Audi Is Selling a Diesel R18 LMP1 Car You Can Actually Drive
In the 2000s and 2010s, Audi owned sports car racing. The brand won the 24 Hours of Le Mans 13 times in 15 years, enough to make the brand the second-winningest marque in the history of the race. The company's most advanced Le Mans winner was the R18 E-Tron Quattro, a diesel hybrid LMP1 car that sent power to the front wheels with the help of a flywheel energy storage system. Now, a decade later, Audi is actually selling a running example directly to one lucky customer.
A 2012 R18 E-Tron Quattro, the first year for the hybrid variant of Audi's four-time Le Mans-winning coupe, will be sold by a new "Audi Sport Racing Legends" group. The same department is also launching a 2015 DTM silhouette racer in the shape of an Audi RS 5. Both cars are being offered as complete, running models meant to be used on track as if they were new.
Race cars are complicated, and the 2010s LMP1 hybrid set were arguably the most complex racing machines ever built. An original R18 is unique even by those standards, complete with a flywheel hybrid system and diesel V-6 engine that made even the V-4 in the Porsche 919 Hybrid look normal. This is what makes buying a car directly from Audi such a distinct advantage: the automaker says the new Audi Sport racing legends program also includes "regular technical inspections, the offer of repairs, but also a spare parts service and expert advice from former developers."
That access is not completely unique; Ferrari, notably, has offered similar services for retired F1 car buyers through its Corse Clienti program for decades. What makes the Audi program so interesting is that this level of comprehensive service is being provided to such a unique (and challenging) car, opening a whole new avenue for collectors looking to drive ultra-advanced LMP1 machinery the way the cars were intended to be driven.
Oh, and a note to whomever the future owner is: can we drive it?
You Might Also Like
You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox
Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners
The Man Who Signs Every Car
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'Sports Science 'Host John Brenkus Died by Suicide, Says Medical Examiner: Report
John Brenkus was the host and founder of Sports Science He died on Saturday, May 31, according to a statement posted on his X account and the website Brenkus died by suicide, according to TMZ, citing the Virginia Department of Health, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Two days after John Brenkus' death was announced, his cause of death was revealed. Brenkus died by suicide on Saturday, May 31, according to TMZ, citing the Virginia Department of Health, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. PEOPLE has reached out to the department for comment. His death was announced via a statement posted to his X account on Sunday, June 1, and the website. — John Brenkus (@johnbrenkus_) June 2, 2025 "It is with profound sadness that we share the news that John Brenkus has passed away. John, co-founder of BASE Productions, founder of and co-creator and host of the 6-time Emmy Award-winning Sport Science, had been battling depression," the statement said. The statement noted that "John lost his fight with this terrible illness on May 31st, 2025." "His heartbroken family and friends request privacy at this time, and encourage anyone who is struggling with depression to seek help," the statement continued. Sport Science first aired on Fox Sports in 2007, before moving to ESPN. The show, hosted by Brenkus, uncovered "sports' biggest myths and mysteries by using cutting-edge technology to measure momentum, friction and the laws of gravity," according to an ESPN synopsis. Brenkus hosted nearly 1,800 segments explaining the correlation between science and sports, USA Today reported. ESPN shared a tribute to the late host on SportsCenter, announcing his death to viewers and remembering him as an 'innovator, entertainer and educator,' who 'will be missed by many.' Brenkus was vocal about his mental health, telling Marcellus Wiley in a 2023 episode of Never Shut Up that he once fell into a "deep deep depression' after selling Sport Science to ESPN. "I was flat out suicidal," Brenkus said, adding, "I was ready to do it and my dog Zeppelin came to my rescue. Literally pulled on my pants, on my jeans, and literally was going crazy. Wouldn't leave me alone." After the experience, he called his mom and said, " 'There's something wrong with me. I am mentally lost.' " "I then went through a battle, I'm telling you, a battle to get out of it," he said, noting that he "finally found the way," after going to six different psychologists and psychiatrists. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 24/7. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
‘Beetlejuice' Returning to Broadway for Third Run
