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This Sepang Blue Audi R8 V10 wears a full CMST carbon-fibre aero kit: a twin-layer carbon front lip, carbon side skirts, and carbon front and rear fenders that frame the car's mid-engine stance. The R8 is Audi's first mid-engine production supercar, built on the platform it shares with the Lamborghini Gallardo, with a naturally aspirated V10, quattro all-wheel drive and an Audi Space Frame aluminium body. CMST's carbon parts are moulded from the factory surfaces, so they bolt to OEM mounting points and keep that aluminium architecture and the R8's signature sideblade intact while adding exposed-weave detail and a lower, wider read.

• Vehicle: Audi R8 V10 (Type 42), mid-engine 5.2 FSI, quattro
• Build finish: Sepang-style blue with owner-added red/yellow racing stripes over carbon
• Material: twin-layer (double-skin) carbon fibre for added rigidity at lower weight
• Fitted pieces: carbon front lip, carbon side skirts, carbon front fenders, carbon rear fenders, carbon rear spoiler
• Finish: clear-coated 2x2 twill weave, paired with silver forged wheels and acid-green calipers

The build: blue flame over carbon weave

The brief here was contrast — deep metallic blue paint against the matte-dark grain of exposed carbon, sharpened by silver forged wheels and acid-green brake calipers. It is a build that uses carbon as a styling material as much as a lightweight one. Rather than wrapping the R8 in a widebody, the owner kept the factory silhouette and let CMST's panels do the talking: a lip that drops the nose, fenders that catch the light, and a rear spoiler that adds depth to a famously clean tail. The two thin red-and-yellow stripes laid over the rear quarter are a deliberate nod to motorsport livery, and they make the carbon weave underneath read even more clearly.

Piece-by-piece breakdown

Twin-layer carbon front lip

The front lip is the centrepiece. CMST integrates it tightly into the lower bumper and extends it slightly outboard so it lines up with the corner intakes rather than sitting as an afterthought below them. It is built as a twin-layer carbon part — a double skin that adds stiffness without the weight penalty of a thicker single laminate — which matters on a front lip that takes airflow load and the occasional kerb. On the R8's short front overhang it pulls the splitter plane forward just enough to add front-end presence and bite.

Carbon side skirts

The carbon side skirts run the lower edge of the door and tie the front lip to the rear of the car, lowering the visual centre of gravity. On a mid-engine car with prominent sideblades, the skirts matter for proportion: they stop the R8 looking tall over its forged wheels and give the profile a single continuous wedge from nose to tail.

Carbon front and rear fenders

The carbon rear fenders are, as the build describes it, the finishing touch. Replacing the painted rear quarters with carbon adds visual mass exactly where the R8 needs it — over the wide rear track that houses the V10 — and the exposed weave catches light along the haunch. The front fenders carry the same treatment forward, so the carbon theme is consistent end to end rather than concentrated at one corner. The owner's red/yellow stripes sit over the rear fender, highlighting the texture.

Up close, the detailing rewards a second look: the weave runs cleanly into the body lines, and the panel gaps stay tight against the factory metalwork — the payoff of moulding parts from scanned OEM surfaces rather than approximating them.

Carbon rear spoiler and diffuser area

At the tail, the CMST rear spoiler adds more three-dimensional shape than the standard lip, and the carbon work around the lower rear valance frames the quad-look exhaust exits. The result is a rear end with more depth and attitude than stock, without resorting to a tall fixed wing — fitting for a car whose appeal is as much about poise as aggression.

Why carbon suits the R8

The R8 is one of the few supercars where exposed carbon reads as period-correct rather than bolt-on. Audi offered carbon sideblades and packages from the factory, so the eye already expects weave on this car. CMST's twin-layer construction leans into that: the double-skin parts are rigid enough to hold their shape over the R8's long doors and wide rear, while staying lighter than painted plastic or metal equivalents. For an owner who wants the car to look purposeful at a standstill and shed a few kilograms of unsprung-adjacent and overhang weight, carbon is the logical material.

It helps that this generation of R8 is mechanically special in a way the styling should match. The Type 42 V10 uses a naturally aspirated 5.2-litre engine mounted behind the cabin and visible under glass — a layout shared with the Lamborghini Gallardo and a sound that defines the car. Dressing the exterior in carbon rather than gloss-painted trim acknowledges that pedigree: the material is the same one used throughout the R8's interior accents and engine-bay covers, so the front lip, fenders and spoiler read as an extension of the car BMW-rivalling Audi already built, not an aftermarket departure from it. The blue paint and racing stripes are the personalisation; the carbon is the through-line that keeps the build coherent.

Dry carbon vs carbon fibre, and finishing in Australia

CMST offers R8 panels in dry carbon (prepreg, autoclave-cured) for the lightest, most uniform result, and in standard wet-layup carbon fibre for a more affordable street build. Either way, the clear coat needs protecting from Australian UV: a ceramic coating or paint-protection film over the weave keeps the lacquer from hazing and the blue paint alongside it from fading. If you prefer body colour to exposed weave, the parts take paint without fuss.

You can see the full range in our CMST Carbon Fibre Body Kit for Audi collection, find R8-specific parts under Audi R8 Body Kit, and read more about the brand's dry-carbon process on the CMST page. Front lips for other Audi models live under CMST Front Lip for Audi.

FAQ

Which R8 does this CMST kit fit?

The parts shown are for the Audi R8 V10 (Type 42, 2007–2015). CMST also tools R8 aero for V8 cars and the later Type 4S, but because front and rear bumpers differ across facelifts and between coupe and Spyder, confirm your exact model year and bumper before ordering so the correct lip, skirts and fenders are supplied.

What does "twin-layer carbon" mean?

It refers to a double-skin laminate: two carbon layers built up to give the panel extra stiffness and impact resistance without the weight of a single thick laminate. CMST uses it on load-bearing parts like the front lip so they hold their shape and survive everyday road use.

Can I add the racing stripes shown on the car?

Yes — the red and yellow stripes are vinyl applied over the carbon, not part of the panel. They are a styling choice this owner made and can be specified in any colour, or left off for plain exposed weave.

Will the carbon fenders affect my R8's panel fit or alignment?

No, when fitted correctly. The fenders are moulded from factory surfaces and mount to OEM points, so panel gaps and shut lines stay tight. As with any carbon aero, professional dry-fitting before final fitment is recommended to set even gaps.

Is the kit suitable for a daily-driven R8?

Yes. The lip, skirts, fenders and spoiler are street-friendly and bolt to factory points. The main daily consideration is front-lip clearance on steep driveways — approach at an angle, and use the front lift if your R8 has one.

Want this look on your own R8? Browse fitment and finishes in our CMST Carbon Fibre Body Kit for Audi range and speak with the AME Motorsport team about specifying a build.