Audi R8 debuts as DTM safety car

Audi has announced that its superlative R8 sportscar will serve as the safety car for the ever-popular DTM touring car championship, having also served in the same capacity for the recently-concluded 24 Hours of Le Mans. Audi's performance division quattro GmbH prepared a pair of R8s for the German racing series – with the second serving as a "racing taxi" – but noted that, "because the R8 possesses the genes of a perfect sports car", little in the way of modification for duty was required.

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Audi R8 is new safety car at the DTM

* Mid-engine sports car serves as safety car
* Début for Audi R8 racing taxi

Ingolstadt/Nürnberg – Double début at the Norisring in Nuremberg: This weekend, the Audi R8 will be used as the official DTM safety car for the first time – and as a racing taxi as well.

quattro GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of AUDI AG handed over two of the 420-hp mid-engine sports cars to the German Motorsport Association (DMSB) on the occasion of the "Norisring Speed Weekend". The two Audi R8 cars were prepared specifically for use as safety cars by quattro GmbH at the Neckarsulm plant. "There were not many modifications required, though, because the R8 possesses the genes of a perfect sports car," says Werner Frowein, managing director of quattro GmbH.

Another Audi R8 was carefully prepared by quattro GmbH for use as a racing taxi.