Review: 2022 Audi R8 V10 Performance Spyder RWD Is A Swan Song To 10 Cylinders

The 2022 Audi R8 V10 performance Spyder RWD is a charming swan song to the combustion-powered 10-cylinder sports car, and it's not difficult to understand why. Press and hold the bright red steering wheel-mounted START button, and the V10 engine – mounted only a foot or two behind the driver's vertebrae – whirls to life. The idle is silky smooth, with a mellow rumbling tone and a consistent tempo that masks the pistons feverishly moving deep within. While the V10 is a celebrated masterpiece at idle, mash the throttle at a standstill, and it leaps alive – the jump from idle to full load occurs in fewer than 7ths of a second – to sing gloriously at its 8,700-rpm redline.

The truth is, the V10 is genuinely this vehicle's headline story. Audi has been offering the mid-engine, two-seat sports car since 2007, and it's now in its second generation (new for 2015). This model year marks the end of the combustion-powered R8 – electric powertrains are the wave of the future – so Audi is giving it a spectacular send-off with an enthusiast-tuned rear-wheel drive model fitted with the magnificent V10.

The 5.2-liter 10-cylinder engine – it's no secret that a variant is shared with Lamborghini – is mid-mounted in the chassis. The engine features direct injection, 40 sodium-filled valves, titanium springs and rocker arms, and a dry-sump lubrication system that allows Audi to mount the engine low and deliver lubrication regardless of the later g-forces (it is identical to the dry lubrication system on the R8 LMS GT3 race car). The RWD Spyder's gasoline engine is rated at 562 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. While the R8 V10 has been offered a gated manual gearbox, this one is fitted with Audi's 7-speed S tronic (7-speed dual-clutch gearbox). With the aid of launch control, the 2022 Audi R8 V10 performance Spyder RWD sprints from a standstill to 60 mph in just 3.35 seconds, which is impressive for a non-AWD sports car. Likewise, the quarter-mile sprint falls in only 11.36 seconds with a trap speed of 126.57 mph.

The V10 captures the banner, but that's not to say the rest of the R8 should be overlooked. The gorgeously styled Spyder body, which looks just as striking today as when it was first revealed, is attractive from every angle, whether the roof is up or down. On that note, opening and closing the fully lined fabric roof takes a mere 20 seconds in each direction – the operation is mechanical bliss as a dozen electric motors move the components in and out of the way in a carefully choreographed ballet. The top may be raised or lowered at speeds up to 31 mph, which makes it effortless to use while driving (my favorite is to start the operation while approaching a red light, and it's completed before the light turns green). When closed, the R8 Spyder is sealed like a drum – it's as quiet as the coupe. When open, wind buffeting isn't too bothersome with the windows down. Raise the windows and the small rear window, and it's minimal (those seeking even more isolation may install the manual wind blocker stored in the frunk).

Audi has been making some of the industry's most spectacular passenger cabins for a long time, and the R8 doesn't disappoint. All materials are pleasing to the eye and touch, and the build quality is world-class. Occupants face an attractive array of buttons, dials, and switches that are ergonomically efficient, and their locations are easy to recall from memory (so eyes don't have to leave the road). The 18-way driver and passenger seat boasting pneumatic side and leg bolsters are upholstered in gorgeous, diamond quilted leather. The sports seats are well bolstered to hold occupants in place during spirited driving and are as comfortable as they are visually appealing. The only downside, likely the R8 V10 Spyder's sole concession, is interior legroom – those over six-foot tall won't have much room to stretch out.

The R8 utilizes a single multi-function display as a primary instrument cluster and doubles as the infotainment display. However, as it is set behind the steering wheel, it's not a touchscreen. Instead, it is operated via an MMI interface on the center console – its use becomes second nature after a bit of acclimation (although it's a bit of a challenge for passengers as they have to peer over to read the display).

Historically, R8 models have been equipped with Audi's spectacular quattro permanent all-wheel drive (AWD) system, which provides a tenacious grip while pulling out of a corner. Yet things changed a couple of years ago when the automaker began to offer the R8 with rear-wheel drive (RWD). The R8 RWD model ditches the front driveshafts and all associated hardware, leaving only the two rear wheels driven (Audi reduces the engine's output by about 40 hp and fits solid rear axles to help the conventional limit-slip rear differential handle that prodigious power that is now split between just two wheels, not four). As a result, total weight savings is about 110 pounds.

As expected, the Audi R8 V10 can run with the world's finest sports cars. Shorter in length and wider than a Porsche 911 (yet with a longer wheelbase), the R8 drives with intimate nimbleness – the vehicle feels connected to the driver. The curb weight is about 3,850 pounds, about 400 pounds heavier than the Porsche, yet the Audi feels more agile and light-footed in the canyons. Credit razor-sharp turn-in, a quick steering ratio, and aggressive brake pads that give the unique wave-design disc brakes impressive bite.

The R8 RWD, sans front drivetrain, does feel lighter in the nose. And get on the power aggressively mid-corner (especially in the Performance driving mode setting, which is bundled with the Sport Exhaust option), and the sticky summer-compound Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires can get overwhelmed. There's oversteer, which is plenty of fun when nobody is around, but it's far from being the fastest way around a corner. For speed, use the R8's cornering grip and reasonable throttle control, and it's well-balanced and quick. For smiles, you can break the rear tires free and playfully toss the R8 into a corner – it's easy to control. The chassis remains surprisingly flat and stable, despite the Audi lacking an adaptive damping suspension.

Feeding a powerful V10 a diet of premium unleaded may worry those concerned with fuel consumption, but my experience proved otherwise. Audi's engineers fit the engine with advanced direct injection and cylinder-on-demand (COD) technology. Under low to intermediate loads on higher gears (e.g., while cruising down the highway), the R8 will intelligently shut down one bank of cylinders to conserve fuel – a nod to Audi's iconic 20-valve inline-5. The process is imperceptible to the occupants, but it's noticed on the fuel gauge. The EPA rates the Audi R8 V10 Spyder at 14 mpg city and 23 mpg highway. Of course, the V10 will consume fuel quickly when driven in anger on a racing circuit, but on the other hand, I was able to maintain nearly 25 mpg during several extended periods of 65 mph travel. Based on simple calculations, a 21.1-gallon fuel tank provides up to 500 miles of cruising range for someone with a light foot.

And that's a nice transition into my wrap-up. I expected my week with the 2022 Audi R8 V10 performance Spyder RWD to be loud, uncomfortable, and inefficient – like it is with every other high-performance car (I typically drive them occasionally and leave the vehicles in the driveway when I need something a bit softer, less over-the-top, and thirsty). But that didn't happen with the R8 V10. Instead, I drove the Audi regularly. I continuously enjoyed its luxurious demeanor and relied on the torque-laden V10 for its effortless power – all the while knowing that a talented sports car with a screaming redline was just a press of the accelerator pedal away. I'm not alone in saying that I will miss the R8 and its combustion V10 as the sun sets on it...