Audi R8 LMX – the most powerful R8 yet – costs from £160,025

The Audi R8 LMX (pictured) is the first production car with laser lights

The new Audi R8 LMX is actually the most powerful R8 road car Audi has produced, but they seem keener you know that it has laser beam headlights. But that’s because they’ve beaten BMW to the punch on the laser front. As a run-out version of the current R8, the R8 LMX has a lot to offer, with more power, more toys, a hefty price tag and a debut in the UK at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next month.

The V10 engine under the lid produces 562bhp in the LMX, which is enough to get to 62mph in 3.4 seconds and on to 198mph, and comes fitted with carbon ceramic brakes, rear spoiler and front winglets, 19″ 20-spoke alloys, Audi’s 7-speed S-tronic gearbox, plenty of CFRP, titanium grey highlights and gloss black tailpipes.

Inside, the Nappa leather seats get Sepang Blue diamond stitching and Ara Blue backrest covers with more Sepang Blue diamond stitching on the Alcantara headliner, with contrast  Sepang Blue stitching on the door panels, handbrake, centre console, steering wheel and instrument cowling.

The blue theme is, of course, a reference to the laser light technology (although, apart from Ara Blue paint job, you can have Daytona Grey matt effect or Mythos Black) and Audi has rushed the LMX out, it seems, to beat BMW’s i8 to market so it can claim a first for the laser lights.

The laser lights delivers main beam spots which are far brighter than LED  main beams and come in to play above 37mph, delivering a bright blue spot that reaches twice as far as LED lights and is automatically adjusted by a camera-based sensor. All clever stuff.

But if you want an Audi R8 LMX you probably need to get a shake on. Audi are only building 99 R8 LMX and, although the price is steep at £160,025, they’re not going to be available for long.

By Cars UK