Audi R8 (road car)

''This article is about the road going sports car. For the race car used in Sportscar racing, see Audi R8 (race car)''.

The Audi R8 (Typ 42) is a mid-engined sports car introduced by the German automaker Audi in 2007.

The first appearance of the car was in 2006, appearing at auto shows and events all over the world. The R8 is based on the Lamborghini Gallardo platform, as Audi currently has full ownership of subsidiary Automobilii Lamborghini S.p.A.

Audi announced in 2005 that the name of the successful Audi R8 race car would be used for a new road car in 2007, the Audi R8, based on the Audi Le Mans Quattro concept car, appearing at the 2003 Geneva Auto Show and 2003 International Motor Show. The R8 was officially launched at the Paris Auto Show on 30 September 2006. There is some confusion with the name, which the car shares with the Le Mans winning R8 LMP. Originally, many thought the car would be called the R9 (as there is a gap in numbering left when Audi announced the R8's successor, the diesel-powered R10).

The R8 is used as a safety car in Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters racing series.

Versions

 * Audi R8 4.2
 * Audi R8 5.2 FSI

Trivia

 * The R8 has appeared in movies such as Iron Man because of it's unique looks.
 * Audi's 'Le Mans quattro' concept car is the basis of the R8, as both have similar looks and performance.
 * The main difference between the Le Mans quattro concept car and the R8 is the headlamps. The Le Mans quatrro uses normal bulbs while the R8 uses daytime-running LEDs.