R8 Spyder vs. Extra 200 stunt plane

When you’ve got £111,995 burning a hole in your pocket, the sky really is the limit. For the same cost as an Audi R8 Spyder, you could get behind the controls of an aeroplane. Given the Audi’s supercar status, you’ll need something with adrenaline-pumping credentials, so we’ve picked an aerobatic machine.

German firm Extra builds some of the best models in the business. Its entry-level 200 will set you back almost £170,000, but nearly new examples fall easily within our budget. Besides, if you add desirable options to the R8, including our test car’s carbon fibre interior trim, the price can  rocket – potentially to as much as £150,000.

The Extra makes an even greater visual impact than the stunning Spyder. The model in our pictures is the more powerful 300, but it looks nearly identical to the cheaper 200 version. Designed to perform jaw-dropping stunts, its exterior lines are a classic case of form following function.

The stubby wings and short fuselage aid manoeuvrability, while the large canopy gives the pilot excellent visibility – better than the R8 with its fabric hood lowered. Much of the Extra’s agility can be traced
to its amazingly low weight of 562kg.

The panels covering the fuselage are of a special composite construction, while the wings feature carbon fibre. Underneath the skin you’ll find a welded tubular airframe, and while the skeletal structure looks fragile, it is very stiff and can withstand body-crushing forces of up to 10G!

Despite its hi-tech aluminium chassis, the R8 is overweight compared to its winged challenger. Tipping the scales at 1,720kg, the Audi is 1,158kg heavier than the Extra. The Spyder also weighs 100kg more than its coupé counterpart, thanks to its extra chassis strengthening. The upshot of this is an extremely cosseting cabin. Soft leather covers the seats and dashboard, while the wraparound cockpit looks great. And even with the hood up, access is easy, thanks to the wide door openings.

The contrast with the Extra couldn’t be greater, as clambering behind the controls takes a lot more effort. After opening the large side-hinged canopy, you have to climb on the wing before lowering yourself into the cockpit. And unlike the Audi’s side-by-side layout, occupants in the 200 sit on thinly padded tandem seats.

The fit and finish are workmanlike, with the plane’s airframe and the cables that control the various wing flaps clearly visible. The pilot sits in the rear chair in front of a large dashboard scattered with buttons, dials and warning lights – a far cry from the polished interior of the Audi.

On the left is a hand-operated throttle, which is connected to the Extra’s 200bhp 5.9-litre flat-four Lycoming engine. While it can’t match the Audi’s 518bhp 5.2-litre V10 for power, the plane’s raucous unit helps deliver exhilarating aerobatic thrills.

In the skilled hands of pilot Steve Hicks, the Extra is very agile. Barrel rolls, crazy changes of direction and stomach-churning loops all leave you wide-eyed in amazement. Steve flew Harrier jets for the RAF, so he has plenty of experience. But if you go solo, you’d have to clock up at least 45 hours of training, which isn’t cheap.

Fortunately, you don’t need as much commitment or cash to enjoy the Spyder, and it shares the same engaging dynamics that earned the coupé victory at our 2009 Performance Car of the Year contest.

The R8 is the more cost-effective option of the two. It’s a lot easier to access its performance, and the plane’s high price is only the start – you’ll have to budget around £400 for every hour you’re in the air. But once you’re barrel-rolling through the clouds, you’ll probably agree that the incredible thrills are worth every penny...