Description
Unique opportunity to acquire highly detailed and hard to find 1/18th scale replica of 2005 AUDI R8 LMP1 AUDI SPORT JAPAN TEAM GOH , car #4 as raced by SEIJE ARA, RINALDO CAPELLO and TOM KRISTENSEN to overall victory in 2004 24-HOURS OF LE MANS race . The Audi R8 is a Le Mans Prototype sports-prototype race car introduced in 2000 for sports car racing as a redevelopment of their Audi R8R (open-top LMP ) and Audi R8C (closed-top LMGTP) used in 1999. In its class, it is one of the most successful racing sports cars having won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005, five of the six years it competed in total. Its streak of Le Mans victories between 2000 and 2005 was broken only in 2003 by the Bentley Speed 8 , another race car fielded that year by Volkswagen Group . The 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans (French: 72 e 24 Heures du Mans ) was a non-championship 24 hour automobile endurance race held from 12 June to 13 at the Circuit de la Sarthe near Le Mans , France, for teams of three drivers each fielding Le Mans Prototype and Grand Touring cars. It was the race's 72nd edition, as organised by the automotive group, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) since 1923 . A test day was held eight weeks before the race on 25 April. Approximately 200,000 people attended the race. Jamie Davies , Johnny Herbert and Guy Smith of Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx R8 started from pole position after Herbert set the overall fastest lap time in the fourth qualifying session. The car led for the majority of the first 18 hours, until a rear suspension issue caused handling issues that were resolved in the garage. The Audi Sport Japan Team Goh car of Seiji Ara , Rinaldo Capello and Tom Kristensen took the lead, and despite catching fire during a pit stop , Ara held off the faster Herbert for the remainder of the race to win by 41.354 seconds. It was Ara's first Le Mans win, Capello's second and Kristensen's sixth. Kristensen tied Jacky Ickx 's record of six overall victories and became the first driver to win the race five times in a row Audi 's fourth overall victory since its first in the 2000 edition . The Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx car finished second, while Champion Racing 's JJ Lehto , Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner recovered from a crash in the second hour to finish third overall.. The model was issued by SPARK MODELS. Item #S1802. This was a limited edition. The level of detail of this model is exceptionally good. It looks exactly like the real car. The model features steerable front wheels, complete racing cockpit, detailed brakes, authentic wheels and Michelin tires. Authentic graphics. This is resin model. The model is in excellent condition. The original box is also in very good shape with some minor tear and wear. High definition photos represent the actual item for sale and are part of the item description. Please carefully review them and be your own judge in regards this item condition. Please note that this item is being sold "AS IS" and there is no return on it. Shipping and handling fee $24.00 to any destination within continental USA ($48.00 to Canada & Mexico; $58.00 to any country in Europe, Central and South America; $62.00 to Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan). Serious bidders only. Payment is expected within 3 days of the end of this auction. Thank you for bidding and good luck.