2011 Audi R8 Spyder 4.2 FSI V8 Quattro

Audi R8′s crowded family is welcoming a new member! It’s a new variant of the Spyder, which comes with a V8 engine.

Priced at 121,000 Euros, the V8 Spyder is cheaper than the V10 model, but it’s considerably weaker as well. It has a healthy power of 430 hp and 317.15 lb-ft.

So it’s also slower, with o to 60 mph taking 4.8 seconds, and top speed of 185 mph. And as for fuel economy, it doesn’t really matter since it burns 13.9 liters of fuel per 100 km (16.92 US mpg) with the R-tronic gearbox, and 14.9 liters per 100 km (15.79 US mpg) with the manual transmission.

It gets the same options as the V10, including the Quattro system. The quattro permanent all-wheel drive delivers the engine’s power to all four wheels. Together with the locking differential on the rear axle, it provides significantly greater traction, stability, cornering speed and precision. The four powered wheels seem to claw into the asphalt at the exit of the corner, and the driver can get back on the throttle sooner than in a car with rear-wheel drive.

It’s hard to see the point of the car though, because those who can pay 120,000 euros for an Audi, can very well add another couple of grands to it and get a full-fat V10 model!