Road Legal Version of the Audi R8 LMS GT2 Spied Testing at the Nurburgring
Wearing no camo, the road going version of the Audi R8 LMS GT2 racer looks like it’ll be one heck of a Porsche 911 GT3 RS rival.
As most are well aware by now, the Audi R8 is sadly on the chopping block, set to be discontinued following the 2023 model year. The R8 may live on (albeit with potentially a different name) in the form of an all-electric supercar, but those that crave V8/V10 power are essentially – most likely – looking at the end of the proverbial road. However, as is usually the case with such memorable vehicles, Audi is keen to send the R8 out with a bang. In this case, it’s doing so with what promises to be the ultimate version of that particular supercar – the Audi R8 LMS GT2 – which was recently spied testing in road legal form at the Nurburgring by the folks at Car Spy Media.
At first glance, one might just assume that this is the existing racing version of the Audi R8 LMS GT2, but there are a few clues that tell a different story. For starters, this particular car is seen wearing license plates, and it’s sitting a bit higher than its track-focused brethren. However, the video footage here is the real confirmation of that fact, because it shows this particular car being driven around on public roads surrounding the Nurburgring, too.
The road going Audi R8 LMS GT2 is a derivative of the racing counterpart that debuted back in 2019 for GT2 racing, which packs a 5.2-liter V10 producing 640 horsepower. Based on the R8 Spyder, this machine is equipped with the typical stuff one might see in a race car, such as a roll cage and plenty of carbon fiber that helps keep weight rather low – just a tad under 3,000 pounds, in fact. During its reveal, Audi R&D chief Oliver Hoffman hinted that a road-going version may also be in the works, and we’ve been waiting patiently for that ever since.
While very little is known about the road legal Audi R8 LMS GT2 aside from these tidbits, the fact that the car is out testing at the Nurburgring sans any sort of camouflage likely indicates that an official reveal isn’t too terribly far off. For now, rumors suggest that it will unveiled in early 2024, though production will most likely be limited to just 100 units and sport a lofty price tag only a select few can afford. Given the fact that the R8 LMS GT2 will likely offer up performance on par with, say, the latest Porsche 911 GT3 RS, coupled with the fact that cars like this are essentially going extinct in slow fashion, and we’re just happy it exists at all, to be honest.
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