By Johan Laubscher
This is part 3 of our How to spot an Audi R16 article series. Part 3
focuses on the differences between the Audi R8 GRAND-AM and the 2012 Audi R8
LMS ultra. All six articles within this series, covering all six versions of the Audi R16, can be seen via the six links listed below:
Article links:
How to spot an Audi R16: Part 1: Introduction
How to spot an Audi R16: Part 2: Original Audi R8 LMS and 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra
How to spot an Audi R16: Part 4: 2013 Audi R8 LMS ultraHow to spot an Audi R16: Part 2: Original Audi R8 LMS and 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra
How to spot an Audi R16: Part 5: 2014 Audi R8 LMS GTD Version
How to spot an Audi R16: Part 6: 2015 Audi R8 LMS GTD Version
How to spot an Audi R16: Part 3: Audi R8 GRAND-AM
The Audi R8 GRAND-AM was launched in 2012. The car was specifically
developed for the North American Grand-AM GT rules. The championship began
allowing FIA GT3 cars to compete, but required modifications to be made to the
cars ensuring they comply with the specific Grand-Am GT rules. The R8 GRAND-AM
was based on the 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra and shares the basic bodywork layout. Below
we will discuss these visual differences. It is also worth noting that many
people refer to the Grand-Am Audi R8 race car as the “Audi R8 LMS” or the “Audi
R8 LMS Grand-Am,” however the official name of this vehicle is the “Audi R8
GRAND-AM.”
For this comparison the 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra has been used as the
datum for the comparison with the Audi R8 GRAND-AM.
Front view
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| Click on the photo for larger image |
1. The windscreen of the Audi R8 GRAND-AM has three support bars/struts
for added protection, as per the Grand-Am rules. The FIA GT3 specification
Audi R16 cars, which includes all the R8 LMS and ultra versions, do not have
these bars.
2. The front splitter on the Audi R8 GRAND-AM is a lot smaller than
that of the 2012 R8 LMS ultra. The R8 GRAND-AM also has a much more pronounced
lifted lip on the underside of the splitter, as highlighted in the photo. See
point 7 for more details regarding the front splitter differences.
3. The Audi R8 GRAND-AM has a standard Grand-Am issue rear-wing which
is much smaller than that of the 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra. See points 12 to 14 for more detail on
the rear-wings.
4. The small side front splitter of the 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra is a single
and very large unit. The Audi R8 GRAND-AM side splitter is also a single unit but much
smaller. Note the R8 GRAND-AM pictured does not have its side splitter fitted.
Please see point 8 for more details and a photo of the splitter.
5. From a visual perspective, the roll cage difference is difficult to
see, however the roll cage in the Audi R8 GRAND-AM is much thicker. This is a
requirement of the Grand-Am rules for increased safety, due to the speeds and
the banking which the cars experience when running at tracks like Daytona.
6. The Audi R8 GRAND-AM shares the general 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra body work,
including the bonnet vents. These vents were allowed on the R8 GRAND-AM, but
they were disallowed on the 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra during the homologation process at
the beginning of 2012. During 2012, the R8 LMS ultra bodywork used a panel to
cover the vents, as seen in the picture.
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| Click on the photo for larger image |
7. Here the difference between the front splitters can clearly be seen. The R8
GRAND-AM has a much smaller front splitter which does not extend far outwards
from the bodywork and follows the rounded contour of the front nose. The 2012 Audi
R8 LMS ultra splitter extends far out from the bodywork and has aggressively squared
off edges and a virtually flat underside which only has a very small lip.
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| Click on the photo for larger image |
8. The side splitters on the two cars differ in size. The Audi R8
GRAND-AM also has a single unit, but it is a lot smaller than that of the 2012 Audi R8 LMS
ultra.
Side View
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| Click on the photo for larger image |
9. The front splitter of the 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra has a side-plate, often in a wood colour, on the side of the splitter. This plate is not present on the Audi R8 GRAND-AM.
10. The Grand-Am GT cars do not have side windows and only have mandatory
catch-nets. Thus the Audi R8 GRAND-AM is in this configuration, whereas the 2012 Audi
R8 LMS ultra has fixed side windows with a small sliding window on the driver’s side
of the vehicle.
11. The rear wing positions of the two cars differ as per the
requirements of the specific rules for each car. The Audi R8 GRAND-AM has a
standard Grand-Am issue rear wing which is much smaller than that of the 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra.
See points 12 to 14 for more detail on the rear-wings.
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| Click on the photo for larger image |
12. The Audi R8 GRAND-AM rear-wing is smaller than the 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra rear-wing.
13. The Audi R8 GRAND-AM rear-wing mounts have a bend in their profile, whereas the 2012 R8 LMS ultra mounts are straight. More detail regarding the mounts
can be seen in point 17. It should also be noted that the R8 LMS ultra has two different
rear-wing mounts, one set which extends more rearwards and another which is
less rearward and more upward. The ultra pictured is the aforementioned more
rearward position.
14. The 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra has very large rectangular end-plates, whereas
the Audi R8 GRAND-AM has much smaller end-plates with rounded edges.
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| Click on the photo for larger image |
15. It should also be noted that the Audi R8 GRAND-AM has received an
updated rear-wing position. Towards the end of 2012 the Audi R8 GRAND-AM was
allowed a new higher and more rearward rear-wing position, which greatly aided
the aerodynamic layout of the vehicle. This new updated rear-wing position is
also present on the 2013 Audi R8 GRAND-AM, which does not differ visually from
the 2012 car.
Rear View
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| Click on the photo for larger image |
16. The Audi R8 GRAND-AM rear-wing is not as wide as that of the 2012 Audi
R8 LMS ultra, which extends the entire width of the vehicle.
17. Both of the cars use the same rear-wing mounting point locations in the
bodywork, thus the bends are added to the Audi R8 GRAND-AM rear-wing mounts in
order to compensate for the more widely positioned bodywork mount locations.
18. The basic rear end layout is the same on both vehicles, including the
rear diffuser which is visually similar.
Top View
19. The Audi R8 GRAND-AM has its fuel nozzle on the left side of the vehicle, whereas the fuel nozzle of the 2012 R8 LMS ultra is located on the right.
This was part 3 of our How to spot an Audi R16 article series. Part 3 focused on the differences between the Audi R8 GRAND-AM and the 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra. All six articles within this series, covering all six versions of the Audi R16, can be seen via the six links listed below:
Article links:
How to spot an Audi R16: Part 1: Introduction
How to spot an Audi R16: Part 2: Original Audi R8 LMS and 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra
How to spot an Audi R16: Part 4: 2013 Audi R8 LMS ultraHow to spot an Audi R16: Part 2: Original Audi R8 LMS and 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra
How to spot an Audi R16: Part 5: 2014 Audi R8 LMS GTD Version
How to spot an Audi R16: Part 6: 2015 Audi R8 LMS GTD Version
Photo credits:
