{"id":8708,"date":"2019-07-04T20:58:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-04T20:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ooooiykyk.com\/audiarchives\/?p=8708"},"modified":"2026-08-17T21:58:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T21:58:38","slug":"audi-r8-lms-gt2-type-4s-2020-present","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ooooiykyk.com\/audiarchives\/2019\/07\/04\/audi-r8-lms-gt2-type-4s-2020-present\/","title":{"rendered":"Audi R8 LMS GT2 (type 4S, 2020-Present)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What:<\/strong>\u00a0Audi R8 LMS GT2<\/a>
Series:<\/strong>\u00a0SRO GT2
Class:<\/strong>\u00a0GT2<\/a>
Era:<\/strong>\u00a0Audi Sport customer racing<\/a>
Model Family:<\/strong>\u00a0R8<\/a>
Market \/ Zone:<\/strong>\u00a0Global
Designer:<\/strong> Ivan Schmatov<\/a>
Debut:<\/strong> 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed<\/a>
Season:<\/strong>\u00a02020<\/a>, 2021<\/a>, 2022<\/a>, 2023<\/a>, 2024<\/a>, 2025<\/a>, 2026<\/a>
Model \/ Generation Code(s):<\/strong>\u00a0type 4S<\/a>
Chassis \/ Matrix:<\/strong>\u00a0Audi Space Frame (ASF), aluminum\/CFRP composite
Engine:<\/strong>\u00a0Naturally aspirated 90-degree V10, longitudinally mounted ahead of rear axle
Displacement:<\/strong>\u00a05,200 cc
Bore x Stroke:<\/strong>\u00a084.5 x 92.9 mm
Valvetrain:<\/strong>\u00a0DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Fuel System:<\/strong>\u00a0Gasoline direct injection
Engine Management:<\/strong>\u00a02 x Bosch MED 17, master\/slave configuration
Lubrication:<\/strong>\u00a0Dry sump
Power:<\/strong>\u00a0470 kW (640 hp) at 8,000 rpm
Torque:<\/strong>\u00a0More than 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) at 6,250 rpm
Transmission:<\/strong>\u00a07-speed S tronic dual-clutch with paddle shifters
Drive System:<\/strong>\u00a0Rear-wheel drive
Differential:<\/strong>\u00a0Mechanical limited-slip differential
Suspension:<\/strong>\u00a0Double wishbones front and rear; coil springs with two-way gas-pressure dampers
Brakes:<\/strong>\u00a0Hydraulic dual-circuit; 380 x 35-mm front and 355 x 32-mm rear steel discs; nine-stage racing ABS
Wheels:<\/strong>\u00a0Forged aluminum, 12 x 18-inch front \/ 13 x 18-inch rear
Tires:<\/strong>\u00a0325-660\/18 front \/ 325-705\/18 rear
Weight:<\/strong>\u00a01,350 kg (2,976 lb) dry homologation weight
Wheelbase:<\/strong>\u00a02,649 mm (104.3 in)
Length:<\/strong>\u00a04,568 mm (179.8 in)
Width:<\/strong>\u00a01,995 mm (78.5 in)
Height:<\/strong>\u00a01,280 mm (50.4 in)
Fuel Capacity:<\/strong>\u00a0Minimum 113 liters
Bodywork:<\/strong>\u00a0CFRP
Safety Structure:<\/strong>\u00a0Audi Space Frame with steel roll cage, aluminum front and rear crash structures
Original Price:<\/strong>\u00a0\u20ac338,000 plus VAT<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audi Sport’s March 2020 technical data confirms the R8 LMS GT2’s 5.2-liter V10 specification, 640-hp output, seven-speed S tronic transmission and rear-wheel-drive layout. Its chassis, brake, wheel and dimensional specifications are likewise taken directly from Audi Sport customer racing documentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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OVERVIEW<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Audi R8 LMS GT2 represented the most powerful evolution of the R8 developed by Audi Sport customer racing and the fourth pillar of Audi’s customer racing portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presented in 2019 ahead of the first full season of SRO GT2 competition in 2020, the R8 LMS GT2 joined the R8 LMS GT3, R8 LMS GT4 and RS 3 LMS in Audi Sport’s customer racing range. Unlike the increasingly sophisticated GT3 category or the entry-level GT4 class, GT2 was conceived primarily for gentleman drivers seeking extreme straight-line performance without the equally extreme aerodynamic performance and lateral loads of a contemporary GT3 car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With 470 kW (640 hp), the R8 LMS GT2 became the most powerful customer racing car Audi Sport had produced. Its naturally aspirated V10 was unrestricted by an intake air restrictor, giving the GT2 considerably more power than the competition-regulated version of the engine used in the R8 LMS GT3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result was a distinctly different interpretation of the R8 race car: more power, greater top speed and dramatic styling combined with comparatively restrained aerodynamic performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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BACKGROUND<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By the late 2010s, Audi Sport customer racing had developed one of the broadest competition programs offered by a major manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original R8 LMS had established Audi in GT3 competition beginning in 2009. The RS 3 LMS expanded the program into TCR touring cars, while the R8 LMS GT4 provided a less expensive and more accessible entry into GT racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GT2 