2018 Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus revealed

It was only a matter of time the second-generation Audi R8 Spyder V10 would get the “Plus” treatment like the hardtop version. And now, after a year since its reveal, the Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus is here. The Plus comes with more power and less weight compared to the standard version.

There aren’t a lot of visual updates. The grill and exhaust tips get an anthracite gray look. The Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus can now be finished in a new Micrommata Green paint, as shown in the pictures. A set of light-alloy forged wheels is available as standard. The black interior gets Nappa leather upholstery and green stitching. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster finds a place in the dashboard.

The important changes lie in the heart of the car. The R8 Spyder gets the most powerful engine from the Audi Lineup, the naturally-aspirated 5.2-litre V10 which develops 610 hp and 560 Nm. This bump in power is coupled with a weight saving of 25 kilograms as the V10 Plus stands at 1,587 kg.  This enables the R8 Spyder V10 Plus to reach from 0-00 kph in 3.3 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than the standard model. The top speed also gets an increment of 10 kph, which takes it to 328 kph. The engine comes with cylinder deactivation and if the driver takes his foot off the accelerator at speeds above 55 kph, the R8 disconnects the drive from the engine, enabling the vehicle to coast while consuming a minimum amount of fuel.

A less-powerful R8 sporting a biturbo 2.9-litre V6 engine is also rumored to be in the pipeline. If produced, it will be a worthy entry level model to the R8 range, which now only has a V10 engine on offer.

Audi has already started taking orders for the new R8 Spyder V10 Plus in Germany where they expect to start delivering by the end of this summer. Expect it to be in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries early next year.