Thursday 14th October 2010

Audi TT Racer sparks DTM Rumours

Could the TT be about to make a DTM comeback?

---

A new Audi TT endurance racer has sparked speculation that the Audi coupe could be making a return to the DTM.

Audi and Raeder Motorsport have created this, a TT RS race car designed to compete in the SP 4T class of Nurburgring endurance racing, but rumours are already flying through the webosphere that Audi might want to swap its DTM A4 for the TT in the future.

That's a pretty big might, however. Current German touring car rules require four-door bodystyles, and the TT RS's five-pot turbo engine would be ditched in favour of the 4.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 that the DTM regs require.

Still, whether it ends up spawning a DTM racer or not, the Raeder TT RS, is still pretty cool. And, being based in part on the R8 LMS racer but with a bespoke suspension and aero package, it should go pretty well, too.

If you want to see just how well, it will be racing in two rounds of the Nurburgring's endurance championship this year, on 16th and 30th October.

[British Beef]

My word, dodgy Airfix aero package really does nothing for the TTs looks!

Usually the DTM versions of cars look awesome, not this one, not by a long way.

Hairdressers car to plain ugly car!

[goron59]

i think the wing is a bit too small.

[TimmmyT]

Awesome, I want one just for the spoiler!

[CraigGTI6]

Can someone with some motorsport/aero design engineering experience explain why the rear wing is so huge, high and offset to the rear? It looks so far out of proportion to the rest of the car, like it would raise the front wheels at speed!

I think it looks nice and aggresive though, for a TT. Who really cares if it's going racing though? Please Audi, just make the new quattro...

[thinfourth2]

Are you sure this isn't a push along kiddy car?

[ellis427]

I like it looks purposeful.

[Antj]

looking forward to seeing this on saturday at the VLN.

shame its showing snow showers for the weekend.....lol

[andy97]

So, apart from the fact that it is not a 4 door and does not have a 4 litre V8 its nailed on to be a DTM car, then. Don't be daft - its clearly designed as a VLN special & nothing wrong with that.

The DTM "link" is probably nothing more than the fact that the aero styling is a bit similar to the DTM TTs of the early 2000s.

CraigGTI6 said:

Can someone with some motorsport/aero design engineering experience explain why the rear wing is so huge, high and offset to the rear? It looks so far out of proportion to the rest of the car, like it would raise the front wheels at speed!

Well, I don't have any aero design or engineering experience but the bigger the wing, the more downforce; the further back it is then the the bigger the "moment" there is (ie more downforce than if the same size wing was mounted further forward) and the higher it is to reduce the the amount of turbulent air that comes off the bodywork/ cabin.

The increase in downforce on the rear is (in my view) designed to increase the traction from the rear wheels & counteract the weight of the 2.5 litre 5 pot motor mounted in the front.

[Riggers]

andy97 said:

So, apart from the fact that it is not a 4 door and does not have a 4 litre V8 its nailed on to be a DTM car, then. Don't be daft - its clearly designed as a VLN special & nothing wrong with that.

Ah, but it made you read the story didn't it?

FWIW, you're probably quite right, mind...

[RenesisEvo]

andy97 said:

Well, I don't have any aero design or engineering experience but the bigger the wing, the more downforce; the further back it is then the the bigger the "moment" there is (ie more downforce than if the same size wing was mounted further forward) and the higher it is to reduce the the amount of turbulent air that comes off the bodywork/ cabin.

The increase in downforce on the rear is (in my view) designed to increase the traction from the rear wheels & counteract the weight of the 2.5 litre 5 pot motor mounted in the front.

Sounds about right. I'd have thought being front-engined, rear-wheel drive (4WD not likely to be permitted) the weight distribution would be fairly even. The position of the wing is more likely to get it into good, clean flow, away from influence by the roof. The lack of variation in the chord suggests this is the case, that or the rules don't allow spanwise variations. Hanging the wing out over the rear helps this, and as you say, also increases the moment to aid rear traction. It seems to have a big enough splitter (and some diveplanes) to generate enough downforce at the front to balance it out; you tend to want to run the aerodynamic balance rearwards of the centre of gravity to keep everything nice and stable. The wing appears single-element, and with fairly slim endplates the wing appears geared more towards efficiency rather than absolute downforce - I imagine it will be a balancing tool, with a fair heft of downfore coming from that large diffuser. The 'Ring is fairly high-speed, so you want downforce, but not with a high drag penalty. A rear wing in isolation is not as efficient as a full underbody diffuser, generically speaking, at generating downforce. No doubt all helped by the wheel-arch pressure relief that seems to have been borrowed from the earlier DTM TT.

[Antj]

the carbelow has been in VLN for two years and the new shape TT has been in Vln for 3 seasons now.



I'll get some pics of it in the pits this weekend,i'll have a nose round the garage

[Wayney]

INSANE!!!!

[BrnoutJerzey]

why would they switch back to a shorter wheelbased car? O_o?

I doubt it'll happen

[stuart-b]

What does the wing on the back of that DTM car tell you about the design of the original road car?

[Gun]

Don't DTM cars have to be saloons now? Otherwise Audi would already be using the TT and Merc would probably be using CLKs.

[Fetchez la vache]

As has been said, that wing needs to be far bigger.

[PaulMoor]

Maybe they are looking to start racing at lower levels? Perhaps we will see the R8 "gentleman racer" in GT2, the TT in GT1 and the R10 in LMP1? I doubt it, but you never know.

[zac510]

I don't really follow DTM but I do know that they are bringing the rules into line with the Japanese Super GT so 2 door cars will be back in in the future.

[Williams99]

What are you all talking about? I see no wing...

[LukeBird]

Fantastic!