Further to its unveiling of the
new A3 and S3 saloons
at the New York Motor Show, Audi’s other big announcement is that it’s throwing its weight behind plans to bring the DTM series to the USA.
Audi 90 IMSA GTO was... well, just epic
The proposal, which has been drawn up IMSA and Grand Am in the USA in conjunction with ITR, the organisers of the DTM, involves a series that stars
DTM
(or DTM-style) racers competing at American circuits. As one of the three manufacturers still taking part in the original German series, the involvement of Audi is a big step toward making the series a reality, and to celebrate the announcement, the company’s unveiled a rendering of a Stars-and-Stripes-liveried RS5 DTM.
Audi’s hoping that taking part in the series will enable it to sell its motorsport credentials to more of the US public. Its last saloon car success in the states was in 1989, with the famed Audi 90 IMSA GTO, and although it’s claimed a string of American Le Mans championships from 2000 to 2008, it’s hoping the new series will enable it to campaign the more familiar shape of an Audi road car, adding some much-needed competition kudos to showroom models. “As a consequence [of the proposed series], the opportunity arises in the future to race the Audi RS5 DTM not only in Europe, but also in Asia and North America in premium championships,” says Wolfgang Durheimer, Audi’s head of technical development. “As a globally active company, this is exciting and interesting for Audi.”