• Surging interest in retired Audi racers has triggered delivery delays.
  • The company has sold three RS 5 DTMs and one R18 LMP1 racer.
  • Audi Sport egineers ensure the vehicles remain in factory standards.

Audi Sport’s back catalogue of retired race cars has found a ready audience among private buyers. So much so that the company now faces a growing backlog for its most exclusive offerings. The “Audi Sport racing legends” program is struggling to keep pace, with global demand moving faster than the workshop can reasonably handle.

Rolf Michl, Audi Sport GmbH Managing Director, revealed that interest in the retired racing weapons has exceeded their initial expectations. The program requires a complete factory restoration of every race car to ensure they are track-ready upon delivery. This lengthy process has created a waiting list that now stretches “well beyond the 2026 season”.

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The company started selling factory-backed race cars like the Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO from the Gran Turismo film in 2024, but the initiative matured into a formal division in 2025.

Audi Sport’s Hottest Sellers Aren’t New Cars, They’re Old Race Cars
Audi Sport’s Hottest Sellers Aren’t New Cars, They’re Old Race Cars
Audi Sport’s Hottest Sellers Aren’t New Cars, They’re Old Race Cars
Audi Sport’s Hottest Sellers Aren’t New Cars, They’re Old Race Cars
Audi Sport’s Hottest Sellers Aren’t New Cars, They’re Old Race Cars
Audi Sport’s Hottest Sellers Aren’t New Cars, They’re Old Race Cars
Audi Sport’s Hottest Sellers Aren’t New Cars, They’re Old Race Cars
Audi Sport’s Hottest Sellers Aren’t New Cars, They’re Old Race Cars

According to Audi, renewed interest in revival racing series has driven demand for machines from the Class 1 DTM era, covering the period from 1993 to 2020.

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This explains why three examples of the Audi RS 5 DTM have been sold in less than a year. The racing version is quite different from the roadgoing RS 5 Coupe, utilizing a carbon fiber monocoque and extreme aerodynamics. Post-2019 models have switched from the older V8 to a turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine which is good for 610 hp (455 kW / 618 PS).

The inventory also includes more extreme LMP prototypes, such as an Audi R18 e-tron quattro from 2013 that has already found its way into a private collection. This one combines a mid-mounted V6 TDI engine with a sophisticated hybrid system that helped Audi secure multiple victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Audi Sport’s Hottest Sellers Aren’t New Cars, They’re Old Race Cars
The Audi R18 e-tron quattro and the RS5 DTM sold last year.

Audi Sport engineers are now working on additional prototypes for sale, ensuring their complex parts return to factory-standards after being driven to the limit in grueling races. For the lucky owners who have already taken delivery, the team provides technical support so they can enjoy them on the track rather than treating them like museum pieces.

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The 2026 season includes appearances in classic races in Hockenheim, Le Mans, Nurburgring, and Red Bull Ring. At the iconic Le Sarthe track, Audi will showcase its dominant endurance racing legacy by exhibiting the V12 diesel-powered R10 TDI next to the hybrid R18 e-tron quattro.

Audi Sport’s Hottest Sellers Aren’t New Cars, They’re Old Race Cars
The R18 e-tron quattro (left) next to the R10 TDI (right).