The new R8 family, including R8 V10, V10 Plus and the e-tron, made their debut at the Geneva Motor Show amid much fanfare. But there is a fourth member we are more interested in than the regular versions, and that is the Audi R8 LMS customer race car.
Replacing the current R8 LMS in the GT3 category and many other endurance races around the globe, and rivaling cars like the Mercedes AMG GT3 in the market, Audi R8 LMS brings new looks and greater performance to the race track. The car is lighter and more agile than its predecessor. It’s also safer and more efficient.
Audi has employed in the new R8 LMS a modified structure of the front end and a CFRP crash element at the rear that is being used for the first time the GT3 race car. At the same time they have managed to lower the wight of the vehicle from 1,250 to 1,225 kilograms thanks to a more intelligent packaging and a mix of aluminum in the Audi Space Frame (ASF), a structural CFRP component and the steel roll cage.
Audi R8 LMS is powered by the same 585 horsepower V10 engine you find in the road-going version, but here it features MS 6.4 electronics including engine electronics, traction control and software for the electro-hydraulic gearshift. That combined with the aerodynamic superiority, brought on by the racing aero kit, give the LMS a serious turns of speed and greater handling compared to the road car.
The first track appearances for the new R8 LMS are scheduled for the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring (May 16/17, 2015) and at Spa (July 25/26, 2015).
