MotorMouths

“Honest officer, it’s my 25th high school reunion in a couple of days,” I said to the man examining my driver’s license under the glare of red and blue flashing lights. If you’re going to drive down memory lane, do it in a 2011 Audi R8 Spyder.

With the top missing, the proportions of the Audi R8 5.2 Spyder are better — wider and more squished. More exotic. The combination of all-wheel-drive, mid-engine layout, manual transmission and big engine is the perfect algorithm for a convertible.

Stylish, easy to drive and even somewhat of a bargain, the 2012 Audi R8 is an intriguing choice for an exotic sports car.

Audi has crafted a masterpiece here. It has bested its own best-in-a-generation R8 by lopping off the top, and creating a better, more involving car in the process. Better still, it has built a supercar that is every bit the match, dollar for dollar, with its far more exotic Lamborghini doppelganger.

The 2013 Audi R8 works on many levels. It’s quiet enough to drive every day, and when you need to turn up the wick, however, this R8 responds better than ever. The combination of the new transmission, adaptive suspension and always usable power add up to a sweetie of a sports car.

The R8 Spyder is exotic in the most livable way, like a finely tailored suit that you don’t mind throwing in the washer once in a while. We like that, and it seems bystanders do, too. The people have spoken.

The R8 remains a competitive player and is an absolute joy to drive. It always seems to have a few tricks up its sleeves. Its supercar proportions set it apart from competitors.

The Audi R8 does what you expect from a high-performance sports car. And it does so with daily livability, turn-key reliability, and perhaps in your style more than any other. You could drive it to the office in the rain, go parts shopping, then do a few laps at the track in one day.

The Audi R8 is fast and agile, stops quickly and draws admiring stares. And it does so with daily livability and turn-key reliability.

The Audi R8 Spyder is powered by the same 5.2-liter direct-injected V-10 as the coupe. It’s throaty roar that makes an argument that the Spyder provides a more thrilling driving experience than the coupe.

In a way, it’s ridiculous for me to try and write about how good this car is. You won’t fully understand it until your butt is in the seat, your hands are on the wheel, and your foot is on the floor. The Audi R8 is like a holiday weekend that never ends.

But the main difference between the GT and the regular Audi R8 5.2 is that the lighter car drives with more precision through fast corners. Ultimately, this is a refined sports car endowed with instant reactions as well as a forgiving demeanor at the limit.