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.



[Source: Car and Driver (1) (2)]

Reports out of France and Germany indicate that in addition to the all-new A8 and A5 Sportback, Audi plans to reveal two versions of the R8 at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September.

Both Auto Motor und Sport and L'Automobile report that Audi will finally reveal the R8 Spyder at the IAA expo, with the French pub saying the drop-top supercar will be available with either the standard 420 hp, 4.2-liter V8 or the newly released 525 hp, 5.2-liter V10, allowing Audi to compete directly with the 911 4S, Turbo and convertible models.

However, the big news is the rumored reveal of an electric version of the R8. Details are scarce, so it's unclear if the R8 concept will be a pure EV, a diesel/gasoline-electric hybrid, a limited production model or, more likely, just an indication that Audi is looking at future powertrains. Regardless, we'll be on the floor in Frankfurt to bring you both the reveals if/when they happen.



[Sources: AMuS, L'Automobile]

L'Automobile, our new favorite purveyors of outlandish stories and Photoshopped speculation, is reporting that Porsche is considering building a road-going version of the RS Spyder to fill the vacuum created by the dearly departed Carrera GT.

According to the French rumormongers, the RS Spyder's road-legal progeny will measure in at 183 inches (about eight inches longer than a 911) and will consist of a carbon fiber monocoque to keep weight to a minimum. A version of the Spyder's 3.4-liter V8 would be mounted amidships, but will be de-tuned from its current 503 hp (at 10,000 rpm) to around 400 hp.

Naturally, we're suitable skeptical about the report, particularly since it's lacking some basic information about the powerplant (is this the new direct-injected engine?) and there's no word on the transmission, running gear or even a possible debut date. Regardless, we can dream, and as far as fantasies go, an LMP2 car for the road is good starting point.



[Source: L'Automobile]

As the prospective launch date approaches, everyone's wondering what will become of the upcoming Maserati Spyder. Some big questions remain about what shape the new GranTurismo cabrio will take: will it have four seats, or will the folding top take up the cramped rear quarters? Will it have a soft top like its predecessor, or a hard top like its Ferrari counterpart? Will it offer the 400hp 4.2-liter V8 from the base GranTurismo, or the 435hp 4.7-liter unit from the GranTurismo S? One way or another, sources suggest we'll find out soon enough, placing it on the road by early next year, with a springtime market launch likely. That means its debut could come as early as the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, or else wait for the Geneva Motor Show in March. Expect the sticker price to come in below the Ferrari California, targeting the likes of the Aston Martin DB9 Volante, Bentley Continental GTC, BMW M6 convertible, Jaguar XKR convertible and Mercedes-Benz SL-Class and at around $130,000.



[Source: Car and Driver]

Corroborating what we've already known for some time is a new Motor Trend article that confirms a drophead version of Maserati's voluptuous GranTurismo coupe is on the way. However, what is news is that MT is reporting that the car will likely be dubbed "Cabriolet" and not "Spider," largely because the convertible is expected to keep its 2+2 seating, and the latter has been historically reserved for two-place models.

MT believes that the car will carry the 433-horsepower 4.7-liter V8 engine and six-speed ZF automatic gearbox sourced from the Quattroporte Sport GT S, as the GranTurismo S' automanual is considered to be too out-of-character for soft-top motoring. Regardless of what drivetrain arrives contained therein, MT recons the Maser Cabrio will probably debut at next year's Geneva Motor Show, a full year later than earlier reports indicated.

UPDATE: Maserati has just announced that it will bring its new GranTurismo S Automatic to the Geneva show next week. Press release after the jump.

[Source: Motor Trend]

While other automakers are dropping out of the Detroit Auto Show left and right, Audi is heading to Motor City with guns blazing, beginning with the 2010 Audi R8 V10.

Car and Driver decided to put the rumors to rest that the updated super coupe is officially coming to Detroit, packing a 5.2-liter V10 putting out 520 hp and 398 lb.-ft. of torque. Aside from the obvious aural and performance differences, the V10-powered R8 will make use of a pair of larger dual exhaust tips rather than the V8 model's quad outlets. Expect new wheels, upgraded brakes and a few changes to the interior as well.

