One year ago, Audi unveiled the R8 GT in coupe form as the new flagship model of the R8 model line. It wasn’t long before all 333 units in the limited series were sold out. Now the open-top version of the high-performance sports car is being launched, with production again capped at 333 units. Each car sports a tag with its individual number on the gear lever knob.

The Audi ultra lightweight technology is the key to the R8 GT Spyder’s weight of just 1,640 kilograms (3,615.58 lb). That’s 85 kilograms (187.39 lb) less than its technical basis, the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro. The Audi Space Frame (ASF) body, consisting of cast nodes, extruded sections and aluminum panels, accounts for just 214 kilograms (471.79 lb) of the total weight. The body is assembled predominantly by hand in the R8 workshop at the Neckarsulm plant. Final assembly of the car takes place in the same way.

The engine frame is made of ultra-light magnesium; the long cover over the soft-top compartment and the large side panels at the rear are made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). CFRP is also used for the modified front spoiler, the fixed rear spoiler and the new rear bumper. Together, these components provide a weight saving of 5.5 kilograms (12.13 lb).

Visual modifications accentuate the styling of the R8 GT Spyder. These include add-on parts in contrasting titanium gray, a front splitter with a dual lip, flics at the sides of the front bumper, red GT badges, round exhaust tailpipes, an enlarged diffuser and dark LED tail lights in a clear-glass design. Audi offers an optional windshield frame in matt CFRP.

Audi engineers also trimmed weight from the technical components in the area of the transmission, wheels and brakes. In the interior, the bucket seats alone, with their chassis of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP), saved 31.5 kilograms (69.45 lb) of weight.

In classic Audi fashion, the R8 GT Spyder features a lightweight fabric soft top that is extremely quiet and fully suitable for highway cruising. Its electrohydraulic drive brings it up or down in 19 seconds, even at speeds up to 50 km/h (31.07 mph). The extendible glass rear window is nestled in the bulkhead, separate from the soft top. Integrated in the bulkhead is a rollover protection system comprising two pretensioned plates.

Prodigious power: the drivetrain
The performance offered by the new top-of-the-line model in the R8 family is formidable. The 5.2-liter V10 with an aluminum crankcase draws its fuel from an FSI direct injection system. Dry-sump lubrication ensures a reliable supply of oil even under maximum lateral or straight-line acceleration.

With its modified electronic management, the long-stroke engine produces 540 Nm (398.28 lb-ft) of torque at 6,500 rpm, and its peak output is 412 kW (560 hp). Each unit of horsepower has only 2.93 kilograms (6.46 lb) to move.

The R8 GT Spyder catapults from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 3.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 317 km/h (196.97 mph). In every situation, the engine impresses with its thrust and bite – and that unmistakable sound of an Audi ten-cylinder.

The R8 GT Spyder comes standard with an automated six-speed R tronic transmission with two fully automatic modes. In the additional manual mode, the driver can shift gears using the paddles on the steering wheel or by flicking the joystick. At high load and revs, gear changes take only one-tenth of a second. The launch control program manages the starting sprint with high engine speed and precision-control of the tire slip.

The quattro permanent all-wheel drive has a strong rear-wheel bias, granted by the axle load distribution. If the situation calls for it, the system sends additional torque to the front axle. In tandem with the limited slip differential at the rear, it provides an added measure of traction, stability and cornering speed, giving it a strong lead over the rear-wheel-drive competition.

The suspension, too, is unrivaled in its performance. Aluminum double wishbones locate the wheels, and the rack-and-pinion power steering provides intimate contact with the road. Taut tuning lowers the body by approximately 10 millimeters (0.39 in). The open high-performance sports car has 19-inch wheels, with 235/35 tires up front and 295/30 tires at the rear. The large, lightweight carbon-fiber ceramic brake discs decelerate the car with supreme ease. The ESP stabilization program has a sport mode and can also be deactivated entirely.

Pure comfort: the interior and equipment
Great attention to detail is evident in the materials and workmanship inside the car. The salient aspect of the controls is their logically structured design. The open two-seater offers a roomy interior, and its front end can accommodate up to 100 liters (3.53 cu. ft) of cargo. The rear bulkhead houses three storage compartments.

The interior is black and can be adorned with stitching in a choice of titanium gray or crimson for added refinement. Alcantara upholstery comes standard – on the sport steering wheel and windshield frame, too.

