Audi has added another model to its R8 lineup in Singapore.
The new Audi R8 Spyder 4.2 litre FSI produces 430 bhp and launches the open-top two-seater to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. The V8 engine is mated to the R tronic sequential manual gearbox; quattro permanent all-wheel drive is standard. A favourite worldwide, the open high-performance sports car boasts of recent successes which include class victories in the “Auto Trophy” from Auto Zeitung and being voted among “The Best Cars of 2011” by the readers of auto motor und sport magazine. The latest version of the iconic sports car continues the phenomenon that started with the R8 coupe in both 4.2 litre and 5.2 litre guise as well as the R8 Spyder V10 launched in Singapore late last year.
Delivering an experience that enthralls all senses — spontaneous, voracious throttle response, easy revving, hefty torque, prodigious power and sonorous music, the free-breathing 4.2 FSI is a high performance engine that can be found in racing. Boasting not only power, the R8 Spyder 4.2 FSI quattro with the R tronic is also efficient, consuming on average 13.5 litres of fuel per 100 km; fuel consumption with the manual transmission is 14.9 litres per 100 km. A recuperation system that recovers energy during braking comes as standard. The forced oil pump of the dry sump lubrication system features various suction and discharge stages for load dependent operation.
The 4.2 FSI, which is also used in this form in the R8 Coupé, produces 430 bhp from a displacement of 4,163 cc — 103.2 bhp per litre. At the nominal engine speed of 7,900 rpm, the long-stroke engine’s eight pistons travel 24.1 metres per second. The electronic rev limiter kicks in at 8,250 rpm. The V8 delivers 430 Nm of torque to the crankshaft between 4,500 and 6,000 rpm, with at least 90 per cent of peak torque available between 3,500 and 7,500 rpm. The compact V8, which is assembled at the engine factory in Györ, Hungary, has the classic cylinder angle of 90 degrees and weighs just 216 kilograms. Its crankcase is made of an aluminium-silicon alloy using the low-pressure die casting method, which ensures particular homogeneity. The high silicon content makes the cylinder barrels extremely resistant to wear.
The Audi R8 Spyder 4.2 FSI quattro is capable of a top speed of 300 km/h, and comes standard with the R tronic, a highly efficient sequential six-speed transmission. Shift commands are transmitted electrically; a hydraulic system changes the gears and manages the clutch. The R tronic offers both an automatic and a manual mode, both of which allows the driver to choose between two shift programs. In manual mode, the driver changes gears using the joystick on the centre tunnel or with the paddles on the steering wheel. At high load and engine speed, gear changes take less than a tenth of a second. The Launch Control program ensures an optimal start, as it controls the engine speed and the engagement of the clutch to accelerate the open-top two-seater with the ideal wheel slip.
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. Along with the mid-engine layout, the quattro all-wheel drive system in the R8 Spyder is specially designed with a strong rear bias. The transmission, which is mounted behind the longitudinally installed V8, has an auxiliary drive for a cardan shaft running past the engine to the front.