Audi R8 LMX

You don’t need to be an R8 geek to be seduced by the run-out limited-edition LMX, but if you do happen to be a fan of Audi’s original supercar, its myriad details and distinguishing features make it something rather special.

Based on the R8 V10 Plus, a total of just 99 LMXs will be built. the chances of encountering one in the wild are slim to say the least, but you’re unlikely to confuse it with a common or garden model. externally there’s plenty to catch your eye, not least the beautiful metallic Ara Blue paintwork (matte-finish daytona Grey and Mythos Black are also available) and a large fixed wing that sits proudly on the tail. Like the front splitter, canards, mirrors, side blades and rear diffuser, it is beautifully made from matte-finish carbonfibre. Luscious red anodised brake calipers look fantastic peeping from behind the satin grey spokes of the 19in alloy wheels, the design of which is also LMX-specific, and the headlights boast Audi’s advanced Laserlight technology, first seen in its all-conquering R18 e-tron racer. 

there’s plenty to ogle inside, too, with acres of black nappa leather with contrasting Sepang Blue diamond stitching. Matte-finish carbon adorns the centre console, handbrake lever, door grabs and the R8’s trademark hoop that arcs around the dashboard, while luxurious black Alcantara swathes the headlining. All R8s feel special, but the LMX goes the extra mile without looking ‘pimped’.

Being an R8 there’s dynamic substance to go with the style. Foremost amongst the enhancements is the uprated 5.2-litre V10, which develops 562bhp, up 20bhp from the V10 Plus, while torque remains unchanged at 540nm. the top speed is pegged at just shy of 320kmph, thanks to the extra downforce from that rear wing offsetting any potential gain from the additional horsepower. Available only with the excellent seven-speed S tronic double-clutch paddleshift gearbox, the LMX can yelp to 100kmph in just 3.4sec just a few tenths shy of a Ferrari 458 Speciale.

the power gains are modest, but the change in character is perceptible. the naturally aspirated V10 has always been an absolute powerhouse, but in LMX tune there’s greater sharpness and ferocity to its delivery. the S tronic transmission certainly helps intensify the LMX’s performance compared to the six-speed manual V10 Plus, not least because it crams seven gears into the same performance envelope. Like all paddleshift gearboxes it fosters a busier, more aggressive driving style you tend to bat up and down the gears just for the hell of it but it still has that deliciously smooth, refined feel that separates the R8 from the more frantic Ferrari and the more ruthless style of the McLaren 650S.

the LMX runs on fixed-rate passive dampers, just like the V10 Plus, so it doesn’t quite have the low-speed pliancy of the switchable magnetic dampers found on the regular V10. Audi doesn’t claim to have played with the damper settings compared to the Plus, but the LMX definitely feels a little lighter and more nimble. the steering retains the same wonderful weight, consistency and calmness, but direction changes in this car feel that bit more immediate and the balance of the car seems inherently more neutral, without ever feeling edgy. on cold, damp winter roads the R8 LMX is a wonderful car to exploit, the lower levels of grip making it easier to access its  playful side.

one frustration about the S tronic transmission is that it tends to go a bit manic if you engage Sport mode while it’s in auto. It’s constantly on code red so far as downshifts are concerned, so seemingly whenever you ease off the throttle and attempt to settle at a cruise in a higher gear, it wants to bang down into the optimum overtaking gear. As Sport also opens the throats of the exhaust system for maximum aural amusement, other road users think you’re readying for a race restart after a safety car period. Subtle it isn’t. Better to enjoy Sport’s enhanced soundtrack by shifting yourself, then.

And those laser lights? It might sound like a gimmick, but Audi has been something of a pioneer when it comes to lighting technology, both in race and road cars. In the LMX the combination of full Led lighting with the added boost of lasers (when on full beam, above 60kmph) produces a remarkable spread and intensity of light. You can either manually engage and disengage the main beam or prime the system to engage and disengage automatically. In auto mode a camera mounted ahead of the rear-view mirror scans the road ahead for oncoming cars. there’s a slight delay between switching to main beam and the lasers firing, but when they do you get two daggers of clean white light punching ahead of the Led’s generous arc and extending visibility to some 600m.

Specification
Engine / V10, 5204cc
Transmission / 7-speed S tronic
Power / 562bhp @ 8000rpm
Torque / 540nm @ 6500rpm
Weight / 1595kg
0-100kmph / 3.4sec (claimed)
Top speed  / 320kmph (claimed)