New Audi R8 Spyder debuts at New York

The new Audi R8 Spyder has been officially revealed at the New York International Auto Show. 2016. Spy images of the car had recently surfaced online.

The new Audi R8 uses the company’s newly developed Space frame and uses aluminium and carbon fibre construction. Aluminum components make up 79.6 percent of its weight. The A pillars, windshield surround and sills have also been reinforced. The body weighs just 208 kg and the rigidity has increased by over 50 percent compared to its predecessor. The car features a retractable light weight cloth roof. Featuring an electro-hydraulic drive, the roof opens and closes in 20 seconds up to a speed of 50 kph. The rear window, sunk into the bulkhead, can be retracted and extended. The interior features a multi function steering wheel with satellite push buttons. There is a 12.3 inch screen for the Audi Virtual Cockpit. MMI navigation plus with MMI touch is standard on the R8 Spyder. Other features on the car include sport seats, front spoiler, the diffuser and the new sideblades in carbon, LED headlights and a Bang & Olufsen Sound System. Audi has integrated two head restraint loudspeakers into each seat for the first time.  The new Audi R8 Spyder develops 540 horsepower from its naturally aspirated 5.2 litre V10 engine with 540 Nm or maximum torque. It does the 0 to 100 kph in 3.6 seconds and has a top speed of 318 kph. The engine is mated to a seven speed S-Tronic gearbox and comes with Audi’s quattro all wheel drive system. The Audi Drive Select offers four driving modes. The optional R8 performance leather steering wheel has three additional driving modes: dry, wet and snow.

The new Audi R8 Spyder will go on sale globally later in 2016. A Plus version of the R8 Spyder is also expected to come later.