Audi R8 Spyder V10 performance quattro S tronic

It’s not perfect but the R8 Spyder remains sublimely immersive

Gareth Dean

Silky smooth and brutal in equal measure. I’d prefer the extra rigidity of the coupé, though

Ray Leathern

The R8 was criticised for being too clinical. Now it’s one of the most emotive supercars you can buy

Nikesh Kooverjee

In Spyder guise, the R8 elevates what is already an intoxicating driving experience

Marius Boonzaier

ven before you fire up its engine, the Audi Spyder R8 V10 buzzes like a rock band tuning up for a headline performance. There’s a low-frequency, bass-drum thud as you close the contoured door behind you and in the well-insulated confines of the cabin, the zip and click of fastening your seatbelt sounds like the crackle of static when plugging in an electric guitar. Overhead, a mechanical whirr gently vibrates