R8 road racer ready to blast in

By Sam Hardy

15th March 2010

Is Audi preparing a lightweight R8 racer for the road? Auto Express has learned the firm will take the wraps of another version of its flagship supercar very soon – and it could bring the looks and performance of the racing LMS to the showroom. This would give Audi a rival to Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS and Lamborghini’s Gallardo Superleggera.

Talking to Auto Express this week, head of technology development Stefan Reil revealed: “There is another surprise in store for the R8 family. And it will be unveiled at an event this year.” Reil, who developed the R8 Spyder and has recently signed off the RS5 coupé, would not be drawn on exact details. However, when asked about the firm’s customer racing programme, which bred the LMS, he said: “We have been very successful in this area. So why not bring that performance side of the R8 to the street?”  

Produced by Audi’s motorsport division, the LMS let enthusiasts compete in the GT3 class. It featured a downforce-producing aero package, lightweight panels and a stripped out cabin. The 5.2-litre V10 was hooked up to a sequential paddleshift gearbox from Audi’s Le Mans-winning R10 sports prototype, too. Only a handful of models were produced for homologation purposes.

It’s possible Audi will build on this with a lightweight R8 that uses lots of carbon fibre, similar to the Gallardo Superleggera. There are plans for a V8-engined version of the R8 Spyder too.

As for aiming even higher, Reil said Audi would not be competing with models such as McLaren’s MP4-12C: “It is a competitor on performance, but not in everyday usage.”

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