CARS.COM — Do you really like the idea of owning an Audi R8? Do you want the V10 Plus version with the 610-horsepower V-10 engine taken directly from the Audi R8 LMS racecar? Do you want all of that and hate having a solid roof over your head? If so, Audi has you covered, as its R8 V10 Plus Spyder will make its U.S. debut Aug. 18 at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering.
Those 610 horses combine with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission — sorry, manual transmission fans. According to Audi, the R8 V10 Plus Spyder is the fastest production convertible it’s produced, boasting a claimed zero-to-60-mph time of 3.3 seconds.
Audi will also have numerous examples of its past and present motorsports efforts on display, including: The R8 LMS GT3, a Le Mans-style racecar that shares more than 60 percent of its components with the street version of the R8 coupe; RS 3 LMS, a factory-produced race version of the RS 3 sedan for privateer racers; and S1 Sport Quattro “Pike’s Peak.” This year is the 30th anniversary of the S1 setting a then-record time during the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb.
Road Test Editor
Brian Normile
Road Test Editor Brian Normile joined the automotive industry and Cars.com in 2013, and he became part of the Editorial staff in 2014. Brian spent his childhood devouring every car magazine he got his hands on — not literally, eventually — and now reviews and tests vehicles to help consumers make informed choices. Someday, Brian hopes to learn what to do with his hands when he’s reviewing a car on camera. He would daily-drive an Alfa Romeo 4C if he could.