Audi R8 Spyder Hire UK: 620HP Naturally Aspirated V10 Convertible Self-Drive

The Audi R8 Spyder is the open top version of the R8 V10, sharing the same 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 engine, the same quattro all-wheel drive system and the same aluminium and carbon fibre Space Frame chassis as the coupe. The soft-top roof folds electrically in approximately 20 seconds at speeds up to 31mph. With the roof down, the V10 sits immediately behind the cabin and its sound at full throttle is heard without any bodywork between the engine and the driver. The V10 in the R8 Spyder produces 620HP at 8,000rpm and 580Nm of torque at 6,500rpm, with a redline of 8,700rpm. Power is transmitted through a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch gearbox and the quattro system drives all four wheels. The result is 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 204mph.

The V10 engine

The 5.2-litre V10 in the R8 Spyder is a naturally aspirated engine, meaning it produces power without any turbochargers or superchargers. At low engine speeds it produces modest torque, but from approximately 4,000rpm upwards the power builds sharply and continues to climb in a linear progression all the way to the 8,700rpm redline. This is a fundamentally different power delivery character to a turbocharged engine, which produces its peak torque at low revs and tapers off at high engine speeds. The V10 rewards drivers who use the full rev range and who are prepared to work the gearbox. The same V10 engine block, in a different state of tune producing 610HP, is used in the Lamborghini Huracan. Both engines are built at the Audi Sport facility in Neckarsulm. The R8 Spyder was hand assembled at the Bollinger Hofe facility in Heilbronn, a dedicated low volume production site that builds each car individually rather than on a moving production line.

The last of its kind

Audi completed the final R8 production run in 2023. The R8 will not continue in its current form and Audi has not announced a direct successor that uses a naturally aspirated large displacement engine. Every R8 Spyder now available for hire was built before that production closure. The combination of a naturally aspirated V10, a mid engine layout and an open-top body in a car built to current safety and quality standards is unlikely to be repeated by any mainstream manufacturer. The R8 Spyder is a specific and historically significant driving experience that is now fixed in time.

The R8 Spyder on UK roads

The R8 Spyder is more accessible on UK roads than its performance figures suggest. The quattro all wheel drive provides confident wet-weather traction, the seven speed dual clutch gearbox is smooth in automatic mode for urban driving and can be shifted manually via paddles on faster roads. The suspension is firm but not uncomfortable on UK motorways and A-roads at legal speeds. The car is 1,695kg, which is light for a modern performance car of this output, and that relative lightness is evident in the way it changes direction and accelerates. With the roof down at speed on an open road, the V10 provides a soundtrack that no recorded audio can replicate accurately. The R8 Spyder is best experienced with the roof down on an open UK route: the A82 along Loch Ness, the A591 through the Lake District or the B4069 through the Cotswolds each give the car enough room to operate in its natural range.

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Audi R8 Spyder self-drive hire requirements

To hire the Audi R8 Spyder with Starr Luxury Cars you will need a full UK or EU driving licence held for a minimum of 3 years, no more than 6 penalty points, and be at least 25 years of age. A refundable security deposit is required at the time of booking. Standard packages include 100 miles per day. Additional mileage can be pre-purchased at the time of booking.