Auto India, Car India

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Audi AG, the German car maker, revealed an updated version of its racing car Audi R8 LMS GT3 as R8 LMS Ultra. The new version of the car will be launched in mid 2012. The older version has won 115 races and bagged 12 national and international titles in a short span of merely three years.  So imagine what a challenge the engineers might have faced in updating such a car. But they seemed to have done a pretty good job in upgrading the older version.

Some of the new features include carbon fiber reinforced plastic doors (CFRP); doors that have high energy crash foams. The PS1 has new safety features to ensure more safety. The new car has a new exhaust system that is very light in weight and also has a new catalytic convertor that enables more torque even at lower speeds. It is still powered by the same 5.2 litre V10 engine that can produce 570hp. The transmission has also been updated to provide additional reserves for long distance runs. The engine has a bigger transmission fluid cooler and engine oil cooler. The air vents, at the sides, have been increased in size to enable better interior ventilation and thermal management.

The Audi R8 LMS Ultra now has a 12-inch wheel, instead of 11-inch wheels. In the next season, the tyres might be broadened to allow a more consistent lap time. The entire brake system has been revised to make it more efficient. The cooling system of the front wheels make sure that the brake system cools down quickly, thereby making it more durable.

The improved aerodynamics of the R8 LMS Ultra seems to prepare the car for yet another victory in the next season. These changes include a broader front hood, and a new wing at the rear that has larger end plates. The new plates located in the front have an optimized diffusion for a better aerodynamic balance.

The Audi Quattro Managing Director Werner Frowein said that “Our customer teams provided us with valuable suggestions and stated their wishes for the various fields in which the car is used. We have close ties to our customers and have analyzed their suggestions and wishes worldwide and subjected the R8 LMS to further development in many details.”

The older model was launched in 2009 and the company is quite sure that the new version will create the same waves as its predecessor; they are all geared up to win more races. The Head of Customer Sport at quattro GmbH, Romolo Liebchen remarked that “We’re convinced that the Audi R8 LMS ultra will continue the successes of its predecessor, with over 40 customer sport vehicles delivered, the first generation of the R8 LMS was already a sporting and commercial success.”