The Flying Kangaroo

Audi Sport goes on display at the National Motor Racing Museum in Bathurst.

The Audi R8 LMS GT3 car that successfully defended the brand’s first win at The Mountain goes on display in Bathurst.

2 December, 2019


In 2011, Audi Sport completed an historic first and second result at Australia’s most famed race track. The Bathurst 12 Hour race that year saw a factory-backed effort at the newly relaunched event that saw one R8 LMS driven by an international team of drivers, and another driven by Australian champions.

In the ‘overseas car’, Darryl O’Young, Marc Basseng and Christopher Mies had the driving duties, while the ‘Aussie car’ was piloted by Craig Lowndes, Warren Luff and Mark Eddy. At the end of a gruelling 12 hours, the cars finished first and second, starting what has become the most successful performance by any manufacturer in the race.

The following year, two Audi R8 LMS GT3s again took to the mountain to defend the title, and although the Australian car on that occasion failed to finish due to an accident, the ‘international Audi’, with its distinctive kangaroo livery, crossed the line first to successfully defend the title.

That car, or a car wrapped to look exactly like it is now on display at the National Motor Racing Museum at Bathurst, where it will remain for the next six months.

Melbourne Performance Centre – Audi Sport customer racing’s satellite in Australia – provided the historic replica of the car that was successfully campaigned in 2012, with Christopher Mies and Darryl O’Young joined by Christer Jöns behind the wheel.

Since then, Audi has added another victory in the race, winning in 2018 to become the most successful manufacturer in the Bathurst 12 hour.

In 2020, Audi Sport will be back at the Mountain to contest the event for the tenth time, when the world’s top teams and drivers again make the pilgrimage Down Under for an exciting weekend of motorsport. Visitors to next year’s event will be able to visit the ‘Flying Kangaroo’ at the National Motor Racing Museum as Audi attempts to add another victory to its record tally.

Audi is the most successful manufacturer to compete at the Bathurst 12 Hour