Audi will present at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show the New Audi R8 V12 Turbocharged TDI Le Mans with 500hp, the first 12-cylinder diesel engine in a high-performance roadgoing sports car.

Audi is writing a new chapter in diesel technology with this power unit. Equipped with the expertise that Audi has built up through its motor sport activities, the R8 TDI Le Mans in Brilliant Red embodies superb road handling, pioneering technology and fascinating design.

The V12 TDI is closely related to the engine in the Audi R10, the two-time Le Mans winner – so it catapults the Audi R8 into supercar terrain concerning performance too. It sprints from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 4.2 seconds and its top speed is well over 300 km/h (186.41 mph).

The Audi R8 TDI Le Mans already fulfills the Euro 6 emissions standard that is likely to take effect in 2014 and calls for sharply reduced nitrogen oxides. By designing ultra-precise fuel metering by the common rail system, Audi’s engineers have made full use of current clean diesel technology.

The Audi R8 TDI Le Mans with Brilliant Red bodywork looks even wider and more resolute than the core model. It shows its potential through its muscular proportions, accentuated wheel arches and even larger air apertures.

The V12 TDI engine is displayed as the beating heart of this sports car, like a work of art inside a large showcase. With extremely clean, ultra-low emission technology, Audi is continuing its tradition of leadership in diesel engine technology.