Audi Forum Neckarsulm, Germany currently displays the 2003 Le Mans quattro and brand new R8 V10 plus.
The Audi Forum Neckarsulm in Germany currently has on display the 2003 Le Mans quattro concept and a brand new R8 V10 Plus.
Audi made the announcement at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show that it would launch a supercar with its Le Mans quattro design. This concept eventually became the R8. The attached images show that the majority of the design elements from the concept were carried over to the production car, which received subtle styling changes for the second generation.
It’s difficult to believe that there is a 12-year gap between the concept and the second-gen R8V10 Plus. They share a V10 engine. However, the concept had a twin-turbo version of the engine with a displacement of 5.0 liters, whereas the production car has a naturally aspirated, 5.2-liter with a power output of 610 PS. The concept car has 750 Nm, while the road-going car is 560 Nm. This creates a significant torque gap.
The concept has more torque but is significantly heavier than the R8 V10 PLUS at 1,530 kg. This compares to the 1,454kg R8 Plus. It would be fascinating to see the two cars race on the track, to witness the hardware improvements made over these 12 years.