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The innovative R8 supercar from Audi is now available for the first time with full LED headlamps. In addition to the standard Audi-signature 24-LED running lamps it's always had, this extremely expensive option (£3,590 converts to $7,100 USD) adds LED high and low beam headlamps and LED turn signals to the front fascia of the mid-engine sports car.

The latest craze in automotive lighting, LED bulbs don't utilize a filament like halogen lamps or gas plasma like HID lamps. Instead, they create light from the movement of current across a semi-conductor chip. They are smaller, more vibration resistant, and much more efficient than traditional bulbs. According to Audi, the light from the LEDs has been designed to closely resemble daylight and provides a greater contrast to be easier on the human eye. LED illumination is also designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle. Audi is no stranger to LED lighting - it first introduced a strip-shaped fog lamp at the Detroit Auto Show back in 2003.