New R8 Spyder set to launch in SA, we have prices

Following the launch of the current generation Audi R8 last year, the Ingolstadt-based automaker is hard at work readying to launch its R8 Spyder in SA this month.

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The R8 Spyder was revealed in New York in March 2016, and local dealers have started taking deliveries of the drop-top units, but keep in mind that the official market launch is set for later this month.

Powered by same engine that powers the hard-top version, the R8 is lighter than its predecessor. Under the hood lurks a naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 good for 397 kW and 540 Nm.

The 449kW and 560Nm V10 Plus still tops the list as the most powerful R8.

A sprint from 0-100km/h is claimed at a time of 3.6 seconds for the Spyder (one-tenth slower than the base coupé), with top speed coming in at 318 km/h. An electrohydraulic drive opens and closes the roof in 20 seconds, up to a speed of 50 km/h.

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The Audi R8 5.2 V10 Spyder quattro will start at R2 905 500, some R170 000 more expensive than the coupé on which it is based. The V10 Plus coupé, comes in at R3 089 000.

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