Audi’s motorsport division announced plans back in August to launch a 500hp-plus (373kW) version of the R8 for use in next year’s GT3 series, and now a prototype for the race car has been spied testing at Germany’s Nurburgring.

The new car has been designed for private customer teams and fully conforms to the production-based GT3 regulations, which means they will be allowable in numerous national and international competitions.

Because the GT3 regulations prohibit the use of AWD, the Audi R8 comes with a modified RWD powertrain and a newly developed six-speed sequential sports gearbox. The suspension is almost completely stock, with most of the modifications affecting the car’s aerodynamics package. A modified front end and a large rear-wing generate the required downforce for the race track.

The R8 race car, which bears the project name ‘R16’ within Audi’s motorsport division, has already conducted a number of shakedown tests at the hands of Audi factory driver Frank Biela. The latest prototype was also being tested by German tuning firm ABT Sportsline, which suggest we could soon see a number of new performance mods for the R8.

Development won’t is set to continue for several more weeks as the race car isn’t scheduled to enter production at Audi’s Györ plant in Hungary until the end of the year.