It’s a special feeling to see the actual car you drive compete in a sanctioned race. Watching F1 cars and open wheel racers is exciting, but it’s just downright cool to see cars that look like “real cars” chase each other thru turns and straights.
Audi is one of the few OE manufacturers that is championing the cause for customer racing with its R8 LMS Ultra and R8 Grand Am vehicles. As part of its Audi Sport Customer Racing division, Audi offers the Audi Race Experience. Sporting ambitious motorists can license, train, or even compete with the Audi R8 LMS ultra – all under the guidance of experienced professional racing drivers.
Motorsports isn’t the cheapest hobby, so for those of us that can’t quite have a racecar, let’s take a look into some of the similarities as well as the differences between the standard Audi R8 and the Audi R8 LMS vehicles.
Body/Chassis
LMS – Aluminum/Carbon Aero…substantially more aggressive
R8 – Aluminum / Carbon Sideblades
Engine/Drivetrain
Both use the same 5.2L Motor, with the LMS having restrictions that result in less horsepower. Both use Bosch engine management. Interestingly enough, the LMS is a rear wheel drive only vehicle – doing away with the flagship Quattro technology and moniker due to the racing requirements
Transmissions
LMS- Sequential, pneumatically activated 6-speed sports with paddle shift R8 – R-Tronic/S-Tronic standard production gearbox
Both use the same production clutch
Suspension
LMS – Full Coilover Suspension
R8 – Magnetic Ride, adjustable dampening for comfort
Interior
LMS – Bare bones, no carpet, no leather
R8 – full production interior with multimedia and heated seats
Both use the same production dash.
Audi R8 LMS ultra (GT3)
