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 four articles within this series covering all four versions of the Audi R16 can be seen via the four 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 ultra 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 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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 four articles within this series covering all four versions of the Audi R16 can be seen via the four 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 ultra How to spot an Audi R16: Part 2: Original Audi R8 LMS and 2012 Audi R8 LMS ultra
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