Audi R8 GT3 Spied at Nürburgring

Audi R8 GT3 spy photo on Nurburgring / CarPix

No quattro, only RWD

By Thami Masemola
November 18, 2008 9:29 PM
Filed Under: Audi, German, Motorsport, Nürburgring, Spy Photos, Supercars

Caught testing at the Nürburgring, the Audi R8 GT3 is Audi's entry ticket into GT3 racing. Conducting what must be a highly daunting task, ABT Sportsline is testing the GT3, which was first introduced in August 2008. ABT are also responsible for the Audi DTM racecar. Doing the driving was Frank Biela, the Audi factory driver who has won 24 hour race at Le Mans a good five times.

The R8 GT3 is a 500-plus bhp machine using a V10 engine and a 6-speed sequential gearbox. This is in line with other competitors in the formula. However, 4WD, that is, quattro in this case, is not allowed in any of the cars in the championship, and so the R8 GT3 is 100 percent rear-wheel-driven.

Audi will enter the GT3 in 2009 for competition, but hopes are high that depending on its success, GT3 will spawn a road-going version, albeit possibly in limited numbers.

Source: CarPix

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Comments

dbehmoaras

November 18, 2008 9:51 PM

they should make a street-legal version of this car with all wheel drive

mmr66

November 18, 2008 10:29 PM

they should make a v10 or v12 version of the car i have driven it and i got smoked by a bmw m5 from a roling start.

MadMaTTer

November 19, 2008 12:05 AM

i dont know about that I would think the R8 is faster than the M5 by numbers alone, i would credit a better driver at the other end in your case. it is rumored that Audi will be releasing an R8 with the Gallardo V10 sometime in 09 (aside from this GT3 version). and hopefully the V12 Diesel at some point.

lucifa

November 19, 2008 1:16 AM

if it was a rolling start i can see an M5 taking an R8 - remember, that V10 only comes into real performance at high end revs which is the sort of thing you can get with a rolling start. and when you're above 150ks it's absolute power, not power-to-weight, that matters. depends on what the starting speed was, i guess

brocky

November 19, 2008 8:44 AM

you're right lucifa. From a ditch the R8 should beat the m5 but it would still be close. But from a rolling start that V10 would haul ass

Tuner_Mad

November 18, 2008 11:02 PM

Holy thing on wheels that is one of those cars that look much like a R8. That wing must be never let the RWD system out of control...

MadMaTTer

November 18, 2008 11:46 PM

Glad to see Audi putting their foot into the FIA GT3. This will defintely brighten things up in the GT3. Hopefully they take some wins in their first year.

MadMaTTer

November 18, 2008 11:51 PM

this thing looks great

_M7_

November 19, 2008 2:02 AM

jajaj talking about engines and you dont know a sh*t about cars JAJAJA learn some phisics first instead too much talk...and the GIGANT spoiler its to queep the tail on ground...that means tis not very well made on the wind tunel

atleast500hp

November 19, 2008 3:49 AM

Learn about physics? How about learning how to spell and use correct grammar?

Xanavi23

November 19, 2008 3:47 AM

This is good news, great car. Its good to see more GT-3 cars

plasma_cluster

November 19, 2008 5:18 AM

And hello audi

bernardo

November 19, 2008 5:30 AM

Looks like an R8.

eas722

November 19, 2008 4:46 PM

you know i was about to say that

fatrichard

November 19, 2008 5:41 AM

they are going to launch 10+ different versions based on the same R8 design.. what an ugly car..

kevoluetion

November 19, 2008 6:42 AM

They will because they can

Yawung

November 19, 2008 6:51 AM

Now thats a bat from hell!

MadMaTTer

November 19, 2008 5:41 PM

thats why i said based on numbers. real world test vary from tester to tester, car to car, run to run. theres way to many variables unless its an obvious blowout which with these 2 cars its not. the R8 (by test numbers) beats the M5 0-60 by .02 beats the M5 by .01 in 0-100 and have the same 1/4 mile times. i dont know what speeds these two gentlemen reached or what kind of drivers they are, or for that matter what weather conditions where involved since these factor affect performance just as much, temperatures, air density, elevation even the cars current state and its tire pressures all come into play.

Either way if i where given a choice I would take the R8 whether its faster in a straight line or not. A drag race says very little about a cars performance to me.

wisp

November 19, 2008 8:09 AM

The R8 clearly needs a bigger engine or uprated V8 to the one it is currently using if it wants people to respect as they do with the Lambo.

mortz

November 19, 2008 9:39 AM

Looks awesome

The_woo_factor

November 19, 2008 10:24 AM

Sex on wheels....

Bristol411S3

November 19, 2008 11:13 AM

As bigger engines become harder to sell, it wouldn't surprise me if Audi want back their aspirations for the R8 rather than pushing ahead with a V10 and the like. Whereas it's harder for Lamborghini to some over all green, it fits with Audi's brief better.

This GT3 looks great though. The cooling in the bonnet breaks up one of, what I considered, the R8's weakest aspects.

And the M5/R8 comparisons are academic. They are different types of cars. No doubt the R8 is a great car and fantastic first effort. It's not a groundbreaker though.

Blackeyes21

November 19, 2008 1:24 PM

The BMW M5 is more over weight then Audi R8 GT3 and more comfortable then Audi to drive. I think that's why BMW M5 saloon family car looks faster.

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