Two spectacular LMS-spec Audi V10 supercars prepare for Silverstone as soft-top R8 Spyder heads for UK roads

• R8 Spyder road car on course for spring debut on UK roads, priced at £111,955 OTR for the manual version and £117,155 OTR for the R tronic
• Leeds-based United Autosports bids for FIA GT3 European Title as first British team to run Audi R8 ‘LMS’ sports cars
• Carbon fibre body, race-spec gearbox and ‘stripped-out’ interior combine to deliver even more extreme performance than 525PS R8 V10 road car on which R8 LMS is based

As the first examples of the scalp-bronzing Audi R8 Spyder head for the UK to enliven spring 2010, two rather more knuckle-whitening versions of the celebrated Audi supercar are preparing to compete in the 2010 FIA GT3 European Championships in the hands of a new home-grown racing team.

The latest R8 road car is based on the 525PS, 5.2-litre FSI model, but features a bespoke body incorporating additional weight-saving carbon fibre composite panels as well as the all-important fully automatic lightweight fabric hood. Good for a 4.1-second 0-62mph sprint and a top speed of 197mph, the R8 Spyder is available to order in the UK now in six-speed manual and six-speed R tronic automated manual forms priced at £111,955 OTR and £117,155 OTR.

The Audi R8 LMS, which takes the fixed head version of this formidable, V10-powered lightweight aluminium supercar as its basis, was developed by Audi Sport in close cooperation with quattro GmbH for “customer” motor sport teams. The first thoroughbred “customer” sports car in the Audi brand’s illustrious near 30-year modern motor sport history adopts an even more extreme edge through the even more extensive use of weight-paring carbon fibre, the installation of a race-spec gearbox and the removal of all standard interior trim.

United Autosports, a newly formed British racing team based in Leeds, Yorkshire, has secured two examples of the specially enhanced and race prepared super car, which has already justified its £267,000 ‘list price’ by achieving 23 race victories throughout Europe in 2009, its debut season.

With this spectacular duo, the team aims to successfully defend the FIA GT3 European Championship title for the German ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ manufacturer. British sports car fans can see them make their maiden outing in the British GT Championship opener at Oulton Park, Cheshire, on Easter Monday (April 5th), before they campaign in the FIA Euro races at Silverstone, Northamptonshire, on May 2nd.

The Audi brand exceeded the milestone 100,000 sales mark in the UK in 2007 and 2008. Globally, the brand exceeded 1 million deliveries for the first time in its history in 2008. With its programmes for both road and race cars the brand continues to maintain its upward trajectory. On the road it has extended its reach into important new segments with new models such as the A5 Sportback, the Q5, the TT RS and the R8 5.2 FSI quattro, and in the near future will break further new ground with the A1 compact hatchback and the Q3 compact SUV. On the race circuit Audi Sport has contested the Le Mans 24-hour marathon eleven times since 1999, achieving a podium finish on all of these occasions and outright victory a total of 8 times.

For further information please contact:

Robin Davies
Product Affairs Manager
Telephone: 01908 601407
Email: robin.davies@audi.co.uk

Kate Dixon
Media Relations Manager
Telephone: 01908 601629
Email: kate.dixon@audi.co.uk

Juliet Carrington
Press Fleet and VIP Relations Manager
Telephone: 01908 601016
Email: juliet.carrington@audi.co.uk

David Ingram
Press Relations Manager, Product and Technology
Telephone: 01908 601413
Email: david.ingram@audi.co.uk

Jon Zammett
Head of PR
Telephone: 01908 601455
Email: jon.zammett@audi.co.uk

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