Audi R8 debuts as DTM safety car
Click for hi-res gallery of the Audi R8 DTM safety car
Audi has announced that its superlative R8 sportscar will serve as the safety car for the ever-popular DTM touring car championship, having also served in the same capacity for the recently-concluded 24 Hours of Le Mans. Audi's performance division quattro GmbH prepared a pair of R8s for the German racing series – with the second serving as a "racing taxi" – but noted that, "because the R8 possesses the genes of a perfect sports car", little in the way of modification for duty was required.
The pair of R8 support vehicles made its debut at the Norisring Speed Weekend yesterday, where Mercedes-Benz beat out the new Audi A4 DTM with a 1-2 finish. Follow the jump for the press release and click on the thumbnails below for our high-resolution image gallery.
Gallery: Audi R8 DTM safety car
[Source: Audi Motorsport]
PRESS RELEASE
Audi R8 is new safety car at the DTM
- Mid-engine sports car serves as safety car
- Début for Audi R8 racing taxi
Ingolstadt/Nürnberg – Double début at the Norisring in Nuremberg: This weekend, the Audi R8 will be used as the official DTM safety car for the first time – and as a racing taxi as well.
quattro GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of AUDI AG handed over two of the 420-hp mid-engine sports cars to the German Motorsport Association (DMSB) on the occasion of the "Norisring Speed Weekend". The two Audi R8 cars were prepared specifically for use as safety cars by quattro GmbH at the Neckarsulm plant. "There were not many modifications required, though, because the R8 possesses the genes of a perfect sports car," says Werner Frowein, managing director of quattro GmbH.
Another Audi R8 was carefully prepared by quattro GmbH for use as a racing taxi.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jamey 7:29PM (6/30/2008)
I don't think its the case here but I wonder how many race series have a pace car that outperforms the actual racers.
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Cary 9:38PM (6/30/2008)
I think it's great how they said, "..because the R8 possesses the genes of a perfect sports car the car need essentially now modifications", as a direct shot at "old luxury" aka: Mercedes-Benz. They had to modify the SL65 for service as the safety/pace car for Formula 1, supposedly for better cooling. If anyone car give my insight as to what would require better cooling in that position as opposed to the more than likely expected stop and go traffic that the SL65 will undoubtedly face in it's life iN Orange County and Los Angeles. One would also surmise that the car isn't really working hard when leading the pace of the cars at 80-120mph for a few laps [no more than 20 miles a race].
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