Audi R8 LMS
The name of the R8 is legend: The R8 sports prototype won the 24 Hours of Le Mans five times between 2000 and 2005 and celebrated 63 wins from 80 starts. The first thoroughbred production R8 sportscar from Audi was unveiled in 2006, carrying the genes of the triumphant racing prototypes.
With this machine, the name R8 returned to the race track: Bearing a close resemblance to the production car and derived from a chassis taken from the production line, the Audi R8 LMS arises.
With the GT3 race version of the R8, Audi Sport developed a racing sports car with body shells made by quattro GmbH in Heilbronn-Biberach and V10 engines from the Audi factory in Györ, Hungary.
quattro GmbH takes a standard production chassis from the production line in Neckarsulm and fits a roll cage ready to accept the V10 power unit. The standard production all-wheel drive quattro is however, unfortunately prohibited by the regulations. Its 6-speed gearbox has been adapted for racing purposes and operated by a steering wheel-mounted shift paddle system so the driver never has to remove his hands from the wheel.
For this purpose Audi successfully transferred technology from professional racing: the pneumatic system required for such gear-shift procedures originated from the multiple Le-Mans winning R10 TDI.
The relatively compact and light engine is equipped with petrol direct injection FSI, a racing version of which booked wins from 2001 at Le Mans as power unit for the R8 sports prototype. It allows higher compression in the R8 LMS V10 power plant and guarantees an excellent power output.
Furthermore, the rear-wing profile of the R8 LMS is almost identical to the corresponding R10 TDI aerodynamic component.
Technical data:
| Car | |
| Car model | Audi R8 LMS - homologated to FIA GT3 regulations |
| Design | Audi Space Frame (ASF) made of aluminium with bolted steel roll-cage, carbon-fibre composite & aluminium bodywork |
| Suspension | Independent front and rear double-wishbone; damper strut with coil spring (Eibach) and adjustable dampers (Bilstein) as well as adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars |
| Brakes | Dual circuit hydraulic brake system; ceramic brake; disc front and rear, race ABS |
| Engine | |
| Type | V10 engine, 90 degree cylinder angle, 4 valves per cylinder, DOHC, petrol direct injection, emission control by two racing catalytic converters |
| Cubic Capacity | 5,200 cc |
| Power | 550 bhp |
| Torque | over 500 Nm |
| Drivetrain / transmission | |
| Type of transmission | Rear wheel drive, traction control (ASR) |
| Gearbox | Sequential, pneumatic activated 6-speed sport gearbox with shift-paddles |
| Wheels | O.Z. cast magnesium |
| Tyres | Dunlop |
| Dimensions/weight | |
| Length | 4,470 mm |
| Width | 1,994 mm |
| Height | 1,195 mm |
| Minimum weight | 1,250 kg |
| Tank capacity | 120 litres |
