Deliveries of the new Audi R8 LMS GT4 have begun, with the first 12 cars having been handed over to customers ahead of 2018.

Audi Sport GmbH CEO Stephan Winkelmann and Head of Audi Sport customer racing Chris Reinke personally welcomed the customers to their new cars Friday at Audi Sport’s headquarters in Neuburg.

Five cars have gone to customers in North America, for both the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and Pirelli World Challenge, while Audi China has taken delivery of two cars, for use in the Audi R8 LMS Cup, which expands to GT4 machinery next year.

Phoenix Racing, which was tasked with the car’s race development in Europe, has taken delivery of two cars, as has Dutch squad Team Bourguignon, with a single Audi GT4 going to an Australian customer.

“A new project always symbolizes new beginnings. The first deliveries mark a special moment for our customers as well as for us,” Reinke said.

“We wish the teams the best of success with the new Audi R8 LMS GT4.”

Following an extensive testing and development program that included races in VLN as well as the Nürburgring 24, the car will make its customer debut in next month’s Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai, where Phoenix will enter two cars.

Two weeks later, multiple customers will give the Audi GT4 its first outing in North America in the Continental Tire Challenge season-opener at Daytona, followed by the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour the following weekend.

The Audi R8 LMS Cup season, meanwhile, kicks off in Adelaide on March 2-4, with PWC’s season-opener at St. Petersburg set for the following weekend.