R8 Convertible?

[StuM]

Anyone know for sure if the new convertible will actually be shown during the Sept Frankfurt auto show? Anyone hear anything from their dealers about the drop-top yet? Mine seems to to know little to nothing, so far.

[Davey_Dee]

Spider and electric R8 apparently at Frankfurt this year.

Back in May we reported an industry rumour that Audi were planning to bring an electric R8 Concept to the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. We already know that the Audi R8 Spider will be showing up at the show, but to be honest we weren’t convinced by the tittla-tattle. But the rumours are back, this time with a name – The Audi R8 ePerformance.

[drbf]

My dealer said its a go but that doesn't carry a lot of weight with me.

[swansailor]

My dealer said its a go but that doesn't carry a lot of weight with me.

The Audi rep in the Audi Forum at Munich airport told me that there wouldn't be a convertible in the foreseeable future ... that was about 6 weeks ago.

[Davey_Dee]

We've seen spy shots of the convertible so we know it's going to be unveiled sooner or later.

The car won't make its debut until the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010, but you can deposit down on one right now with Stafford. Estimated price: £105,000 ($177K U.S.).

Either the one saying it will be unveiled at frankfurt is right or this one is right we'll have to wait and see.

[willyjp]

We've seen spy shots of the convertible so we know it's going to be unveiled sooner or later.



Either the one saying it will be unveiled at frankfurt is right or this one is right we'll have to wait and see.

History would suggest that until Audi makes an official statement that a car is headed for series production, it can't be absolutely counted on. Not that I don't think a roadster is coming, but you can't ignore past incidents:

The v12 TDI R8 is one example: it was seen on the 'Ring and stories suggest Audi was very close to deciding to try producing it before they backed away.

The FIRST v10 (the twin turbo v10) was seen in multiple iterations (some afire!) before it was abandoned for the slightly detuned atmospheric version from the Gallardo.

We KNOW that a roadster ("spider") version has been desired, and talked about in a "maybe" way by Audi since the R8 was first known to be a reality, and it has taken a LONG time to bring it to a level as seen testing lately. It would seem VERY likely that one is coming, but one can never be certain, and in fact there could still be uncertainty at Audi.

You just never know what the problem might be. IF there IS a problem, I would bet it has to do with getting the dynamics right, what with the loss of rigidity caused by loss of the roof. With a car like the R8, with such razor sharp precision handling, an increase in flexibility in its originally extremely rigid structure....and all the consequences of that such as a change in the harmonic frequencies of vibration, suspension characteristics at the handling limit, etc., etc., etc...could be giving the test engineers nightmares and sending the guys in the shop back to weld in more stiffeners or whatever.

And then there's the occasional cancellation of a good car ready to go for strategic or political reasons. The "LeMans Quattro" coupe, widely conceded to be the ancestor of the R8, was seen long before the Gallardo, but rumor has it that Piech killed it because of politics on the Porsche Board. It was revived only after Audi took the helm at Lambo and brought out the Gallardo.

GIven what's gone down at Audi now, with the 5.2 R8 solidifying Audi's position amongst the "supercars", I can't see any strategic or political reason why they'd kill the roadster. So, I'd vote for engineering reasons, IF IN FACT there is a delay or a non-intro of the roadster R8.

We'll just have to wait and see.

[SBFV10]

Personally....I'm happy to let Robert Downey Jr. test the car! If he survives.....maybe the engineering is OK! Of course driving it with that camera in his face could be a slight problem

I took my 16 yo daughter to see the movie "17 Again" and the car of choice for Zac Efron, the star, was the R8. Some great shots of it in the movie. Also later in the film they go flying through the streets with a yellow Gallardo Spider! Terrific Audi/Lambo corporate placement

Steve

[StuM]

Talked to my dealer late yesterday. He claims (and we all know dealers are 100% informed and honest!), that two of their dealership folks recently traveled to the factory in Germany, and actually saw the production convertible in person. Said it was "striking".
No news was gathered concerning any public release date or forum.
Truth or fiction; who knows!

[Garyhun]

Talked to my dealer late yesterday. He claims (and we all know dealers are 100% informed and honest!), that two of their dealership folks recently traveled to the factory in Germany, and actually saw the production convertible in person. Said it was "striking".
No news was gathered concerning any public release date or forum.
Truth or fiction; who knows!

Same with my dealer. Said it would be available late 2010!

[gazza1]

Talked to my dealer late yesterday. He claims (and we all know dealers are 100% informed and honest!), that two of their dealership folks recently traveled to the factory in Germany, and actually saw the production convertible in person. Said it was "striking".
No news was gathered concerning any public release date or forum.
Truth or fiction; who knows!

My dealer allowed me to see a production order they placed whilst in negotiations for a current V10

It was a V10 R in a color called Black Violet.

No mistake or conjecture on this one!!

Absolute fact