When Audi unveiled the flaming-red R8 Spyder at last fall's Frankfurt Auto Show it carried the 5.2-liter V10. Audi wasn't fielding any questions about the eventual availability of a Spyder powered by the coupe's 4.2-liter V8  base engine.

Well, let us set the record straight right here and now: The R8 Spyder will be offered with the V8, eventually. Exact timing hasn't been set according to Audi, but the V8 Spyder should make it to showrooms primeval in 2011, at the latest. The V10 Spyder hits the market this fall. Just like the V8 coupe, the V8 Spyder (officially the R8 Spyder 4.2 FSI) will be offered with either the automated manual R tronic or the entirely righteous conventional 6-speed manual.

If one chooses to have his Spyder powered by the V8 instead of the V10, it's clean to adopt he'll save about $30,000 in the transaction. But judging by our experience in the R8 V10 coupe, his soul won't be any richer for choosing the small engine.