Sportscar Profiles
Related sites The Invincible Audi R8 "2000/2001" Sportscar Profiles
Mulsanne corner
Best Sportscar Tech Site reviews the R8 in depth.
Joest Racing
R8 Gallery on the Team website
Champion Motorsport
Official website with lots of R8 pictures

Since the turn of the new millennium the immaculate Audi R8 has dominated Sportscar racing. In all the races they entered, the open topped cars were near invincible.
With top endurance team Joest running the works cars and Champion Racing and Johannson in customer R8's, count on at least one Audi to finish on the podium.

With the release of Mad Productions "slot" prepared Le Mans Miniatures "resin" Audi R8, it won't be long before the same will happen in 1/24.

Superbly detailed the kit might be, but to win the Concourse you might want to add "something extra". Here are some detailed photo's and comments on the "2000" Audi R8.

BMW V12 LM
Ferrari 333sp

Riley & Scott MKIII
Future Profiles
Audi R8 1999
Audi RC8 (coupe)
Lola B98
Panoz GTR
Panoz LMP
Porsche GT1
Toyota GT one
 

 

Back-end detail
Strangly enough the part most shown by Audi to other Sports-carspilots, features hardly in any photo coverage.
A shame, as it is a beautiful piece of art.
The whole back-end is designed signed to be replaced as an unit.
Joest mechanics can perform a "swap" in less than 7 minutes.

We found this image on Mulsanne Corner's website...no more guess work..start detailing!!



Back-end Spoils
A point of attention for 1/24 Endurance racers... the Spoiler fixtures. Always a delicate item, as you must run with a spoiler at all times.
Mad Productions fixtures are brass photo-etched parts, flexible but durable. The problem lies in the joint with the spoiler.
a tip taken from the 1/1 racers..reinforce for the race with some thin strands off ...racetape!

 

R8 2001: Weathering Heights
This year Audi looked set to emmulate their 2000 Le Mans victory. In the run up to the 24 hrs the 2001 R8 seemed an even more refined Aerodynamic package.
Most noticably for "us modellers" are the reworked body sides and front fenders.
The Monsoon conditions may have prevented an "all Audi" podium but it did give us some good suggestions for an down and dirty LM R8 racer.


Notice how dust from the Carbon discs collects on the sides of the body. The Anthracite "trails" follow the airflow from the wheel-wells and radiator exhaust's.

A much used technique to give a slotcar such an "As raced" look is called Weathering.
Most use water based paints like Tamiya or Testor acrylics.
Strongly diluted (1:20) they are applied over the clear laquer topcoat. You can use an Airbrush or soft brush or a combination of both.
There's no fixed rule, just find some good ref photo's and experiment
  To beat the Champions
Buying the best car on the block Gulf backed Johannson and the American Champion team tried to beat the champions with last year cars... So money can't buy everything,... but they did bring some colour to the (Silver)grey Audi pack. And gave us 2 new 1/24 versions to build.