Paragon Audi R8 LMS #29 PA-55264: Nürburgring 2015 Guide

Paragon item PA-55264 is a finished 1:64 model of the red, black, white, and gray Audi R8 LMS number 29 entered by Audi Sport Team WRT in the 2015 Nürburgring 24 Hours. The exact race car was shared by Nicki Thiim, Christer Jöns, Pierre Kaffer, and Laurens Vanthoor. It qualified fifth and recovered to finish seventh after early accident damage cost the team three laps.

Many distributor titles name Thiim, Jöns, and Kaffer but omit Vanthoor. Audi’s post-race account identifies Vanthoor as the fourth member of the number 29 crew. A complete collector record should therefore preserve the package wording while also recording the official four-driver lineup, manufacturer item PA-55264, store SKU F977-PA-55264, UPC 929990552644, and EAN-13 0929990552644.

Paragon PA-55264 at a glance

• Manufacturer: Paragon Models / PARA64
• Vehicle: Audi R8 LMS
• Race number: 29
• Entrant: Audi Sport Team WRT
• Event: 2015 Nürburgring 24 Hours
• Drivers: Nicki Thiim, Christer Jöns, Pierre Kaffer, and Laurens Vanthoor
• Qualifying: Fifth, 8:19.058
• Race result: Seventh overall after losing three laps to early accident damage
• Scale: 1:64
• Driver position: Left-hand drive
• Construction: Diecast metal with plastic detail parts
• Tires: Real rubber
• Opening features: None
• Display: Labeled base beneath a clear plastic showcase
• Approximate length: 2.75 inches
• Manufacturer item: PA-55264
• UPC: 929990552644
• EAN-13: 0929990552644

Why Laurens Vanthoor belongs in the driver record

The long retail title used by many sellers lists three drivers. That wording helps identify the exact package, but it is not the complete official race crew. Audi’s race report names Vanthoor with Thiim, Jöns, and Kaffer when describing the number 29 car’s seventh-place recovery.

Vanthoor also drove the winning number 28 WRT Audi, which is why some databases and photo captions appear confusing. For PA-55264, the safest catalog line is Audi R8 LMS #29 / Audi Sport Team WRT / Thiim–Jöns–Kaffer–Vanthoor / Nürburgring 24 Hours 2015. Driver lineup, race number, event, livery, and product code should agree before another model is treated as the same release.

The number 29 Audi’s 2015 race

The Nürburgring 24 Hours combines the Grand Prix circuit with the Nordschleife, creating a lap longer than 25 kilometers. Traffic, changing weather, darkness, and the circuit’s elevation changes make survival as important as raw speed.

Car number 29 started fifth after an 8:19.058 qualifying lap. Early accident damage cost the crew three laps, but the car continued at competitive pace and reached the finish in seventh overall. That recovery is central to this model’s identity. PA-55264 is not the overall winner, but it represents a new-generation R8 LMS that finished after a substantial early setback.

The sister WRT car, number 28, won the race. Sellers sometimes transfer that victory to any 2015 WRT Audi, but PA-55264 must remain attached to number 29 and its own driver and result record.

The new-generation 2015 Audi R8 LMS

Audi introduced the second-generation R8 LMS in 2015 and selected the Nürburgring 24 Hours as one of its first major endurance appearances. The full-size GT3 car used a 5.2-liter V10 rated at up to 430 kW, or 585 PS, a six-speed paddle-shift transmission, and a base weight of 1,225 kilograms.

Audi also developed a fully lined underfloor with an integrated rear diffuser, revised airflow through the front wheel housings, and major crash-safety changes. Those features help explain the miniature’s low stance, broad diffuser, large rear wing, roof extraction hatch, and deep front cooling openings. They do not imply working systems on the model; the Paragon body is sealed.

How to confirm the exact PA-55264 release

1. Read the item number. The base or package should identify PA-55264.
2. Match the race number. This release is number 29, not the winning number 28 sister car.
3. Confirm the team. The model should use Audi Sport Team WRT presentation.
4. Check the event. The exact identity is the 2015 Nürburgring 24 Hours.
5. Match the livery. Compare the red, black, white, and gray graphics with all four Muncle Mikes images.
6. Record all four drivers. Thiim, Jöns, Kaffer, and Vanthoor form the complete official crew.
7. Confirm the format. PA-55264 is a sealed 1:64 model with real rubber tires and a clear showcase.
8. Match the barcode. The exact UPC is 929990552644.

Number 29 versus number 28

• Number 29: Thiim, Jöns, Kaffer, and Vanthoor; qualified fifth; finished seventh after losing three laps.
• Number 28: Christopher Mies, Nico Müller, Edward Sandström, and Laurens Vanthoor; won the race.

The cars share team, event, generation, and some visual themes, but they do not share exact-product intent. Do not use the number 28 result, driver strip, or photographs to complete the number 29 record.