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice is returning to Broadway for the third time. The first national tour of Beetlejuice The Musical will play at The Palace Theatre from Oct. 8 for a 13-week engagement through Jan. 3, 2026. The third return to Broadway is unusual (and in keeping with the plot of the show) as the musical's two previous Broadway engagements were in the last five years and the production has had a bumpy trajectory. More from The Hollywood Reporter Tonys: Sarah Paulson on the Truth-Teller Behind the Pulitzer-Winning Play 'Purpose' Mia Farrow on Her First Tony Nomination, Returning to Broadway in 'The Roommate' Audra McDonald Says She Didn't Know About "Rift" Between Her and Patti LuPone The musical originally ran at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre from April 2019, and initially saw low ticket sales until its fortunes turned around, thanks in part to traction on social media and a successful Tonys performance. Despite the reversal in the production's grosses, theater owners announced plans to force the show out of the theater by June 2020, to make room for The Music Man starring Hugh Jackman. Those plans were delayed by the pandemic, but Beetlejuice did vacate and plan its return to Broadway, based on the momentum of the show and the popularity of the cast recording, said producers. Beetlejuice returned to Broadway, at the Marquis Theatre, where it ran from April 2022 through January 2023 and saw a return of most of its Broadway cast, including Alex Brightman, playing the title character. However, the musical struggled to recapture the same momentum from before the pandemic and ended its run early. Now it returns after the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the sequel to the 1988 film, this fall, which had the second best September launch of all time. Warner Bros. is the producer of the film and its theatrical arm is a producer of the Broadway show. Casting for the Broadway engagement has not yet been announced. The first national tour of the musical launched in December 2022, and will end its run on Broadway. There have also been productions of the show in Tokyo, Seoul, and Melbourne, and an upcoming production in Sydney. Based on the Tim Burton film, Beetlejuice is directed by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge!), with an original score by Eddie Perfect (King Kong), a book by Scott Brown and Anthony King, with choreography by Connor Gallagher. The show's run is also part of a returning industry trend in which national tours make stops on Broadway, including The Wiz, which ran at the Marquis Theatre from April to August 2024, before theaters. Beetlejuice takes over the Palace Theatre, which is currently home to Glengarry Glen Ross, starring Kieran Culkin, Bill Burr and Bob Odenkirk, which is scheduled to end its run there on June 28. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Seeing Double? 25 Pairs of Celebrities Who Look Nearly Identical From 'Lady in the Lake' to 'It Ends With Us': 29 New and Upcoming Book Adaptations in 2024 Meet the Superstars Who Glam Up Hollywood's A-List
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
CNN to Air Live Broadcast of George Clooney's ‘Good Night and Good Luck' in Broadway First
The Broadway production of Good Night, and Good Luck, starring George Clooney, will be broadcast live on CNN. The broadcast, which is the first time a live performance of a play will be televised, is scheduled to air live on June 7 at 7 p.m. ET across CNN, CNN International and streaming on CNN's website. The televised performance is the second-to-last scheduled performance of the play on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theater. More from The Hollywood Reporter C-SPAN's Next Big Bet Is a "Radically Different" Sort of Cable News Show: 'CeaseFire' Charles Strouse, Tony-Winning Composer of 'Annie' and 'Bye Bye Birdie,' Dies at 96 David Lindsay-Abaire Brings New Play 'The Balusters' to Broadway in 2026 'I can't tell you how exciting it is to do something that's never been done. CNN is the perfect place to bring this story of courage to so many more people than we could have ever hoped. Live TV. No net. Buckle up everyone,' Clooney said in a statement. 'Good Night, and Good Luck is not just a celebration of a golden age in TV journalism,' said CNN chairman and CEO Mark Thompson. 'It's also about the importance of the free press and the need for strong news organizations to report the facts in a fair-minded way. That's something we still care deeply about.' The play, which was adapted from the 2005 film, follows journalist Edward R. Murrow, played by Clooney, in his efforts to take down Sen. Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism on air amid concerns from the federal government and CBS station heads. The broadcast will be executive produced by Clooney and Grant Heslov — they co-wrote the play together — Deena Katz, Todd Wagner and Jeff Skoll. The play opened on Broadway April 3 and is scheduled to run through June 8. The live broadcast of the show is also notable as the production has broken records as the play with the highest weekly gross in Broadway history, recently becoming the first play to make more than $4 million in one week. The production also announced the recoupment of $9.5 million capitalization Monday. The broadcast is set to air the evening before the Tony Awards. Clooney is nominated for his role as Murrow, and the play is nominated for best scenic, costume, lighting and sound. CNN will also be working on special pre-show coverage outside of the theater. Following the production, CNN will host a Good Night, and Good Luck special to discuss the production and state of global journalism. Best of The Hollywood Reporter From 'Lady in the Lake' to 'It Ends With Us': 29 New and Upcoming Book Adaptations in 2024 Meet the Superstars Who Glam Up Hollywood's A-List Rosie O'Donnell on Ellen, Madonna, Trump and 40 Years in the Queer Spotlight
