Audi's R8 goes racing with RWD and 500 hp. And YOU can buy one!

Introduced for the 2008 model year, the new R8 is Audi's first supercar, pitting the Ingolstadt automaker directly against the likes of Ferrari and Porsche. With a 4.2L, 420-hp V-8 and an exquisitely sorted chassis, the mid-engine coupe rockets to 60 mph in just 4.1 sec and is an excellent companion for canyon carving. Yet given its impressive attributes, when the R8 hit showrooms some enthusiasts were disappointed they couldn't buy a racing version and lobbied the company to build a model solely for competition at the track. Well for those fans, the wait is finally over -- saying "ever since the R8 was unveiled we've been inundated with enquiries about a race version," today Audi Motorsport head Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich unveiled a new, specially designed racing R8 meeting all production-based GT3 regulations. Previously Audi created an R8 for use as a safety car in the 2008 DTM touring car series, but the new racer codenamed "R16" sports a far more significant list of upgrades. With a bump in output to over 500 hp, power is now channeled solely to the rear wheels (GT3 rules don't allow all-wheel drive) with the help of a new, six-speed sequential gearbox. And though the racer's suspension is mostly stock, a new front end has been added along with a large rear wing to improve downforce. For those wondering if these additions will hurt the R8's signature compliance, however, Ullrich claims that while it offers "high-caliber technology" for the track, the race car "is nevertheless easy to handle." Available in the fall of 2009, the R8 racer will be eligible for entry in competitions around the world, and its first test runs are scheduled for the 2009 European racing series season. Factory and logistics space needed for the Audi AG customer program will be set up in the next few months, with locations in Ingolstadt, Neckarsulm, and Gyor, Hungary, so if you're eyeing an Aston Martin DBRS9 or 911 GT3RSR for your race team, you may want to wait and check out Ingolstadt's new offering, too. Source: Audi