It was Formula One legend Sir Jackie Stewart who nicknamed Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife race track the “Green Hell”. Snaking through dense pine forest, the forbidding 20.8-km loop features dozens of immensely tricky turns, blind corners and sudden drops, with some 300 metres of elevation change over each lap. Ever since it opened in the 1920s, it has been considered one of the most challenging circuits in the world.

One race car has managed to tame this beastly circuit better than most: the Audi R8 LMS. Dynamic and powerful, this incredible machine has achieved five overall victories since 2012 in the gruelling Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race, adding to its many other GT3 racing triumphs worldwide. Strength, precision and control all come together in the Audi R8 LMS to create the ultimate high-performance race package. To pay tribute to its remarkable success, Audi Sport GmbH has unveiled a limited special edition road sports car version: the Audi R8 green hell.

Limited to just 50 units worldwide, the Audi R8 green hell edition immediately grabs attention thanks to its race track styling. Painted a moody dark Tioman green, the bonnet, A-pillars, roof and rear end are partly covered in contrasting matt black foil, while the doors feature transparent matt numbers similar to race car numbers. Eye-catching five-spoke 20-inch wheels are also painted matte black, paired with striking red accents. The interior also shows unique touches, including Alcantara-upholstered lightweight bucket seats with contrast turquoise stitching, and distinctive “GREEN HELL R8” logos to remind everyone of this car’s special status.

Similarities between road sports car and racing car versions run much deeper than its slick looks, however. “We are synonymous with high performance – in both series production and motorsport,” says Julius Seebach, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH. “The R8 road sports car and the R8 LMS racing car were designed and developed jointly; around half of their parts are identical. The R8 green hell edition model draws on the proximity to motorsport, while also paying tribute to our legendary victories on the Nürburgring.”

The supercar is based on the Audi R8 Coupé V10 performance quattro, with a 5.2-litre naturally aspirated engine tuned to generate an eye-watering 611hp. All that power is efficiently delivered via a seven-speed S Tronic gearbox to the four wheels, propelling the two-seater from 0-100 km/h in just 3.1 seconds and hitting a top speed – should you be invited for a turn on the Nürburgring – of 331 km/h. For a car with this kind of racing pedigree, that would be considered a very well-deserved lap of honour.