We all know that the R8 is history. It is no longer being produced and will never be produced again. Here we see the beginning of this success story from Audi. It was the very first prototype of the extremely popular Audi super sports car: the Audi Le Mans Quattro. Read on to discover exciting details about this car.
The Audi Le Mans Quattro is an impressive concept vehicle that Audi unveiled at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt in 2003. This vehicle served as a design and technology showcase for the later Audi R8, a high-performance sports car that went into production in 2006. The design of the Audi Le Mans Quattro was heavily inspired by the successful Audi race cars that dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the early 2000s. Under the leadership of designer Walter de Silva, a vehicle was created at the Audi Design Center in Ingolstadt that brought the essence of Audi's motorsport successes to the road.
The Le Mans Quattro is equipped with a 5.0-liter V10 twin-turbo engine that delivers an impressive 610 horsepower and a maximum torque of 750 Nm. This powerful engine allows the vehicle to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 345 km/h. The vehicle features Audi's renowned quattro all-wheel drive, which provides excellent traction and driving stability. It is also equipped with a sequential six-speed gearbox that enables quick gear changes. The lightweight aluminum structure of the chassis helps reduce weight while simultaneously improving driving dynamics.
The body of the Audi Le Mans Quattro is largely made of aluminum and carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), which reduces the weight of the vehicle and increases aerodynamic efficiency. Aerodynamic elements such as a large rear diffuser and an adjustable rear spoiler ensure high downforce at high speeds. The Audi Le Mans Quattro was equipped with numerous technological innovations. These included an adaptive suspension, LED headlights, and an advanced infotainment system. It was one of the first vehicles to use LED technology for main headlights, which was later adopted in production vehicles like the Audi R8.
Although the Audi Le Mans Quattro was never produced in series, it served as a direct precursor to the Audi R8. The R8 adopted many of the technologies and design elements showcased in the concept vehicle. The Audi R8 became one of the brand's most famous and successful sports cars, embodying the spirit and innovations of the Le Mans Quattro. The Audi Le Mans Quattro remains an important milestone in Audi's history as it paved the way for the development of the R8 and the advancement of high-performance technology at Audi.
Click on the photo for more photo's of this spot!
