This 2017 Audi R8 Spyder V10 Is A Badass Bumblebee

The brand new 540-horsepower stinger is here to pollinate your dreams.

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Though the 2017 Audi R8 Spyder V10 closely resembles the awesome first-generation car that debuted in 2010, this all-new open-top supercar’s chassis is an incredible 50 percent more rigid than the previous version, making this German hot rod’s handling that much more precise when shredding mountain roads and race tracks.

Photo: Audi

The new Audi a smidge shorter (0.6 inches), a tad wider (1.2 inches) and exactly the same height as the old car. The folding fabric roof stows in 20 seconds and can be lowered while driving at speeds as fast as 30 mph, a trick we saw on the R8’s Italian cousin, the Lamborhini Huracan Spyder.

Photo: Audi

The 540-horsepower 5.2-liter V10 engine accelerates the R8 convertible to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, with a terminal velocity of 198 mph if you can find a long enough section of the Autobahn.

Audi has continued to advance the technology of the V10 engine. While it was previously direct-injected, now the engine has both direct injectors and a second set in the intake manifold, letting the R8 enjoy the advantages of each system as needed.

For improved efficiency, the R8’s computer can also switch off some of the ten cylinders when the engine’s full fury isn’t needed, saving fuel. Though R8 owners probably aren’t counting their pennies at fill-ups, government regulator types insist on improving efficiency. At 198 mph, it won’t matter much.

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