Page 1 of 2 Next >> 419 kW (570 hp), from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 3.4 seconds: The Audi R8 LMX (12.9 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers [18.2 US mpg]; 299 grams CO2 per kilometer [481.2 g/mile]) offers breathtaking performance and groundbreaking technology. The limited-edition car is the first production car in the world to come equipped with laser high beams. The R8 LMX can now be ordered and will debut on the streets this summer.
Audi is the leader in developing automotive lighting technology. In 2008, the Audi R8 became the first production car in the world to boast all-LED headlights; this was followed in 2012 by dynamic turn signals. Audi launched a new chapter in automotive lighting with the Matrix LED headlights, which debuted in the updated A8 in 2013. Now the brand with the four rings is igniting the next stage in the R8 LMX: the laser spot for the high beams. It increases the range substantially, which is ideal for a supercar like the R8 LMX.
The Audi engineers work very closely with their racing colleagues on the development of lighting technologies. The combination of LED and laser high beams, for example, will be used for the first time on the new Audi R18 e-tron quattro at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 14 and 15. The premium brand is thus continuing its tradition of using racing to test new technologies destined for production.
"Audi has long dominated the most important 24-hour race. In addition to the outstanding TDI drive technology, a maximum light yield gives our pilots a major advantage, and with night racing in particular is a key factor to our success," says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg. "The transfer of the laser headlight to the Audi R8 LMX underscores our leading position in lighting technology. The safety benefit this provides to the customer truly represents Vorsprung durch Technik," says AUDI AG's Board Member for Development.
With the new laser high beams, one laser module per headlight generates a cone of light with twice the range of the all-LED headlight. Each module comprises four high-power laser diodes. With a diameter of just 300 micrometers, these generate a blue laser beam with a wavelength of 450 nanometers. A phosphor converter transforms this into roadworthy white light with a color temperature of 5,500 Kelvin - ideal conditions for the human eye that enable the driver to recognize contrast more easily and help prevent fatigue. The laser spot, which is active at speeds of 60 km/h (37.3 mph) and above, supplements the LED high beam in the R8 LMX and greatly enhances visibility and safety. An intelligent camera-based sensor system detects other road users and actively adjusts the light pattern to exclude them. Page 1 of 2 Next >>
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419 kW (570 hp), from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 3.4 seconds: The Audi R8 LMX (12.9 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers [18.2 US mpg]; 299 grams CO2 per kilometer [481.2 g/mile]) offers breathtaking performance and groundbreaking technology. The limited-edition car is the first production car in the world to come equipped with laser high beams. The R8 LMX can now be ordered and will debut on the streets this summer.