The original Audi R8 took the automotive landscape by storm, offering Audi’s everyday livability in a supercar shape that looked like nothing on the road. When the second generation R8 launched as a 2016 model, it favored a more linear and angular design in favor of the original’s curves. It’s design was definitely more aggressive, but it divided opinions, some going as far as saying that it had lost the original’s charm and allure.

Maybe what the naysayers needed was some wind in their hair, as Audi has just introduced the 2017 Audi R8 Spyder. With the roof gone, the R8’s design feels more cohesive. With a stiffer torsional rigidity compared to the previous model as well as reinforcements to its chassis, the car should handle much better compared to the previous model, although it was no slouch around the bends. Sending power to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the R8 should be a blast on the track but still be everyday livable downtown.