The DTM will celebrate touring car heritage during this weekend’s visit to the Norisring with a series of historic demonstration runs, and for fans of Audi the headline attraction is the return of the legendary Audi V8 DTM.
The historic demonstrations, scheduled across all three days of the event, will feature machinery spanning the championship’s evolution from its production-based beginnings through the Super Touring era and into the silhouette racers of the early 2000s. While the field includes everything from BMW M3 E30s and Mercedes-Benz 190E models to a 2003 Opel Astra V8 Coupé DTM, it is the Audi V8 DTM that will undoubtedly draw the attention by regular readers of this website.
Former DTM driver Gerhard Müller will take the wheel of the V8 around the Norisring, where he previously competed during his own touring car career. Although Müller never raced for Audi in the DTM during the championship’s original era, he will now have the opportunity to demonstrate one of Ingolstadt’s most significant racing cars on one of Germany’s most iconic circuits.
The DTM has not released any additional information about the car itself. No photographs have been published and organizers have yet to confirm which Audi V8 DTM will appear.
The Audi V8 occupies a unique place in DTM history. Introduced for the 1990 season, it was an unconventional challenger in a field dominated by lighter, smaller six- and four-cylinder rivals. Based on Audi’s flagship luxury sedan and powered by a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V8, the car relied on quattro all-wheel drive to maximize traction and stability, particularly in changing conditions.
The Norisring itself has long been one of the championship’s signature venues. The temporary street circuit around Nuremberg’s Zeppelin Field rewards outright speed and heavy braking, creating close racing unlike anywhere else on the calendar. Its unique layout has hosted countless memorable DTM battles over the decades, making it a fitting location to celebrate the series’ past.
Joining the Audi will be a diverse collection of historic cars. Early DTM will be represented by several BMW M3 E30s, Ford Sierra Cosworths and Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16Vs. A rare Toyota Supra MK3 DTM returns to the Norisring wearing the same No. 50 it carried during the 1989 race, while later eras will feature a Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo II, Opel Omega Evo 500, BMW 320 STW, Opel Astra V8 Coupé DTM and a 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class DTM.
The demonstration sessions are scheduled throughout the weekend, giving fans multiple opportunities to see the historic machinery in action between the modern DTM races.
The DTM Classic can be seen on the track on Friday from 13:20 to 13:40 and from 17:40 to 18:00, on Saturday from 12:05 to 12:25 and from 17:20 to 17:35 and on Sunday from 10:05 to 10:15 and from 16:30 to 16:50.