Audi R8 LMX takes the fight to BMW i8 by becoming the first to feature laser headlights

Back in February this year, BMW announced that its futuristic i8 electric sportscar will come with laser headlights as an optional extra making it the first production car to feature the technology. Now the Bavarian automaker’s fiercest rival Audi has jumped into the fray by adding laser lamp technology on its flagship R8 LMX limited-edition coupe. Audi introduced the laser headlight technology on its R18 E-tron Quattro LMP1 race car and then gave us a glimpse of the production version of it at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show; at the show, Audi had promised that the technology will soon be added to its line-up. By the looks of it, this Audi R8 might not appear any different than the standard V10 variant, but looking closely at the headlights reveal the difference.

According to Audi, each of its headlight modules gets a laser which is twice as powerful as a regular LED light on the normal R8 and each of the single laser module further consists of four laser diodes; traveling above 37.3 miles per hour, after conversion to white light, these modules can throw a beam about 1,640 feet down the road. But it’s not just the laser headlights that are special about these limited edition R8s; the R8 LMX which will have a limited run of 99 examples will also get a more powerful engine. The mid-mounted V10 has been re-tuned to produce 570hp; that’s ten more horses than the standard R8 V10 GT introduced last year.

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The limited edition R8 LMX will come wrapped in Ara Blue paint augmented with carbon accents, exclusive wheels, red brake calipers, and a black Nappa leather interior with contrasting blue bits. Audi has started accepting orders and it will hit the showrooms by June. It means, technically the Audi R8 LMX will be the first production car to feature laser headlights as BMW i8 won’t make it to the dealerships before autumn.

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[Via – Autoblog]

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Sayan Chakravarty, a Senior Writer at Luxurylaunches, brings over 10 years of automotive journalism expertise. He provides insightful coverage of the latest cars and motorcycles across American and European markets, while also highlighting luxury yachts, high-end watches, and gadgets. An authentic automobile aficionado, his commitment shines through in educating readers about the automotive world. When the keyboard rests, Sayan feeds his wanderlust, traversing the world on his motorcycle.