In 2005, Audi announced that the name of the successful Audi R8 race car would b

e used for a new road car in 2007, the Audi R8, based on the Audi Le Mans quattr
o concept car (designed by Frank Lamberty and Julian Hoenig), appearing at the 2
003 International Geneva Motor Show, and 2003 Frankfurt International Motor Show
. The R8 development program began in 2004, Lamberty's design being approved and
frozen for production. Production body prototypes began field testing in Januar
y 2006. The R8 road car was officially launched at the Paris Auto Show on 30 Sep
tember 2006. There was some confusion with the name, which the car shares with t
he 24 Hours of Le Mans winning R8 Le Mans Prototype (LMP). 6-time 24 Hours of Le
Mans winner Jacky Ickx described the R8 as "the best handling road car today".[
7][8][9]
It is also the first production car with full-LED headlamps.[10]