Audi R8 LMX limited edition debuts with laser lights
Audi will be launching the R8 LMX- the most powerful R8 yet, in the UK, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed which will take place from June 26 to 29, 2014. The car will be a limited edition of just 99 models and will retail at an on-road price of 1,60,025 pounds (Rs 1,61,61,025). The first deliveries are expected to take place in autumn which comes to UK in the months from September to November.
The special feature which is laser high beam lighting debuts in the R8 LMX as a standard making it the first production car to do so. This technology is carried over from Audi's racing cars and provides twice the illumination offered by LED lights. This system has one laser module per headlight which has four high power laser diodes that emit a blue laser beam which is converted in to roadworthy white light by a phosphor converter. The emitted light has a colour temperature of 5,500 Kelvin which Audi says is ideal range for the human eye to recognise contrast and prevent fatigue. A camera based sensor system adjusts the light pattern to avoid dazzling drivers of oncoming vehicles while a laser spot increases visibility above 59.5kmph.
The car is powered by a 5.2-litre, V10 engine producing 570PS and 540Nm of torque mated to a seven-speed S tronic transmission, propelling this car from 0-100kmph in just 3.4 seconds through Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive system. The R8 LMX has a top speed of 198mph (318.65kmph). This supercar gives fuel efficiency of 7.74 kmpl and has carbon emission figures of 299g/km.
The interiors get bucket seats covered in Nappa leather with Sepang blue diamond stitching, the premium material is also found in the door trim panels. The blue stitching is also seen in the centre tunnel console, steering wheel, instrument cowl and also on the parking brake lever. The blue theme is present on the outside too with the car getting an exclusive Ara blue crystal effect paint. Other colour choices include Daytona grey and Mythos black. This limited version of the R8 gets a fixed rear spoiler with various parts of the body being made from Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP); this material is used for the rear wing, diffuser, side mirror housing, front spoiler lip, sideblades and the engine compartment cover. The 19-inch, 20 spoke wheels add to the overall sportiness quotient.
| Breathtaking performance and groundbreaking technology unite in the most powerful R8 road car ever produced by Audi 5.2-litre V10 engine developing 570PS and 540Nm - 0 to 62mph in 3.4 seconds, top speed 198mph, combined MPG 21.9, CO2 299g/km Priced from £160,025 OTR Pioneering laser high beam lighting offers twice the illumination range of all-LED headlights Exclusive UK debut set for Goodwood Festival of Speed (June 26-29, 2014) Limited production run of just 99 models worldwide Luxurious specification includes Audi exclusive paint finish A new limited edition LMX version of the Audi R8 will not only be the most powerful roadgoing iteration of the super sports car ever made, but will also be notable as the first production car to adopt laser high beam lighting as standard. The new 570PS, 198mph R8 LMX will make its UK public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and will become available to order at the same time priced from £160,025 OTR. UK deliveries will begin in the autumn. The Audi R8 LMX is based on the acclaimed V10 plus model with its high-revving, mid?mounted ten-cylinder engine, double wishbone suspension and ASF (Audi Space Frame) aluminium body. It will be available exclusively as a coupe with a production run limited to 99 vehicles, and with 540 Nm of torque to complement its 570PS output will be capable of rocketing to 62mph from rest in just 3.4 seconds before topping out at 198mph. A compact, seven-speed S tronic transmission transfers the power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system, which distributes it judiciously to racing-inspired 19-inch, 20-spoke wheels shod with tyres with 215mm front and 305mm rear widths. These conceal carbon-fibre ceramic brake discs with red anodised calipers measuring 380 mm in diameter at the front. The light emitted by laser beams before they pass through a phosphor converter is blue, and this has inspired an Audi exclusive Ara Blue, crystal effect customised paint finish for the new R8 LMX. If preferred, it can also be ordered with Daytona Grey matt effect or Mythos Black, metallic paint finishes. The new flagship model is also marked out by a large, fixed rear spoiler for increased downforce on the rear axle, and by additional use of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) for the front spoiler lip, side flics, engine compartment cover, exterior mirror housings, sideblades, rear wing and diffuser. The Singleframe grille and front air intakes and the outlet grille at the rear are finished in titanium grey, while the sports exhaust system features high-gloss black tailpipes. Blue accents continue the theme in the interior with its bucket seats upholstered in Fine Nappa leather and finished with Sepang Blue diamond stitching and backrest covers in Ara Blue. Sepang Blue diamond stitching also adds contrast in the Alcantara headlining and black Fine Nappa leather door trim panels, and the colour is also sewn into the edges of the parking brake lever, centre tunnel console, steering wheel and instrument cowl. The list of subtle details marking out this exclusive model also includes matt carbon covers for the centre tunnel console and parking brake lever, the inlays in the doors and the arc around the cockpit, and illuminated aluminium inlays bearing the limited-edition number integrated into the CFRP door sill trims. Fine Nappa leather adorns the selector lever for the S tronic and the knee pads, and the floor mats have black piping and Sepang Blue stitching. Revolutionary laser high beam lighting In 2008, the Audi R8 became the first production car in the world to feature all?LED headlights; this was followed in 2012 by dynamic indicators with a unique sweeping action. Audi launched a new chapter in automotive lighting with the Matrix LED headlights, which debuted in the updated A8 in 2013. Now the brand with the four rings is progressing to the next stage in the R8 LMX: the laser spot for the high beams. It increases the illumination range substantially, which is ideal for a supercar like the R8 LMX. Audi engineers work very closely with their racing colleagues on the development of lighting technologies. The combination of LED and laser high beams, for example, will be used for the first time on the new Audi R18 e?tron quattro at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 14 and 15. The premium brand is thus continuing its tradition of using racing to test new technologies destined for production. "Audi has long dominated the most important 24-hour race. In addition to the outstanding TDI drive technology, a maximum light yield gives our pilots a major advantage, and with night racing in particular is a key factor to our success," says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg. "The transfer of the laser headlight to the Audi R8 LMX underscores our leading position in lighting technology. The safety benefit this provides to the customer truly represents Vorsprung durch Technik," says AUDI AG's Board Member for Development. With the new laser high beams, one laser module per headlight generates a cone of light with twice the range of the all-LED headlight. Each module comprises four high-power laser diodes. With a diameter of just 300 micrometers, these generate a blue laser beam with a wavelength of 450 nanometers. A phosphor converter transforms this into roadworthy white light with a colour temperature of 5,500 Kelvin â€" ideal conditions for the human eye that enable the driver to recognise contrast more easily and help prevent fatigue. The laser spot, which is active at speeds of 37mph and above, supplements the LED high beam in the R8 LMX and greatly enhances visibility and safety. An intelligent camera-based sensor system detects other road users and actively adjusts the light pattern to avoid dazzle. â€" End â€" | |