Audi also offers leather in Fine Nappa quality. Numerous details – including white dials and R8 GT logos – provide classy accents. The distinctive R8 “monoposto,” a large arch encircling the driver’s cockpit, is made of matt CFRP.

Audi ultra requires no sacrifice on the part of R8 GT Spyder owners. The standard equipment includes LED headlights, LED tail lights, an automatic air conditioning system, the navigation system plus, an alarm system and the driver information system with a built-in laptimer.

Audi also offers a sophisticated sound system from Bang & Olufsen and a Bluetooth interface including a seatbelt microphone for carrying on a phone conversation conveniently. Options specific to the R8 GT include bucket seats with a carbon-fiber composite chassis, matt CFRP applications and embroidered logos on the seat upholstery.

The R8 GT Spyder will have a base price in Germany of 207,800 euros.

Design and body
The Audi A3 e-tron concept is a four-seat notchback sedan. It measures 4.44 meters (14.57 ft) long and 1.84 meters (6.04 ft) wide, but just 1.39 meters (4.56 ft) high – proportions that underscore its dynamic character.

The design represents the typical Audi language of sporty elegance. The single-frame grille is integrated into the front end, giving it a sculptured look. Its frame is made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), and the transversely mounted, three-dimensional aluminum louvers create a visual effect that emphasizes the showcar’s width. The headlights merge with the beveled upper corners of the single-frame, forming a transition that marks the starting point of the prominently accentuated lines of the engine hood.

The headlights represent a new stage of evolution in LED technology, a groundbreaking innovation from Audi. They become broader as they extend outward, and a line underneath makes them seem to float on air. Above the front spoiler is a full-length air intake, also made of CFRP, framed by a metal clasp. The spoiler features a splitter that increases the downforce on the front wheels.

When viewed from the side, too, the A3 e-tron concept is recognizable at first sight as an Audi – with its harmonious proportions, taut, muscular surfaces and a low roof dome with fluid lines flowing into a flat, coupe-like C-pillar. The shoulder area transitions elegantly into the tailgate. Characteristic of Audi design, the greenhouse accounts for one-third of the height, while the sheet metal makes up the remaining two-thirds.

Powerfully flared fenders hint at the power of the engine. Two prominently elaborated lines accentuate the flank: the undercut tornado line beneath the window edge and the dynamic line above the sills. The exterior mirrors, made of aluminum and CFRP, are perched atop the window-channel strips. The door handles with their brushed-aluminum clasps are recessed flush with the door. When the driver touches them, they power-extend.

The intelligent interplay between surfaces and lines also defines the tail end of the A3 e-tron concept. The broad, flat tail lights are sculptured and culminate in a point on the inside, and the tailgate bears an elegant spoiler edge. The rear apron includes a diffuser insert of CFRP and metal, which in turn surrounds the two large tailpipes for the exhaust system.

Ultra-modern components, design methods and joining techniques keep the body weight low. One example of this are the custom tailored blanks (panels of various thicknesses) in the floor area. The doors, engine hood and tailgate are made of aluminum. With its high levels of rigidity, the body provides the basis for the sedan’s precise handling, excellent vibrational comfort and low weight – the Audi A3 e-tron concept tips the scales at just 1,720 kilograms (3,792 lb).

Interior
The interior of the showcar is generously proportioned. The long wheelbase measuring 2.63 meters (8.63 ft) – a best-in-class figure in the premium compact segment – gives rear passengers on the two individual seats a pleasing amount of knee room. The front sport seats with prominent side bolsters are slim and elegant.

The cockpit, too, gives an impression of lightness and airiness. The horizontal lines emphasize its design. The instrument panel draws the driver in – typical of Audi. Defined in three dimensions, the large trim strip is made of solid aluminum and includes control functions. The high-quality sound system in the doors and on the rear shelf has aluminum trim panels. When the audio system is turned on, they extend a few millimeters, thus orchestrating a visual accompaniment to the system’s excellent sound.

On the center console, four large, round air vents echoing a jet’s design catch the eye. The air flow is adjusted by pulling and pushing on the center axis of the vents. The control knobs for the automatic air conditioning system are located in the lower section of the center console on a boldly protruding, dedicated control panel. Visually, they are reminiscent of airplane turbines.

