2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder Starts at $210,000

Save your pennies, R8 fans. Audi just announced a base price of $210,000 for the limited-edition GT Spyder version of its R8 supercar. Tack on an extra $1,200 for the destination fee and anywhere from $2,000-$3,000 for the gas-guzzler tax.

Recall Alert: 2011-12 Audi R8 Spyder

Volkswagen is recalling 920 2011-12 Audi R8 Spyders because fuel may leak from the sports cars, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In the affected vehicles, which were built between May 18, 2010, and June 21, 2011, the fuel supply line may rub against the heat shield in the engine compartment. This could lead to a small fuel leak. Leaking fuel could cause a vehicle fire if an ignition source is present. You can find when your car was assembled on a label affixed to the driver's side doorjamb.

The recall is expected to begin on or around Aug. 22. Dealers will inspect the fuel line and replace it for free if necessary. Owners can call Audi at 800-822-2834 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

2011 Audi R8 Spyder Video

The Audi R8 has been out for a couple of years, but still, when it comes into our test garage, it’s a mad dash by all the Cars.com editors for the key fob. Senior editor David Thomas was the lucky victor — sort of. The 2011 Audi R8 Spyder is a convertible that David got to test in subfreezing Chicago weather. Despite that inconvenience, there’s no stopping the R8 from putting a smile on your face. Watch the video to find out how this super sports car is a surprisingly civilized beast for your everyday driver.

2011|Audi|R8

Audi to Bring RS5 to U.S. in 2012

What do you do when the big news you have to announce impacts a few dozen people in the U.S.? You add a little extra for hundreds more.
 
That’s what Audi did when it announced pricing for the 2011 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 Quattro. The sexy drop-top version of the R8 will cost $161,000 to start when it goes on sale in the U.S. in August.

The hand-built sports car won’t sell at high levels, but it’s not supposed to. For a more attainable rush, Audi fans were told that they’ll be able to get their hands on an RS5 coupe … in the 2012 calendar year. Yes, they have to wait another year and a half for the 450-horsepower V-8 that will be the only RS on the market in the U.S. The S5 is currently the only high-performance trim of the A5 available at a price of $53,100. We expect the RS5 to top the list price of the last RS 4, which for 2008 stickered at $66,910. 

Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Audi R8 5.2 with Video

Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder gets behind the wheel of another Audi R8, after more than a year since he last reviewed one. This time, he tests the 2010 Audi R8 5.2, which has a V-10 engine in the place of the more pedestrian V-8. So is the extra $33,000 for the V-10 really worth it? Check out the video and the full review to see how this carbon fiber-cladded beauty stacks up.

2010|Audi|R8

Cars.com Podcast: 2010 Honda Civic, 2010 Dodge Charger, 2010 Audi R8 V-10

Want to know all about senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder’s time in the rip-roaring, V-10-powered Audi R8? Well, you’ll have to wait until he and editors Kelsey Mays and David Thomas discuss the highs and lows of the Honda Civic and Dodge Charger, both nearing the end of their life cycles.

You can download the podcast via iTunes here or the MP3 version here.

Audi Puts e-tron On Le Mans Track

It’s not often that a prototype is rolled out in front of thousands of people. It’s less often when it’s rolled out in front of thousands of people who know about cars. It’s nearly unheard of that an automaker will then let the car drive on a track in front of said throngs.

That’s what Audi did with its e-tron electric supercar over the weekend at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Currently in the shell of an R8 sports car, the e-tron’s technology is pretty impressive. Four electric motors power each wheel and the battery pack is placed behind the passengers, which is where the R8’s engine usually rests. This helps with weight distribution.

Oh, and it hits 62 mph in 4.8 seconds with up to 70% of power able to go to the rear wheels.

While not as fast as a Tesla, the R8 is a much heavier vehicle, and we’d expect the final e-tron to be designed specifically to address the weight issue. Meaning it should be a lot faster.  

More on the Audi e-tron 

Audi R8 Factory Featured on National Geographic Channel

Did you know it takes one week and 120 Audi employees to produce a single R8 sports car? Now you do, and we’re betting the National Geographic Channel will have a lot more factoids to share about the Audi R8 when it features the car’s state-of-the-art assembly line on tonight’s new episode of “Ultimate Factories” at 10 p.m. EDT. Check your local listings and set your DVRs accordingly.

Mercedes Hypes Robert Downey Jr.'s S400 Hybrid

“Iron Man 2” is about to hit theaters, and its leading man, Robert Downey Jr., will be piloting a gorgeous Audi R8 Spyder in the film, much like he did the coupe in the first movie. Audi paid for the vehicle’s placement in the movie and is even highlighting the R8’s role in the film in recent commercials.

Mercedes-Benz is now trying to get in on the car promotion love by publishing the above photo of Downey walking to his personal S400 Hybrid on the set of an upcoming film called “Due Date.”

We’re always interested to see what famous folks choose to drive with their own money, but maybe Downey has an R8 stashed at home, too.

2010 Audi R8 Spyder: Through Ian's Lens

If you were an automobile manufacturer and you wanted to restyle your most outstanding, most head-snapping sports coupe supercar, where would you start?
 
If you're Audi and you're talking about the R8 sports coupe, you would start by offering a different engine to enhance the driving and performance of the car, and then you would chop off the top and make it a roadster. Sigh … making pretty cars prettier is a tough job, but someone has to do it.
 
At the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2010 Audi R8 Spyder was on display, and after day two, journalists were still lined up to gawk and take a seat in it. Although the car looks almost identical (sans metal roof) to the coupe, gone are the gaudy carbon fiber-esque "blades" (Audi's word for the body panels, not mine) from around the rear tire intake vents. I may have praised the carbon fiber panels when the R8 was revealed a few years back, but as a design element, the look has grown sour after repeated viewing. The R8 Spyder now feels and looks more fluid from nose to tail, as uninterrupted painted body panels complete the profile between the two axles.
 
Even if you remove the show lighting and the paid model, the R8 Spyder shines with class, and its wide low stance screams "winding road destroyer." The car does have one flaw: By removing the roof, Audi has put a deck cover on the back of the car that is not see-through. Gone is the view of the gorgeous engine in all its carbon fiber splendor. But hey, one negative in a sea of positives can't be that bad, right?
 
As one might suspect, I have an affinity for red cars on show floors under bright white lights. If anyone needs me, I'll be here in Chicago chewing on my fingernails waiting for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. Not many people would admit to that. Check out the full-screen player below.