018 - 02:53 |
2 | 0
Jakob

I wasn’t a huge fan of the Audi R8 when it first came out, but I must say that I like it more the longer it’s been on the market. I still don’t like the way it looks, but there’s one thing I love about the Audi R8: it proves that a supercar can be successful without the usual “look how cool I am” chique that apparently every other supercar has. For me, it appears that Audi doesn’t rely solely on the brand’s reputation (like Ferrari and Lamborghini do) but instead on building a car that’s objectively better than the competiton.

Given the choice, I’d probably take a McLaren 570GT instead, but let’s be honest, that won’t happen.

10/15/2017 - 10:51 |
0 | 0
Chris Gregory

📖👌🏻

10/15/2017 - 12:16 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

I agree, I do need an Audi R8 in my life

10/15/2017 - 13:34 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

I love this car more and more every day

10/15/2017 - 21:13 |
0 | 0