Z356

The Spyder arrived. Doesn't look exactly like my old one...but that's fine. At least it's called by the same name and is now part of the same corporate empire!

For those that might remember the photos I posted of my recently acquired '11 R8, there has been an 'interior' color change this week! The car came with a 'Black w. Alcantara' base interior (first photo). Rather dull & somber. I happen to love 'red' interiors. Long story short - I found someone near Sacramento that had removed the OEM Audi R8 'red' interior from his v10 coupe because it looked to much like the red interior on his new Mercedes SLS! Oh, the sheer horror of it...so you can understand! So he had the Audi dealership changed the interior on his brand new R8 (600 miles) and replaced it with a custom ordered 'Audi Exclusive' Black leather interior with deviating 'red' stitching! So I bought real well his 'old' red seat covers & door panels and exchanged them this week for the interior of my 2011 R8 Spyder!

The exterior color on my car is called 'Lava Gray Pearl Effect'. And with this 'red' interior (called 'Amulet Red' by Audi), it is absolutely stunning! I have not had much time to drive this car since it got here. Then we did this interior work this week. But I took it last Tuesday on a test drive up & down Laureles Grade in Carmel Valley. I drove it just as fast as I had driven the '12 Boxster Spyder that I previously owned (last photo). It handled very well. I will have more to say about the R8 as I get more familiar with it. But for the time being, I just wanted you all to see it!

Saludos,
Eduardo

RollingArt

Hi Eduardo!

Nice Spyder! Looks very sporty with the interior color changes you've done. You're a great visionary.

The R8 has what, like 100 more hp than the 987 spyder? How does the weight compare?

Enjoy the new ride.

zirrah

Looks good for sure.

stevecolletti

I like the seats and doors being red without all the dash/wheel stuff that always seems to get done by the factory. Though, for me, I'd want the center of the seats in the grey Alcantara.

Congratulations, Eduardo. Enjoy her!

Schmidts Cat

Wow! Nice find. Interior really looks awesome in red with the dark grey ext. When are you coming north?

sfo

the red seats and door panels have transformed the interior .. gorgeous, and so much more lovely than black.

Z356

Thanks Steve & others for your comments! I find interesting that Audi offers a rather bland selections of colors and stitching for their flagship sport car. In the Spyder, for example, the Alcantara inlays are only available in their entry-level 'Black' and 'Titanium Gray' base standard N/C interiors*! And the alcantara inlays are NOT surrounded by premium 'Nappa' natural leather! The latter is reserved for the optional full leather seating in 'Black' (Charcoal really), 'Titanium Gray', 'Lunar Silver', 'Nougat Brown', 'Luxor Beige' & 'Amulet Red'. Deviating stitching for seats & door panels in those colors are available for an extra $250, but only if you order the 'enhanced leather package' for $5,500! This includes nappa leather on the seats, dash and top & bottom of the doors! In an R8, the dash and top of the door panels are always done in 'Black' - either a fine 'diamond' texture vinyl (quite attractive & practical) or in leather. There is not even deviating stitching allowed anywhere on the dash, unless you go 'Audi Exclusive'.

The package I currently have is their simpler 'leather package' (covers seats, headrests and bottom of the door panels) for $2000. On this package, you can't order deviating stitching at all - although it comes standard on the black/red doors (see photo)! You really have to go into the expensive world of 'Audi Exclusive' to get a really unique looking interior.

If you review the nearly 350 'used '08 to '12 R8's currently for sale in the US at Autotrader.com, you will see that 90% OR MORE have black interiors! Some of the newer ones might have the subtle deviating stitching (allowed since MY2011). But it is overall quite a boring visual panorama! It tells you something about playing it 'safe' by dealers and customers who order this car! Personally, I think 'Amulet Red' is the most striking interior on a standard R8, especially a Spyder!

Saludos,
Eduardo

*In the Porsche world, red alcantara was at least offered on the gt2 RS and the 4.0 Limited Edition gt3 RS!

stevecolletti

That seems so limiting. Once a company goes to the trouble of setting up an "Exclusive" component, why would they not make almost anything available?

I thought Porsche had poor marketing; maybe marketing is just not a German strength?

Z356

If you elect to go 'Audi Exclusive', then quite a bit of colors and materials are available to you! But 'Audi Exclusive' is even less used in the R8 world than 'Porsche Exclusive' is utilized in the 991/981 world! The only market that employs both 'Audi Exclusive' and 'Porsche Exclusive' to the max is the Gulf Arab states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates! My issue is with the standard colors & material options for the R8 in our market. It is rather plain jane and unimaginative!

Saludos,
Eduardo

orthojoe

Great looking car, as always, Ed!

Marine Blue

Stunning Eduardo! Love the exterior and I agree that the red interior was needed to help make the interior pop.

I look forward to getting your driving impressions once you have had more time behind the wheel.

Schmidts Cat

"plain jane and unimaginative"... Audi? No....

Z356

Well, there has been a wrong perception of Audi in America for a long time. Perhaps because of the 60 Minutes 'unintended' acceleration smear campaign decades ago. But below are the images of Audi as I remember as a young adult. These were indeed very much intended 'accelerations' and 'in-flight' excursions of Quattro GmbH in the competitive world of rally racing! When the weather starts to get dicey, give me a Quattro!

Saludos,
Eduardo

Schmidts Cat

Don't get me wrong, AUDI has one of the oldest and greatest racing legacies. "Unintended acceleration" was a joke. But most of their cars are the definition of staid understatement. Nice looking, but far from flamboyant. The R8 is a standout. I like most all their models and wish I could convince my wife to get an A8 vs the 7 series BMW she drives.

Madjackdog

Wow, Eduardo! You have succeeded in totally reworking that entire interior, from that humpty-dumpty grey to something that really snaps! Love it. Love the black/tan or orange number also.