Audi Sport chose this year’s Goodwood Festival of
Speed to reveal the new R8 LMS GT2 race car, which is set to compete in the new
GT2 class from 2020 on. The new version of the Audi R8 is the most powerful customer race car
ever offered by Audi Sport, with the naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 engine
producing 630 hp, mainly thanks to its new exhaust system.
With the new R8 LMS GT2, Audi joins Porsche as the
second manufacturer to commit to the GT2 Class, which aims to fill the gap
between the existing GT3 and GT4 classes. GT2 race cars are designed to offer
less downforce than the GT3 cars and are scheduled to make their racing debut
in Europe and North America next year.
The new Audi R8 LMS GT2 comes with a significantly
wider bodywork than the production R8, featuring a new front bumper, a huge
rear wing and a roof-mounted air intake for the engine. Audi says that around
55 percent of their new GT2 racer is shared with the road-legal R8.
“The Audi R8 LMS GT2 is the ideal sports car for
classic fielding in races, as well as being suitable for Track Days and events
at Race Resorts, which enjoy increasing popularity among this group of
customers worldwide,” said Oliver Hoffmann, CEO of Audi Sport GmbH.
The most powerful version of the Audi R8 LMS is now
available for sale, with prices starting at 338,000 euros (US$ 380k), plus VAT.