Reading the WRT livery

The number 29 design is red-dominant with black, white, and gray sections across the R8 body. Small sponsor marks, windshield banners, number panels, mirrors, wheels, and rear-wing graphics help distinguish it from other WRT releases.

Use neutral, diffused light when comparing the model with the gallery. Reflections from the clear cover can make black sections appear gray or hide small printing. A color shift caused by lighting or a screen is not enough to establish a new variation.

• Compare both side number panels.
• Check the windshield and rear-window banners.
• Inspect the roof, splitter, diffuser, and rear wing.
• Match the wheel finish and tire profile.
• Keep the labeled base and package with the model.

No opening panels

The doors, front compartment, rear engine cover, fuel fillers, and aerodynamic panels are fixed. Panel gaps and printed hinges are scale details, not working features.

Do not insert a blade, fingernail, or pick into a seam. The mirrors, wing, splitter, canards, and diffuser edges are more delicate than the main diecast body. Lift the model by its base whenever possible.

Real rubber tires and wheel care

PA-55264 uses separate rubber tires. They support the finished racing stance, but no working steering or suspension is promised.

• Do not apply tire shine, oil, or household cleaner.
• Keep the tires away from soft vinyl, uncured paint, and adhesive residue.
• Do not pull the car by one wheel.
• Do not force the front wheels to steer.
• Check that each tire remains centered on its wheel.

Removing the model from its base is unnecessary for ordinary display and can damage the underside, mounting points, or original presentation.

Using the clear display showcase

The clear plastic cover protects the mirrors, rear wing, graphics, and tires. The base and cover are part of the complete PARA64 release, not disposable shipping material.

1. Place the base on a level surface.
2. Lift the cover vertically with two hands.
3. Keep the cover clear of the mirrors and rear wing.
4. Leave the car secured to the base unless removal is necessary.
5. Use an acrylic-safe microfiber cloth on the cover.
6. Replace the cover before moving the display.

Avoid ammonia-based glass cleaner, which can haze clear plastic. Retain the outer package and fitted insert for transport.

Planning the 1:64 display footprint

The model is approximately 2.75 inches long. The base and clear cover require more room than the loose car, so use the showcase’s actual measurements for fitted shelving.

• Measure the shelf’s internal width, depth, and height.
• Leave enough height to lift the cover.
• Keep a small gap between neighboring showcases.
• Do not stack cases unless their design supports it.
• Leave finger access around the base.

Nominal 1:64 scale does not guarantee an identical footprint across every model. A GT3 rear wing and diffuser can make the R8 LMS occupy more display space than a road car at the same stated scale.

Package and accessory completeness

A complete PA-55264 presentation includes the number 29 car, labeled display base, clear cover, fitted inner packaging, and outer box. No loose driver figure, interchangeable wheels, opening panels, or assembly tools are identified.

• Inspect the cover for cracks and deep scratches.
• Confirm that the car is centered and secured on the base.
• Check the mirrors, rear wing, splitter, and diffuser for damage.
• Keep PA-55264 and UPC 929990552644 legible.
• Record any substituted base, cover, or package.

Package condition and model condition should be documented separately.

Arrival checklist

1. Confirm manufacturer item PA-55264.
2. Match UPC 929990552644 or EAN-13 0929990552644.
3. Verify the Audi R8 LMS, race number 29, and Audi Sport Team WRT identity.
4. Confirm the 2015 Nürburgring 24 Hours presentation.
5. Record Thiim, Jöns, Kaffer, and Vanthoor.
6. Compare the livery with all four exact Muncle Mikes images.
7. Inspect the mirrors, glazing, splitter, wing, diffuser, wheels, and graphics.
8. Confirm that the body is sealed with no opening panels.
9. Check the rubber tires and wheel alignment.
10. Inspect the base, clear cover, inner packaging, and outer box.
11. Photograph both sides, front, rear, top, package, and barcode.

Who should choose this release

Paragon PA-55264 is a strong fit for Audi R8 LMS collectors, WRT displays, Nürburgring 24 Hours collections, GT3 racing lineups, and compact 1:64 showcase shelves. Its documented appeal comes from the exact combination of number 29, its four-driver crew, the new-generation 2015 R8 LMS, and the seventh-place recovery—not from an unsupported rarity or investment claim.

Final identification check

The exact release is the Paragon Models / PARA64 1:64 Audi R8 LMS number 29 entered by Audi Sport Team WRT in the 2015 Nürburgring 24 Hours. The official crew was Nicki Thiim, Christer Jöns, Pierre Kaffer, and Laurens Vanthoor. The car qualified fifth and finished seventh after early accident damage cost three laps. The miniature uses diecast metal and plastic construction, real rubber tires, fixed panels, a labeled display base, and a clear showcase. It is approximately 2.75 inches long. Permanent identifiers are manufacturer item PA-55264, store SKU F977-PA-55264, UPC 929990552644, and EAN-13 0929990552644.

View the Paragon Audi R8 LMS #29 PA-55264

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