was intended to fill the remaining gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern GT3 cars had become increasingly optimized around professional drivers, sophisticated aerodynamics and high lateral performance. Audi Sport saw an opportunity for a car emphasizing the traditional appeal of a powerful sports car instead: acceleration, top speed, sound and accessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SRO’s GT2 regulations used power-to-weight ratio as a central balancing mechanism. This allowed manufacturers to build substantially more powerful cars while limiting aerodynamic performance sufficiently to keep overall lap times near GT3 territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audi’s answer was the R8 LMS GT2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audi Sport presented the car in 2019, with production of the first customer cars beginning toward the end of that year. The initial price was \u20ac338,000 plus VAT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE CAR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although visually more extreme than the production R8, the R8 LMS GT2 retained substantial production-car DNA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At its core was Audi’s aluminum and CFRP Audi Space Frame. The chassis geometry and door openings were based on the R8 Spyder, while extruded structural sections around the roof were derived from the Coup\u00e9. Audi Sport then added a narrow CFRP hardtop and steel competition roll cage.
The unusual combination gave the GT2 a distinctive silhouette unlike either the production R8 Coup\u00e9 or other R8 LMS variants. A large roof-mounted intake dominated the upper bodywork, while enlarged sideblades, flared wheel arches and extensive CFRP aerodynamic elements further separated it visually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aerodynamics were deliberately less aggressive than those of the GT3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A large front radiator used CFD-optimized airflow channels exhausting to either side of the windshield, avoiding interference with the roof-mounted engine intake. A dedicated front splitter, CFRP underfloor sections and rear diffuser controlled airflow beneath the car, while the rear wing used an unusual rear-mounted support arrangement designed to improve airflow and rear-axle downforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The finished car weighed 1,350 kilograms dry, approximately 100 kg less than the contemporary R8 LMS GT4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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ENGINE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The centerpiece of the R8 LMS GT2 was Audi’s 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with the engines used in the GT3 and GT4 R8 LMS, the V10 originated from series production at Audi’s Gy\u0151r facility in Hungary. The GT2 retained a fundamentally production-derived engine rather than adopting a purpose-built racing powerplant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audi Sport extracted 470 kW (640 hp) primarily through revised engine-management software and the large roof-mounted intake plenum. The scoop created a ram-air effect that measurably increased engine output at speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike the R8 LMS GT3, the GT2’s V10 was allowed to breathe without a racing air restrictor. Audi noted that although the contemporary GT3 engine was technically capable of as much as 430 kW (585 hp), regulations restricted it to approximately 368 kW (500 hp) in competition. The GT2 therefore put approximately 28 percent more power to the track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peak output arrived at 8,000 rpm, with more than 550 Nm of torque available at 6,250 rpm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audi quoted a power-to-weight ratio of approximately 2.1 kg per horsepower, an exceptional figure for a naturally aspirated Audi competition car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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DRIVETRAIN<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unlike the quattro road-going R8, the R8 LMS GT2 was exclusively rear-wheel drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Power was transmitted through a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch gearbox operated by steering-wheel-mounted paddles. The transmission had already been proven by Audi Sport in the R8 LMS GT4 in both sprint and endurance competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A mechanical limited-slip differential distributed power between the rear wheels, while an eight-stage traction-control system and three-stage electronic stability-control system allowed the driver to tailor the car’s behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That electronic assistance reflected the GT2’s intended clientele. Audi Sport engineered the car to deliver considerably more power than its other R8 racers while remaining manageable