The version of the Audi R8 specially developed for customer teams celebrated its world premiere in Essen and is known as R8 LMS. From mid-2009, therefore, Audi Sport will for the first time offer a racing car that was specifically developed for customer use.

“Ever since the Audi R8 was unveiled we’ve been inundated with inquiries about a race version. With the Audi R8, we will offer customers a racing car packed with sophisticated technology and characteristic Audi quality, but which is nevertheless easy to handle,” says Head of Audi Motorsport, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. The first prototype completed its first tests in mid-August with Audi works driver Frank Biela at the wheel.

The new GT sports car will be joined in Essen by other successful members of the Audi motor sport 'family': this year’s winning Le Mans car, the Audi R10 TDI driven by Rinaldo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish, and the Audi A4 DTM in which Timo Scheider clinched the championship title just a few weeks ago.

These motor sport highlights will also be accompanied by a selection from Audi’s current model range. The production R8 together with the RS and S models are the link between motor sport and series production. In Essen, the brand showed the Audi R8, the Audi RS 6 Sedan, the Audi TTS Coupé as the top-of-the range model in the TT line, the Audi S3 as the top model in the A3 line and the Audi S4 as the sporty highlight in the A4 family. The S4 will be celebrating its German show premiere in Essen. It was joined there by the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI quattro, the Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro and the Audi A5 Coupé 2.0 T quattro.