Behind the compact, flat-bottomed, three-spoke multifunction steering wheel is an innovative display concept that renders the individual driving states of the hybrid drive clear-cut and tangible. The tachometer on the instrument cluster has been replaced by a “power meter,” with a needle that indicates the total system output on a scale of 0 to 100 percent. A second scale is divided into colored segments. At a glance, the green and orange segments clearly indicate where the A3 e-tron concept is drawing its power – from the electric motor, the combustion engine, or a combination of both. An additional instrument displays the charge level of the battery.

In between the two large round dials is the large, eight-inch display for the driver information system. This display and the large monitor of the MMI system show the operating states and power flows in the hybrid system in elegant graphics with a three-dimensional effect.

The MMI monitor also displays differentiated consumption and recuperation statistics in easily understandable bar graphs.

The control panel for the MMI multimedia system is located on the center tunnel console. The interface on its large rotary pushbutton features another novelty – the “MMI touch” touchpad. This new solution, which makes the already exemplary operation even more intuitive, will soon be introduced in series production at Audi. The ultra-thin MMI monitor power-extends upwards out of the instrument panel, another feature taken from the full-size car class.

In terms of infotainment, the Audi A3 e-tron concept shows why the brand is leading the competition. A UMTS model provides full access to the Internet, allowing the car to retrieve convenient services from Google. Thanks to the WLAN hotspot, passengers can surf and send e-mail to their hearts’ content. Holders for iPads are installed on the back of the front seat backrests.

A classic notchback sedan, the Audi A3 e-tron concept boasts a large luggage compartment with a volume of 410 liters (14.48 cubic ft) and a low loading lip.

Drivetrain
Designed as a plug-in hybrid, the A3 e-tron concept is propelled by two power units – a 155-kW (211-hp) 1.4 TFSI four-cylinder engine with turbocharging and gasoline direct injection and an electric motor with an output of 20 kW (27 hp). The system provides a combined output of 175 kW (238 hp). Working together, the gasoline engine and electric motor accelerate the notchback to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 6.8 seconds, then on to 231 km/h (143.54 mph). A regulated oil pump, the intelligent Audi thermal management system, a start-stop system and an energy recovery system – technologies from the brand’s modular efficiency platform – all contribute to this high efficiency.

At the heart of the A3 e-tron concept are the lithium-ion batteries located behind the rear seats. With a charge capacity of 12 kWh, they give the notchback a range of up to 54 km (34 miles) on electric power alone.

The batteries are charged by the standard energy recovery system when the car is in motion or directly from a household power socket when it is parked. This means that in most cases, the car is entirely emission-free in city driving.

A compact seven-speed S tronic serves as the transmission for the compact plug-in hybrid. It comprises two transmission structures, which are operated by two clutches. Gears are alternately shifted by the two clutches – at lightning speed, comfortably, and without any perceptible interruption of traction.

The driver can operate the seven-speed S tronic in one automatic mode and one manual mode, using the paddles on the steering wheel to shift gears manually. Elegant touch control buttons alongside the handrest on the center tunnel console are used to select drive positions R, N and D. These are backlit in red when it gets dark. Drive position P is automatically engaged when the electric parking brake is applied. The launch control system manages the sprint from a dead stop, furnishing explosive turbo power with minimal tire slip.

Chassis
Derived from the current RS 3 Sportback, the Audi A3 e-tron concept’s chassis is fully capable of handling the power from the drive system at all times. The four-seater masters any type of curve with speed, stability and composure. Its self-steering response remains essentially neutral all the way up to the lofty handling limits.

The front suspension – a MacPherson construction with a separate axle support – has a track measuring a full 1,572 millimeters (61.89 in). The rack-and-pinion steering is extremely efficient because its electromechanical drive system requires no energy when driving straight ahead.

The four-link rear suspension with its 1,542-millimeter (60.71-in) track is likewise fixed to a subframe. Its control arms made of high-strength steel enable the suspension to absorb longitudinal and lateral forces separately. The shock absorbers and coil springs are mounted separately from each other.

The Audi drive select dynamic handling system gives the driver five modes from which to select the characteristics of the engine, power steering and seven-speed S tronic. The modes are comfort, auto, dynamic, individual and efficiency, the last of which is designed for maximum economy.

The imposing light-alloy rims measure 20 inches in diameter. The tire format is 245/30 at the front and rear. The front brake disks are gripped by four-piston calipers. The ESP stabilization system has a Sport mode and can be completely deactivated. The parking brake is actuated electromechanically.

