Update: Added 16 additional images of this aggressive-looking Audi R8 on streets near the Nurburgring.
The Audi R8 is headed into the history books. 2023 marks the end of production for this much-loved supercar, so imagine our surprise when a series of R8 spy photos arrived in our email inbox. The winged and scooped Audi looks much like a GT3 race car, but there's something different about this one. It has number plates front and rear.
Are we looking at a road-legal Audi R8? Our spy sources behind the photos believe so, but it's not necessarily a special model coming from Audi proper. Rather, it's believed to be an R8 GT3 built by Scherer Sport, a company that's long been involved with Audi Sport in the racing and performance world. This could be a test vehicle designed for road use to meet future homologation requirements, but whatever it is, we want to have a go behind the wheel.
Gallery: Audi R8 GT3 Additional Spy Photos
That almost certainly won't happen. Our sources say only 100 of these road-going R8 GT3s will be built, and it's safe to assume most (if not all) already have buyers waiting in the wings. Whether Audi gets directly involved in the process is totally unknown at this point. All we can say for sure is that a white R8 with race car parts and license plates was caught slicing through rain at the Nurburgring.
Judging by the photos, we can also point out some notable differences compared to the conventional road-going model. There's certainly no missing that big GT3 wing, and the frunk you'd normally find is now a placeholder for massive vents. There are vents over the front wheels, winglets at the fascia, and a big scoop on the roof. Looking closer, you'll notice center lock wheels and a roof that's completely different from a production R8. The entire body borrows heavily from the R8 GT3 Evo II that debuted in 2021, perhaps toned down ever-so-slightly for road use.
Gallery: Audi R8 GT3 Road Car Testing
We aren't treated to a clear interior shot, but we can see what looks like a standard dash at the base of the windshield. A rollbar is clearly visible, and we don't see any trim on the A-pillars. Similarly, we aren't privy to what's happening under that big roof scoop but with 602-hp in stock trim, the R8 doesn't need help to go supremely fast.
Since we're seeing this for the first time, we have no information on when – or if – an official debut may occur. We will certainly keep our eyes peeled for more details, because a bonkers R8 GT3 would be an epic epilogue for this iconic machine.
