Audi Shows Race Version of the Audi R8 at the Essen Motor Show

Essen/Ingolstadt - Audi is set to present a world premiere at the Essen Motor Show from November 28 to December 7: the brand with the four rings will be unveiling a race version of the Audi R8 with over 500 horsepower. During the press conference on November 28, Audi will also be presenting its plans for the 2009 motorsport season. This year’s winning Le Mans car and Timo Scheider’s victorious DTM car will be lining up in Essen alongside numerous attractive production models.

The version of the Audi R8 specially developed for customer teams will be celebrating its world premiere in Essen. From fall 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 motorsport 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. On Friday, November 28 at 2 pm, the Audi motorsport boss will be appearing on AUDI AG’s stand in Hall 3 to report for the first time on Audi’s plans for the 2009 season.