Audi Unveils RS 3 LMS Car for TCR

Photo: Audi

Audi announced Thursday that it will officially enter the TCR market, confirming the Audi RS 3 LMS car for a 2017 debut.

The German manufacturer’s newest customer offering will be eligible for numerous championships worldwide, including both the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and Pirelli World Challenge beginning in 2018.

“The TCR market has even larger potential than that of the GT3 category,” said Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing.

“In 2016, there were ten TCR series with races in 18 countries, and more and more series are being added. With the TCR version of the RS 3 we’re also reaching countries where no GT3 races are held.”

The RS 3 LMS will feature a two-liter, four-cylinder turbo, delivering 330 horsepower.

It will go on sale for 129,000 Euros for the TCR version with a sequential six-speed gearbox, and 99,000 Euros a club sport model, with customer deliveries set to begin in December.

“The costs for a TCR race car are very low,” Reinke added. “As a result, we’re going to win new customers for Audi Sport as well.

“In terms of support and parts supply, they’ll benefit from the experiences we’ve been gathering with the Audi R8 LMS since 2009, which our GT3 customers have come to appreciate.”

TCR will launch as a new category for Continental Tire Challenge in 2018, with PWC also set to add the platform for the same year.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John