Research & Development

Introduced in the eponymous update (Research &amp; Development Update) for Asphalt 8: Airborne, Research & Development, known as R&D for short, is a single player laboratory-style special event that introduces four new game elements: Lab, Test, Quality Checks, and Proto Keys, as well as a number of modifications to existing elements, such as R&D Basic Kit Box, or car-specific free upgrades. As in the Car Mastery, the R&D selection, loading, and pre-race screen introduce a new graphic language.

In contrast with Car Mastery, the R&D is more story-oriented. It focuses on telling the story of a car development with the player and other scientists from the car's company being involved.

Cars unlockable via R&D can be purchased for a limited time outside of their events, although they can only be purchased with tokens and tend to be extremely expensive. As of the Car Blueprints Update, most of the R&D-unlockable cars can now be crafted with Blueprints.

Game Elements
When the player runs out of time in any R&D event, they will be told that the R&D has expired but that all upgrades will be kept for when they own the car.
 * Expiry

R&D Events
An overview of all stats of all the previous events was published by Dr. Martin Kneip. Most of the information can be found on the respective page of the R&D event.

Since the Enduro Update, R&D events usually occurred after the end of an Enduro Double Down event and before the next EDD event. Since the Championship Update, R&D events now follow a Championship and are followed by an EDD, in accordance with a normal special events pattern.

Lamborghini Huracán
The first event was published on October 1, 2015 for iOS, featuring the Lamborghini Huracán with 3 Labs spanning 30 Tests. Players were given 32 days to start the challenge, with 15 days to complete the challenge. In the Lunar New Year Update, they were instead given 10 days to start the challenge.

The same event was relaunched after one day (on November 4, 2015), this time lasting less days; however it was not available for all users, the reason being unclear. The upgrades you bought on the car remain; however, you had to start all Labs/Tests from the beginning. When you finished a test you had already done the first time, you were greeted by a message accusing you of "cheating": "Reward already claimed This reward was already claimed, and now that you have reset your profile, it cannot be claimed again. This is normal behavior if you have used cheats."

Following the Alfa Romeo 4C in the Lunar New Year Update, the Huracán was featured again as the sixth Research & Development event, published on March 9, 2016.

Just like all the other R&D cars, if a player upgraded the Huracán in the previous event, the upgrades are still applied and the tests rewards will be given out again even if you have already claimed during the Huracán's first R&D. However, if the car was already maxed out prior to the event's revival, any free upgrades re-earned during the R&D will be useless.

Lamborghini Egoista
The second event was published on December 19, 2015, featuring the Lamborghini Egoista with 4 Labs spanning 65 Tests. Players are given 15 days once they start the challenge.

This event was revived as the ninth R&D event in the Elite Cars Update after the Mosler Super GT's R&amp;D event, on May 11, 2016.

Peugeot SR1
The third event was published on January 20, 2016 after the Lamborghini Egoista's R&D event, featuring the Peugeot SR1 with 4 Labs spanning 45 Tests. Players are given eight days once they start the challenge.

This event was revived as the 11th R&D event in the Enduro Update after the Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe Touring Car 2014's R&amp;D event, on July 14, 2016.

ED Design Torq
This event was published as the fourth R&D event in the Monkey's Year Update on February 4, 2016, with 4 Labs spanning 50 Tests. Players are given 10 days once they start the challenge.

This R&D event is the first R&D event to be themed differently; in this case, it was given a Lunar New Year theme. The same applies to the Renault Alpine Celebration.

This event was revived as the 14th R&D event in the Rio de Janeiro Update after the Aston Martin One-77's revived Enduro Double Down event, on September 29, 2016, this time without the Chinese New Year theme.

Alfa Romeo 4C
This event was published as the fifth R&D event after the ED Design Torq's R&D event in the Monkey's Year Update on February 25, 2016, originally with 3 Labs spanning 35 Tests. Since the Rio de Janeiro Update, players are given 15 days once they start the challenge (originally seven days). The event now has 5 Labs spanning 50 Tests. The layout of the Tests and Labs is heavily similar to that of the Mosler Super GT, albeit with some differences in the first two Labs.

This event was revived as the 13th R&D event in the Rio de Janeiro Update after the BXR Bailey Blade GT1's Enduro Double Down event on September 4, 2016.

BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage
This event was published as the seventh R&D event in the Elite Cars Update in late March 2016, with 4 Labs spanning 50 Tests. Players are given 14 days once they start the challenge. The layout of the Tests and Labs is reused from the ED Design Torq, but is much more difficult in comparison.

This event was revived as the 19th R&D event in the Lunar New Year 2017 Update after the McLaren MP4/8's Championship event, on March 3rd, 2017.

Mosler Super GT
This event was published as the eighth R&D event in the Elite Cars Update after the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage's R&D event, in mid-April 2016, with 5 Labs spanning 50 Tests. Players are given 14 days once they start the challenge.

This event was revived as the 16th R&D event in the Multiplayer League Update after the Falcon F7's Enduro Double Down event, on November 22, 2016.

Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe Touring Car 2014
This event was published as the tenth R&D event in the Enduro Update after the Weber Faster One's Enduro Double Down event, in mid-late June 2016, with 4 Labs spanning 50 Tests. Players are given 12 days once they start the challenge.

The event was revived as the 23rd R&D event in the Porsche Update after the Porsche 918 Spyder with Weissach Package's Enduro Double Down event on July 29th, 2017.

W Motors Fenyr Supersport
This event was published as the 12th R&D event in the Rio de Janeiro Update after the Aston Martin One-77's Enduro Double Down event, on August 9th, 2016, with 4 Labs spanning 65 Tests. Players are given 15 days once they start the challenge. The layout of the Tests and Labs is reused from that of the Lamborghini Egoista.

GT by CITROEN
This event was published as the 15th R&D event in the Multiplayer League Update after the Icona Vulcano V12 Hybrid's Enduro Double Down event, on October 25th, 2016, with 4 Labs spanning 50 Tests. Players are given 14 days once they start the challenge. The layout of the Tests and Labs is reused from those of the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage and ED Design Torq.

Arash AF10
This event was published as the 17th R&D event in the Championship Update after the McLaren M14A's Championship, on December 23, 2016 with 4 Labs spanning 60 Tests. Players are given 12 days once they start the challenge. The layout of the Tests and Labs is heavily similar to those of the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage and ED Design Torq, but with more Tests.

This event was revived as the 21st R&D event in the Car Blueprints Update after the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport's EDD event, on May 19, 2017.

Renault Alpine Celebration
This event was published as the 18th R&D event in the Lunar New Year 2017 Update after the McLaren Mercedes MP4-25's Championship, on January 25, 2017, with 4 Labs spanning 50 Tests. Players are given 10 days once they start the challenge. The layout of the Tests and Labs is reused completely from that of the ED Design Torq, but with a slight difference: the fifth Ultimate AI Challenge occurs at Test 043 instead of Test 044.

This is also the second R&D event to carry a Lunar New Year theme.

Lotus Evora Sport 410
This event was published as the 20th R&D event in the Car Blueprints Update after the Sbarro Sparta's Enduro Double Down event, on April 25, 2017, with 4 Labs spanning 44 Tests. Players are given 9 days once they start the challenge. The layout of the Tests and Labs is very similar to that of the ED Design Torq, except with 6 less Tests and less Quality Checks per test, making this R&D event the first R&D event whose Test count is not evenly divisible by 5.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS
This event was published as the 22nd R&D event and third event in the Porsche Motor Series in the Porsche Update after the Porsche 959's Championship event, on June 23, 2017, with 4 Labs spanning 50 Tests. Players are given 14 days once they start the challenge. The layout of the Tests and Labs is reused completely from those of the ED Design Torq, BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage, and GT by CITROEN.

KTM 1290 Super Duke R


This event was published as the 24th R&D event in the Motorcycles Update on August 23, 2017, with 4 Labs spanning 50 Tests. Players are given 7 days once they start the challenge.

Ducati SuperSport S


This event was published as the 25th R&D event in the Motorcycles Update after the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition's Enduro Double Down event on September 9, 2017, with 4 Labs spanning 50 Tests. Players are given 10 days once they start the challenge.

Peugeot RCZ R


This event was published as the 26th R&D event in the Motorcycles Update after the Ducati SuperSport S' R&D event on September 24, 2017 with 3 Labs spanning 35 Tests. Players are given 5 days once they start the challenge, making it the shortest R&D ever released throughout the game.

Suzuki Hayabusa


This event was published as the 27th R&D event in the Motorcycles Update after the Peugeot RCZ's R&D event on October X, 2017 with 4 Labs spanning 65 Tests. Players are given 12 days once they start the challenge.

Research & Development Intro Screens
Push the capabilities of the [R&D boss car name] to new extremes by working as an R&D driver and mastering different development tests.

Every test you complete will help you to develop perfectly engineered upgrades that will maximize your car's potential.

Collect Quality Checks during Validation Tests to push performance beyond the limits and develop new upgrades.

Put your car to the ultimate test by going head-to-head against an advanced AI, programmed to calculate the [R&D boss car's manufacturer name/Torq]'s ultimate path and performance, in the Ultimate AI Challenge!

For security purposes, the Proto Keys are made of a special material that will dissolve after one race. Use them wisely -- it takes time to make more!

Complete all [30-65] R&D tests within [7-15] days to get the [R&D boss car name] for free, as well as other amazing rewards. All upgrades applied during tests will remain on the car after the R&D process is finished.

Normal Intro Screens =

Trivia

 * The sound effect played when collecting a reward in R&D would later be reused for Championships.
 * From the Elite Cars Update onwards, it is now possible to see the quote for a test in the loading screen.
 * As of the Enduro Update, the sound effect played when refilling Proto Keys is no longer used when a Proto Key is used.
 * As of the Enduro Update, in the race countdown, during Ultimate AI Challenges, the text that says "Ultimate AI Challenge" is now in all capital letters.