The Audi e-tron Spyder’s low total weight of only around 1,450 kilograms (3,196.70 lb) combined with the high-torque TDI and the two electric motors results in respectable performance. The car accelerates to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 4.4 seconds, and top speed is electronically governed at 250 km/h (155.34 mph).

The e-tron Spyder can combine the powerful torque of its TDI – the diesel engine generates 650 Nm (479.42 lb-ft) and the total of 352 Nm (259.62 lb-ft) of its two electric motors during acceleration in a process known as “boosting.”

The intelligent distribution of power allows for optimal dynamics in every situation. The targeted application of power to the front wheels improves longitudinal dynamics while also improving lateral dynamics when cornering. This is because torque vectoring – the as-needed distribution of torque between the left and right wheels of the two axles – enables an exhilarating degree of driving precision and excellent agility.

Thanks also to its low weight, short wheelbase and perfect 50:50 weight distribution for dynamic handling, the Audi e-tron Spyder has all the drivability of a go-kart – good on bends and neutral right up to the very high handling limit.

The combination of a highly efficient TDI and electric drive also provides for excellent fuel economy and amazingly low emissions. The Audi e-tron Spyder requires on average just 2.2l diesel/100 km (106.92 US mpg), corresponding to CO2 emissions of 59 g/km (94.95 g/mile). A range of more than 1,000 kilometers is possible with the 50-liter (13.21 US gallons) tank.

The open sports car can also drive strictly on electric power and thus with zero emissions over distances of up to 50 kilometers (31.07 miles), such as in urban areas. The top speed of 60 km/h (37.28 mph) is just fine for normal driving.

Design
The Audi e-tron Spyder features what is without a doubt the most advanced and simultaneously the most consistent evolution of the current Audi design language, while also providing initial hints at the design language of future Audi sports cars. It reinterprets the most important design elements that already characterized the previous e-tron concept vehicles. This also ensures the necessary formal differentiation to the purely electric-powered Audi e-tron shown at the 2010 Detroit Motor Show.

1.81 meters (5.94 ft) wide, just 4.06 meters (13.32 ft) long and only 1.11 meters (3.64 ft) in height: these are the classic proportions of an open, high-performance sports car. Compared to the coupé concept car in Detroit, the length and width have increased by 13 cm (5.12 in) and 3 cm (1.18 in), respectively, to underscore the sporty aspiration of the design. This further enhanced the powerful and compact overall appearance that characterizes both vehicles and links them to the sportiest production Audi, the R8.

Due in no small part to the short wheelbase of only 2.43 meters (7.97 ft) – 22 cm (8.66 in) shorter than that of the R8 – the body of the e-tron Spyder comes across as extremely stocky.

In an apparent homage to motor sports, the frameless side glass surfaces taper downward toward the rear. They form a unit with the windshield, which is strongly bowed and inclined like the visor of a helmet.

Another element borrowed from race cars characterizes the hood: the wide central air inlet, whose curve further accentuates the dynamics of the car’s front end and provides a visual and functional link to the Audi R8 LMS customer race car. The carbon application that is mounted flush in the front and side windows and wraps completely around the glass testifies to the design and manufacturing expertise that went into the car.

The front the silhouette of the e-tron Spyder are characterized by a sharp, sweeping line that immediately identifies the two-seater as an Audi. The sharply tapered front end lends the Audi e-tron Spyder show car a distinctly wedge-like basic shape. The trapeze of the single-frame grille dominates the distinctly wedge-shaped front end and is flanked by two large air intakes. They serve as cooling intakes for the electric drive system and also for the TDI engine at the rear of the vehicle.

Above, the grille merges into the flat strips of the adaptive matrix beam headlight modules with their three-dimensional clear glass covers that follow the contour of the functional elements.

All light units use ultra-efficient LED technology. As with the R8 and the e-tron sports car concept cars, the trademark four rings are located above the single-frame. Beneath the trademark is the charging station for the batteries. The rings disappear beneath the front hatch, exposing not just the charging plug but also a display showing the charge state and a map graphic indicating the current electric range.

Another distinctive feature of this show car are the 20-inch wheels, that take the blade design of the first e-tron show car and refine it into a three-dimensional turbine design. The wheels combine the lightweight materials aluminum and carbon into a design that is both visually pleasing and very effective aerodynamically. The 66 individual components comprising each individual wheel of the e-tron Spyder are indicative of just how complex they are.