The oft-rumored Audi R8 Spyder will hit the European market in late 2009, with sales beginning in the U.S. sometime in 2011. According to C&D, the reason for the delayed Stateside launch is due to dealers that "have their hands full allocating coupes." Whatever that means. The R8's stylistic party pieces – it's side blades – will be shrunken down to accommodate a power-operated soft top, and the interior will carry over unchanged.

We've got more Audi goodness for you at 6 PM EST tonight, so check back in a few hours for a sneak peak of the four-ringer's plans for the Geneva Motor Show.


[Source: Car and Driver]

Click above for high-res gallery of this record-breaking Ferrari

This past weekend a new record was set for the highest amount paid for a car at a vintage auction by a 1961 Ferrari California Spyder selling for $10,894,900 after auction fees. The sale was at RM Auction's second annual "Ferrari Leggenda e Passione" auction in Maranello, Italy, and the obviously wealthy buyer was popular British radio host Chris Evans.

While we aren't experts on the classic car market, we can't help but think this sale was the result of a "gotta have it" mentality by Evans with no regard for the actual value of the vehicle. The initial estimate from RM Auctions was nearly half the sale price, and the fact that the car was previously owned by actor James Coburn seems somewhat inconsequential. While there's no doubt that Evans snagged an incredibly beautiful vintage Ferrari, we think he could have got his hands on a California Spyder for much less.

[Source: RM Auctions]

Click above to view video

We wrote about the Car-Parazzi kids a while back when they were discovered by Jay Leno and became web celebs overnight. This team of young teens is possessed with some insane energy and skill. Still young and unjaded, they have tons of opportunities to feed their passion in the areas around SoCal. This new footage from the teen titans is of the annual Southern California CHP 11-99 Charity Drive, a venerable cornucopia of exotica.

The California Highway Patrol's (CHP) 11-99 Foundation is an assistance program for the families of officers who have been injured or fallen in the line of duty. The foundation sells merchandise and holds various fundraisers throughout the year, but the highlight is this drive. Virtually every supercar and exotic in and around Los Angeles shows up for the short drive to the charity dinner/auction destination. The young men at Car-Parazzi were there last fall to capture some of the excitement. Keep your eyes peeled and you'll see a Maserati MC12, Ferrari Enzos, Porsche Carrera GTs, a Bugatti Veyron, Mercedes SLR McLaren and a host of other Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis, Ford GTs, and the like. Check out the car porn for yourself after the jump.

[Source: Streetfire.net]

Alfa Romeo is returning to the US market in about a year, offering the zooty 8C Competizione and 8C Spider atop a range of less spectacular offerings. While the top-end 8Cs will probably be Italian emigres, the 149 and 169 sedans could be put together in Mexico. Alfa doesn't have a hard and fast decision yet, and could pick another site, even one in North America. Moving the labor to Mexico for the volume sellers might prove to be a wise move on Alfa's part. The dollar continues to take a beating, pushing up the cost of European items on US sales markets, and building somewhere else would sidestep some of those increased costs. Alfa is trying this idea in China, too, where Chery will assemble automobiles for that market. We're all for it if it gets the keys to some stylish Italians in our hands while holding the prices down. The quality can't be any worse than it was in the bad old days that led to the notorious reputation for unreliability that afflicted Italian marques. Besides, those shop queens were so joyous to drive, they made suckers out of all of us, and we'd do it again, given the chance.

[Source: Inside Line]

The current standard-wheelbase Spyker C8 Laviolette

Spyker may be down, but it's not out. The Dutch exotic automaker has fallen on some hard times, but that's not going to stop it from moving forward with at least some of its plans. The C12 Zagato has been postponed indefinitely, but at the upcoming Geneva auto show in March, Spyker is expected to unveil an improved version of its existing C8 Laviolette.

As wonderfully quirky as the current C8 is, owners complain of constricted space. In response Spyker has stretched the wheelbase, giving more space in the cabin while improving the vehicles proportions. The C8 Laviolette LWB will feature an elongated version of the current model's glass roofline. A long wheelbase Spyder version is expected to follow sometime thereafter, benefiting from a proper motorized convertible roof instead of the largely useless folding rag on the current short-wheelbase model. It's a small step forward for the ailing company, but a step forward nonetheless.

Follow the jump for a video rendering of the upcoming C8 Spyder LWB doin' the turntable thing.

[Source: Spyker Owner Forum]