Audi R8 LMS for the 2019 season: Audi R8 LMS – a winner attacks

The current version of the Audi R8 LMS is the fourth model innovation in just four years from Audi Sport customer racing: Following the radically new second generation of the Audi R8 LMS (2015), the Audi RS 3 LMS TCR touring car (2016) and the Audi R8 LMS GT4 sports car (2017), the updated Audi R8 LMS GT3 was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 2018. The new evolution of the model that is successful in worldwide sprint and endurance racing is closely tailored to customers’ needs in terms of technology and price. The career of the new Audi R8 LMS began with a one-two result in the 2019 running of the Dubai 24 Hours.

With that, the new evolution seamlessly continued the winning streak of its predecessor that, among other events, decided the endurance races at Bathurst, Daytona, Dubai, Laguna Seca, on the Nürburgring, at Sepang and Spa in its favor, as well as having won many worldwide championship titles. So what could still be improved? “We’ve put an even stronger focus on our large base of customers and their interests,” says Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. “The pre-design stage of the second evolution of our current model generation was centered on many discussions with our teams.” In addition to the pros who are successful with the race cars, amateur drivers have been clinching victories and even class or overall titles in America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, and in Europe as well.

In the development project, Audi Sport focused on providing these customers with even better support than before. Optimizations in the areas of aerodynamics and cooling make for even greater consistency of handling performance in diverse fielding applications. Durability of the power transmission elements was another focal area. For the teams, the evolution package pays off both in terms of racing and economy: Moderate modifications of the overall concept and the longer maintenance intervals for the clutch and transmission stand for sensible investments that promise success in racing and optimally support amateurs. Whether the teams already own a second-generation Audi R8 LMS or buy a new model: the changes benefit everyone and are suitable for retrofitting existing race cars as well.

Since November 2018, Audi Sport has been delivering the new customer race car at a selling price of 398,000 euros (plus VAT). The evolution kit for retrofitting older vehicle generations costs 28,000 euros (plus VAT).