The flanks sport familiar contours in a new form. Unusually sharply defined edges frame the smooth side surfaces while simultaneously separating horizontal from vertical areas.

The shoulder line frames the lines of the strongly contoured wheel wells even more distinctly than in the Audi R8 and combines them with the upper edge of the vehicle body. Particularly when viewed from the back, the e-tron Spyder appears even more pronouncedly horizontal and more strongly oriented toward the road.

An impression that is also created by the characteristic sills with a new cut and is picked up by the spoiler and diffuser at the front and rear of the car. Carbon elements borrow from motor sports to set special accents here as well. Carbon is also used on the engine cover in the rear and in license plate and lighting frame, which also includes the air outlets below the lateral light units.

The contrast of materials is reminiscent of a race car. The essential functional elements of the chassis and the vehicle body are done in carbon, while the body as a cover sports a classic paint finish. This illustrates the formal "shell-and-core" principle that defines the e-tron Spyder particularly clearly.

Thanks to an opening in the hood, even the longitudinal TDI mid-engine is a visible technological element surrounded by matt and glossy carbon surfaces, aluminum and leather. This combination of materials links the exterior with the interior of the vehicle.

Behind the seats are two cowls that gradually taper toward the rear and also flank the opening for the TDI engine and the implied cooling fins of the engine cover. They also contain the normally hidden rollover bars, which like in the production R8 Spyder shoot up within milliseconds and lock into place in the event of an emergency.

Interior
Visual and functional references to the fundamental concept of lightweight construction characterize the purist interior design. They establish a connection between proven Audi genes and new formal hallmarks. Typical for the Audi design idiom is the reduction of the architecture, controls and information output to the essentials in favor of a tidy overall impression.

The slim dash has a curve that extends laterally into the door panels. With no need to allow for a transmission, shifter and cardan tunnel, the designers again took advantage of the opportunity to create a particularly slim and lightweight center tunnel and convex, arching center console for the e-tron Spyder with hybrid drive. The only control element other than that of the MMI is the flush-mounted selector lever for the automatic transmission, which extends upward from the tunnel when the vehicle is started.

The cockpit of the Audi e-tron Spyder is also oriented toward the driver – a further characteristic Audi trait. Instead of the classic instrument cluster, the concept car is equipped with a large, display with integrated MMI functions and flanked by two round dials. The MMI can be controlled via a touch-sensitive control panel on the steering wheel – an element inspired by modern smartphones. It can also be controlled via the MMI control unit (MMI touch) on the center console. The steering wheel itself is clearly flattened off at both the top and bottom, in a clear reference to motor sport. Speed is displayed in digital form only. The dial instrument with information about the drive system can be chosen via the menu item “Drive.”

Besides information about the speed, the revs of the combustion engine and the electric drive, the central display also provides all of the key information from the infotainment and navigation systems.

Characteristic for the concept of the Audi e-tron Spyder is the near total elimination of switches and components such as the ignition. The climate control unit is located to the right above the steering wheel. The display provides temperature and ventilation information. Again drawing inspiration from a smartphone, the system is operated by means of a touch-sensitive control panel.

The equally racing-inspired lightweight bucket seats combine excellent lateral support with comfort. Contrasting colors and stitching delineate the various zones of the interior. The colors and the high-quality materials combine elegance and sportiness.

ASF body
Systematic lightweight construction is a crucial prerequisite for efficiency and range, while also being the primary foundation for exhilarating driving dynamics. The Audi development engineers drew on the core competence of the company for the Audi e-tron Spyder. The body structure is based on Audi Space Frame (ASF) technology and was realized as a hybrid construction, with the hood and numerous aerodynamic components made of carbon.

In ASF technology, the body's supporting structure is made of extruded aluminum sections and die-castings. Aluminum panels are incorporated into this skeleton to form a positive connection and perform a load-bearing role. Each individual component of the ASF space frame is optimized for its specific task by the use of widely differing shapes and cross-sections, combining maximum stability with minimal weight. Despite the complex drive system layout with two electric motors and their respective drive systems plus the TDI engine, the Audi e-tron Spyder show car only weighs around 1,450 kilograms (3,196.70 lb).

