Audi Sport has announced that sales of the third model in its customer racing range, the R8 LMS GT4, have begun. Unveiled at the New York MotorShow earlier this year, the GT4 contender has been in development since, with the first deliveries planned for the start of December. Prospective buyers can order the race car in Europe via Audi Sport customer racing, while Audi Sport customer racing North America, Audi Sport customer racing Asia, Audi Sport customer racing Japan and Audi Sport customer racing Australia are handling sales on three other continents.
The R8 LMS GT4 is the latest variant of racer to join the hotly contested series. Powered by the production car’s V10 engine, developing up to 495hp, depending on the applicable Balance of Performance rating, tweaks to the road car’s engine are limited to a re-mapped ECU and a new exhaust system.
Audi Sport is keen to highlight that it has ‘previously demonstrated the durability of this unit’, which requires maintenance after 10,000km and rebuild after 20,000km, as seen in the GT3 model.
As four-wheel drive is prohibited in the GT4 class, the R8 LMS GT4 utilizes a 7-speed double clutch transmission combined with rear-wheel drive, and a mechanical limited slip differential is used on the rear axle. The suspension of the road-going version featuring double wishbones on all four-wheels is carried over, and paired with rebound and compression adjustable dampers and springs, as well as adjustable stabilizers.
Audi Sport has priced the race car at €198,000 ex. VAT. (US$232,640).