for experienced amateur and gentleman drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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CHASSIS AND SUSPENSION<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Audi Sport redesigned the R8’s double-wishbone racing suspension with weight reduction as a priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New hub carriers and wishbones were combined with components already proven elsewhere in the R8 LMS family. The front brake calipers came from the GT3 program while the rear calipers were derived from the GT4. Suspension struts and the electrohydraulic steering system similarly drew from Audi Sport’s existing customer racing component inventory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ride height, toe and camber were infinitely adjustable, while three-way adjustable anti-roll bars were fitted at both ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hydraulic dual-circuit braking system used 380 x 35-mm steel discs at the front and 355 x 32-mm discs at the rear, supported by nine-stage racing ABS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SAFETY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite being positioned toward gentleman drivers and track-day customers, the R8 LMS GT2 incorporated contemporary Audi Sport competition safety technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Audi Sport Protection Seat PS03 was combined with six-point harnesses and lateral safety nets. A fire-extinguishing system complied with FIA requirements, while a competition safety fuel cell incorporated a 15-liter catch tank and fill-level sensor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The roof incorporated a rescue hatch allowing emergency personnel direct access to the driver’s helmet and upper body during an extraction. Makrolon replaced conventional glass for the windshield and side windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The car also lacked a conventional rear window because of the large engine intake system. Audi consequently fitted a camera-based digital rear-view mirror. Carbon-fiber doors were paired with CFRP-AFRP side-impact structures incorporating aluminum honeycomb to meet contemporary racing safety requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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COMPETITION AND CUSTOMER RACING<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Audi Sport developed the R8 LMS GT2 for the emerging SRO GT2 category, with potential competition and track-day applications in Europe, North America and Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than targeting professional factory racing programs, the car was conceived around customer competition, private track use and the growing market for dedicated race resorts and high-end track days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That positioning was fundamental to the GT2 concept. Audi intended the car to offer higher engine power and top speed than either its GT3 or GT4 models while maintaining lap times relatively close to GT3 through lower aerodynamic performance and reduced lateral acceleration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The R8 LMS GT2 subsequently competed in GT2 racing internationally while also finding use as a track-day and demonstration vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SIGNIFICANCE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Audi R8 LMS GT2 occupies a distinctive position within Audi Sport’s R8 racing lineage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was neither the most aerodynamically sophisticated R8 LMS nor the version developed for Audi’s highest-profile professional GT victories. Instead, it represented the purest expression of the production R8’s defining characteristic: its naturally aspirated V10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At 640 hp, it stood above the GT3 and GT4 versions in outright engine output and became the most powerful model in Audi Sport customer racing’s contemporary portfolio. Audi itself described the GT2 as the most powerful Audi R8 LMS of all time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its combination of the R8 Spyder’s underlying chassis geometry, a lightweight CFRP roof, rear-wheel drive and unrestricted V10 also made it one of the most unusual members of the second-generation R8 family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The GT2 later gained another role beyond customer competition. Schaeffler selected an R8 LMS GT2 as the basis for its Innovation Taxi, using the car as a high-performance development platform for technologies including steer-by-wire, variable steering ratios, rear-wheel steering and wet lamella brakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the larger history of the Audi R8, the LMS GT2 stands as one of the most extreme factory-developed versions of the type 4S and one of the final competition expressions of Audi’s naturally aspirated V10 era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOURCES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n