Audi Sport customers will be able to purchase the latest version of the Audi R8 LMS in time for the 2019 season. During the current development stage, fans will be able to see the GT3 car in action in next year's ADAC GT Masters. Audi gave the car its official debut on Tuesday at the Motor Show in Paris.
The engineers headed by chief developer Armin Plietsch addressed four areas to achieve their objectives: aerodynamics, brake cooling, the clutch and the transmission. "We deliberately chose to make moderate modifications instead of pursuing a comprehensive evolution," says Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. "This is economically sensible for both new customers and for those teams that are able to easily retrofit their existing cars with all new components."
At the front, modified body styling and a new splitter not only represent a new face but also aerodynamic improvements. While the parameters for aerodynamic drag and downforce are specified by the FIA, the new shape makes more consistent downforce possible across diverse ambits. Varying ride heights the teams achieve due to suspension setups as well as driving conditions at different speeds or in situations like braking in front of corners and while accelerating now have smaller effects on airflow. This leads to higher aerodynamic stability which makes for a steadier handling feel particularly for gentleman race drivers. Following the CFD calculations, Audi Sport tested the new components in the 50-percent wind tunnel and subsequently validated the results in tests.
An optimized airflow through the front bumper improves brake cooling at the front axle. In terms of power transmission components, Audi Sport improved the three-plate racing clutch. Wear protection for the clutch spring extends the rebuild interval of this highly stressed component by more than 50 percent. The other drive train elements have become more durable as well. Revised gear teeth and reinforced bearings make longer running times of the sequential six-speed transmission possible. In addition, the engineers managed to reduce wear of the locking differential. As a result, the teams are able to select softer preloading which simplifies handling.
In terms of safety, the current generation of the Audi R8 LMS plays a pioneering role, having clearly surpassed the requirements of the regulation ever since its launch. Thanks to a modified structure of the front end and a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) crash element being used for the first time at the rear, the GT3 sports car fulfills the crash test requirements for Le Mans prototypes (LMP). The sophisticated Audi Protection Seat PS 3 with its structural stiffness and adaptability to various driver physiques is setting standards in seating technology. It is firmly connected to the chassis, which increases stiffness.
Lightweight design is another one of Audi's areas of expertise. In spite of the additional weight resulting from the aforementioned innovations, the race car's dry weight is clearly lower than before. The homologation weight that has been reduced by 25 kilograms compared with the first generation of the Audi R8 LMS can easily be achieved even in endurance racing trim with additional headlights and air conditioning for the helmet and seat. The intelligent material mix of aluminum in the Audi Space Frame (ASF) combined with the structural CFRP center tunnel and the CFRP back wall as well as the steel roll cage make the chassis alone about 30 kilograms lighter than that of the first generation - since 2015, it has tipped the scales at merely 252 kilograms. At the same time, the torsional stiffness of the supporting frame has increased by 39 percent.
Following the world debut in Paris, Audi Sport will deliver the first customer race cars in November at a selling price of 398,000 euro (plus VAT). The evolution kit for retrofitting older vehicle generations costs 28,000 euros (plus VAT). Since making its debut in 2015 the Evolution stage of the Audi R8 LMS has registered eleven victories in the ADAC GT Masters.