Engines and transmissions
Audi has long proven the perfect synthesis between a highly advanced sports car and TDI technology. With the TT, Audi become one of the first manufacturers anywhere in the world to successfully bring a diesel sports car to market, a decade after the Audi Cabriolet paved the way for diesel engines in this segment. And the Audi R8 TDI Le Mans concept car was the first supercar to be fitted with a twelve-cylinder diesel engine with 500 hp and 1,000 Newton meters (737.56 lb-ft) of torque.

The Audi e-tron Spyder also draws on this recipe for success – albeit in a revolutionary new combination. This marks the first use of a new generation of the six-cylinder, 3.0 TDI that breathes through two turbochargers and produces 221 kW (300 hp). That is another 50 hp more than the previous stage, which debuted a few months ago in the new Audi A8.

Peak torque of 650 Newton meters (479.42 lb-ft) is unusually high, even in the sports car segment. The mid-mounted, longitudinal 3.0 TDI engine drives the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Another innovation is the coupling of the TDI with the electric drive of the front axle. Two asynchronous electric motors with a total output of 64 kilowatt (88 hp) and peak torque of 352 Newton meters (259.62 lb-ft) combine with the 3.0 TDI to give the Audi e-tron Spyder the performance of a high-performance sports car. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 4.4 seconds. Top speed is electronically governed at 250 km/h (155.34 mph).

The drive’s characteristic is even more exciting than the abstract numbers. Thanks in no small part to the fact that the peak torque of the electric motors is available immediately, the e-tron Spyder accelerates with catapult-like thrust. Short passing maneuvers on interurban roads can be pulled off as spurts that are every bit as relaxed as they are fun, even without having to downshift.

The noise level of the low-revving TDI is typically low. The six-cylinder unit behind the occupants issues a sonorously sporty growl under load, but never becomes loud. A surprising effect also present in the Le Mans-winning Audi R10 and R15 race cars, which are also powered by TDI engines.

The benefits of this special form of hybrid drive – the coupling of a high-torque, high-efficiency TDI engine with the electric motors – are by no means limited to the dynamic potential of the Audi e-tron Spyder, however. The open two-seater also sets new standards in its class for fuel consumption and environmental characteristics. The 300-hp TDI consumes on average just 2.2 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (106.92 US mpg), which corresponds to CO2 emissions of only 59 g/km (94.95 g/mile).

The full-hybrid Audi e-tron Spyder has also mastered the discipline of zero-emission driving. In residential and other urban areas, the driver can activate the electric drive by itself. The 9.1-kwH battery at the front of the car has enough power for up to 50 kilometers (31.07 miles). And with a top speed of up to 60 km/h (37.28 mph), the e-tron Spyder is also able to move along smartly in city traffic.

Chassis
The normal distribution of the tractive power is clearly biased toward the rear axle in accordance with the weight distribution of the e-tron Spyder and the dynamic shift in axle load during acceleration. Similar to with a pure mid-engine sports car, roughly 75 percent of the torque goes to the rear and 25 percent to the front. If an axle slips, this balance can be varied thanks to the central control of the entire drive system in combination with the ESP. The hybrid vehicle from Audi thus enjoys all of the advantages of quattro technology.

The combination of the mid-mounted TDI engine and the two electric motors at the front axle also make it possible to intelligently control the lateral dynamics of the e-tron.

Similar to what the sport differential does in conventional quattro vehicles, torque vectoring – the targeted acceleration of individual wheels – makes the e-tron Spyder even more dynamic while simultaneously enhancing driving safety. Understeer and oversteer can be corrected by not only targeted activation of the brakes, but also by precise increases in power lasting just a few milliseconds. The concept car remains extremely neutral even under great lateral acceleration and hustles through corners as if on the proverbial rails.

The chassis has triangular double wishbones at the front axle and a trapezoidal-link rear suspension made of forged aluminum components – a geometry that has proven in motorsports to be the optimal prerequisite for high agility, uncompromising precision and precisely defined self-steering behavior. A taut setup was chosen for the springs and shock absorbers, but it is still very comfortable.

The direct rack-and-pinion steering gives finely differentiated feedback. Its electromechanical steering boost varies with speed, so that the e-tron Spyder only has to provide energy while steering, and not while driving straight ahead.

As befitting its status, the Audi concept car rolls on 20-inch tires with a new blade design. 245/30 tires up front and 265/30 tires in the rear provide the necessary grip.

The equipment and data specified in this document refer to the model range offered in Germany. Subject to change without notice; errors and omissions excepted.