2010 Audi R8 V10 - Click above for a high-res image gallery
It's been all but confirmed by Audi that the R8 Spyder is due to debut alongside the new A5 Sportback at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September, but according to two reports from Car and Driver, there will be one less vehicle on the show stand in Germany and only one engine available in the drop-top supercar.
The 2011 Audi R8 Spyder will reportedly be available with the 525 hp, 5.2-liter V10 at launch -- meaning no V8 -- with a standard six-speed manual gearbox or optional R-tronic automated transmission. The 420 hp, 4.2-liter V8 currently fitted to the standard R8 could be added later, but Audi seems to favor sticking with the V10 until the R8's replacement arrives a few years down the road.
Additionally, it was widely reported that the 2011 Audi A8 would be unveiled in Frankfurt, but C&D says that the launch has been pushed back sometime after the LA Auto Show in December. Apparently, the reason for the delay is two-fold: Audi doesn't want to risk quelling sales of the current A8 in some of its most important markets (China, Europe and the U.S.) and the automaker is (wisely) worried that the unveiling could be overlooked at a large auto show where too many models are vying for attention. As such, the A8 could be shown initially at a private event in Florida later this year, with the first public exhibition being the Detroit Auto Show in January.