Published:
4 May 2012With the obvious exception of things going on above your head, the cabin of the Audi R8 Spyder is generally as-you-were from the coupé.
The interior architecture is the same save for two buttons on the transmission tunnel; one operates the well insulated fabric hood at speeds of up to 30mph, the other a glass rear window that slides vertically from and into the rear bulkhead independently of the roof.
As you’d expect from an Audi, the R8’s is a clearly and logically laid-out cabin, with a standard extended leather package. But even with more cow than usual, as in the coupé you’re under the impression that you’re entering an Audi first and a supercar second.
We didn’t mind that so much on the V8 R8 coupé, but given that our eyebrows were already starting to rise at the V10’s £100,000 price tag, you can imagine how high they are now that the R8 Spyder has sunk ever deeper into six-figure territory.
We’ve no qualms about the R8’s driving position, although its seats could use more lateral support during hard driving — and although this is a convertible, it’s worth remembering that it’s one capable of pulling more than 1.0g in corners.
A few additional compromises come with the removal of the R8’s fixed roof, one being that the useful storage shelf behind the seats has been lost, replaced by a closer bulkhead with just two small storage cubbies in it.
