Race car and production model: Close relatives

Direct synergies between racing and production: The Audi R8 LMS is based on the Audi R8 (Audi R8: combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 13.3-12.9; CO₂ emissions in g/km: 301-293. Fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions and efficiency classes given in ranges depend on the tires/wheels used). It is even more powerful than its predecessor. About 50 percent carry-over parts characterize the versions for the road and the race track.

Audi Sport carries the genes from motorsport to the road, and no other model embodies this idea as consistently as the Audi R8. Its development was characterized by close cooperation between the racing and the Technical Development Departments. The production model and race car share a common basis.

For example, the chassis: The close connection between the production and the race car starts with the design stage and ends with manufacturing. The Audi R8 is made at a production site that has specifically been established for the sports car – the Böllinger Höfe industrial park in Heilbronn. In addition to the production model, the chassis of the race car is produced at the factory. The sports car is subsequently completed with racing-specific components. Both versions come from the same facility. For the assembly of the individual motorsport components, the racing chassis is removed from the production line and subsequently reintroduced. 

For example, the lightweight design: Characteristic for the Audi Space Frame (ASF) is the multi-material lightweight design. Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) components form the B-pillars, the center tunnel and the rear wall. The front end, the roof arch and the rear end are assembled as a framework of cast aluminum nodes and profiles, some of which consist of new alloys. As in any ASF, every component has been precisely designed for its place and purpose. For example, a number of components are integrated in the body shell according to their respective functions. The body shell is now 15 percent lighter than that of the first-generation Audi R8. Particularly in terms of stiffness, the body of the new Audi R8 sets standards. The resulting quality of the lightweight design is the benchmark among competitors. The race car is precisely based on this ASF body as well. Complemented by a steel roll cage, the chassis in the race car is 30 kilograms lighter than the one of the first generation, but has 39 percent more torsional stiffness.

For example, the engine: The ten-cylinder engine is assembled by hand at the engine plant in Győr, Hungary. The engines for both the road-going and the racing version are almost completely identical. The standard dry-sump lubrication of the 5.2 FSI engine is a classic motorsport technology. It allows for low installation of the unit which benefits the center of gravity. The pump module operates with several scavenging stages and ensures lubrication under all conditions – even with lateral accelerations in the range of 1.5 g that the production R8 may reach. As a result, the engine offers reserves that are completely sufficient for racing purposes as well. The robust V10 in racing has been designed for a service interval of 10,000 kilometers and 20,000 kilometers for the first rebuild. Many teams use the engine for further cycles. These unusually high figures in racing are a crucial advantage in analyzing the cost effectiveness of the race car.