Here comes the Audi R8 Spyder RWS: rear-wheel drive with style to spare

There are certain things that define a car brand, whether its engines, certain design elements or, as is the case here, the type of drive. Audi is famous for its all-wheel-drive system called Quattro, which features on every performance model in the brand’s lineup. However, the four-ring marque showed a few months ago what would be the first production vehicle capable of sending all of the engine’s power to the rear axle, the Audi R8 RWS.

Audi was not satisfied with that creation and so decided to complement it with the addition of the R8 Spyder RWS. Thanks to Audi Sport, the German supercar has all the essential elements to be even purer, something it achieves with its powerful naturally aspirated engine and the freedom it has to channel all of its power to the rear wheels.

It is true that in the Coupé version we find several visual elements that set it apart from a “regular” R8, for example the red stripe running along the entire silhouette of the rear-wheel-drive Audi . However, on the Spyder we find certain parts of the front end finished in matte black, such as the front grille and the air intakes that help cool various components of the vehicle.

The cabin has undergone no modifications except for the identification plate reminding us that our R8 is even more special. The sportiness remains present in the interior of the German supercar, achieved through the use of carbon fibre and a design that exudes exclusivity and dynamism. On the other hand, there is also a more restrained tuning than in the R8 V10+, yet equally impressive.

The Audi R8 is one of the few sports cars that remains faithful to naturally aspirated engines, and this time was no different. Specifically, deep within the R8 Spyder sits a 5.2-litre V10 engine capable of delivering 540 CV of power and 540 Nm of torque. This figure is lower than the most powerful variant since all the power is sent directly to the rear axle; even so, this does not prevent the R8 Spyder RWS from reaching 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, a figure enhanced by the weight reduction resulting from omitting the Quattro system. The rear-wheel-drive supercar has a kerb weight of 1,680 kg, 40 kg less than the all-wheel-drive variant.

The German manufacturer has sought to convey exclusivity in both the R8 Spyder RWS and the Coupé, since only 999 units of each will be produced. In this way, this variant of the German supercar will retain its value over the years, something to consider carefully, since you will have to pay 183,520 euros if you want to get hold of a rear-wheel-drive Audi R8 Spyder.