Audi diesel to race at Le Mans
5.5-litre 650bhp V12 offers 811lb-ft of torque
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Audi will become the world’s first car manufacturer to compete in the 24 Heures du Mans with a diesel-engined sportscar.
The Audi R10 was unveiled in Paris yesterday with the German car maker aiming for its new "open-top" sportscar to continue in the wheeltracks of its ultra-successful predecessor. It's scheduled to make its race début in the Sebring 12 Hours (USA) next March before contesting the gruelling Le Mans race on 17-18 June.
The all-new Audi R10 is powered by a new 5.5-litre, 12-cylinder twin-turbo TDI engine, said to be "extremely quiet and economical". The V12 produces over 650bhp and a meaty 811lb-ft of torque -- and it's venturing into unexplored territory not just from the point of view of the race, but also because the engine is manufactured completely from aluminium.
Audi reckoned that the V12 "is hardly recognisable as a diesel thanks to the engine’s smooth running." The injection pressure exceeds the 1,600 bar achieved in production cars.
And the usable power band lies between 3,000 and 5,000 revs per minute -- unusually low for a racing engine -- although the driver need change gear in the R10 far less often than in the R8 because of the TDI engine’s chunky torque curve.
Radical changes to the chassis were also necessary. The Audi R10 has a significantly longer wheel base than the R8. The overly wide front tyres are, up until now, unique for a Le Mans Prototype. New technologies were also implemented during the development of the carbon-fibre monocoque. Chassis, engine and gearbox form an extremely rigid, fully stressed unit.
The new Audi R10 successfully completed its first test at the end of November while an extensive test programme is scheduled prior to the car’s race début at Sebring.
"The R10 project is the biggest challenge ever to have been handed to Audi Sport," said Audi Motorsport boss Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. "TDI technology has not been pushed to its limits in motorsport yet. We are the first to confront the challenge. The demands of such a project are accordingly high. Long-term technology partners such as Bosch, Michelin and Shell support us in our quest. Together we have the chance to write new chapters in the history books of motorsport and diesel technology."
"With the A8 4.2 TDI quattro, Audi already builds one of the most powerful diesel cars in the world," said Audi boss Prof Martin Winterkorn at the R10 presentation in Paris. "The Le Mans project will help our technicians to extract even more from TDI technology. Nowadays, every second Audi is delivered with a TDI engine. We expect that the percentage of diesel engines will be even larger in the future."
Audi said that, as with the TFSI (turbo petrol direct injection) technology, which triumphed initially at Le Mans before being adopted for mass-production, Audi customers will benefit from the lessons learnt in motorsport.
julesv said:
Wonder what the fuel economy/tank size is compared to its rivals i.e. how many extra laps will it do between pit stops?
That's an interesting question I'd like to know the answer to that as well. Thier web site offers up no additional info...
And also, do you think they'll accidentally fill it with petrol during a pit stop?.
(Sorry, it's a bit of a slow afternoon.)
AlexRWD said:
Why does it look as though it was designed to be a 2 seater, with the driver sitting off-centre? Surely it must be best for balance etc to have a central seat?
It's in the rules. All LMP sportscars must give the impression of being designed as two-seaters. It has always been thus, but the new regs make it more obvious by incorporating the two pronounced peaks behind the cockpit.
To answer the fuel economy question, Audi is anticipating two extra laps at Le Mans than the R8 did. They are being cagy though and not saying whether this is two laps more than the original R8 or the pegged back version from this year's race. Either way, two laps is seven minutes around there, so when each stint is around 45-50 mins you can see how this will add up over 24 hours.
"Der Verbrauchsvorteil gegenüber den Benzinern hält sich allerdings in Grenzen. Le Mans hat einen Vollgasanteil von über 70 Prozent. Unter Vollast nähern sich die Verbräuche von Dieseln und Benzinern stark an. "Wir hoffen auf ein Regenrennen", heißt es aus dem Audi-Lager."
Audi anticipate that there's not such a big difference in fuel versus diesel consumption at LM. The reason for this is because the cars are running at full throttle for more than 70% of the race. Unfortunately, there's nothing said about the size of the fuel cell but I guess it's the common 90 Liters.
But this thing will be an absolute stormer at Le Mans i reckon, if they have found a way of getting 1100Nm down on the ground then think how quick this thing will pull itself out of a corner!
An interesting approach however, even though it is a bit of a shame, the statement saying "it's very quiet" or something like that. If diesel-rattle is all we are going to hear in motorsports, some of the excitement will surely be lost.
Anyway, with Tom Kristensen behind the wheel of a car made by Audi it is going to be invincible...
I think Audi is simply demonstrating strategy for the enduro - those extra two laps between stops will still count quite a bit over a 24hr race.
Hope its reliable for them.
Ali.
"Forgive me please, but Rant Start:
I have no problem at all with running a diesel race car in principle, but 2
things really grate:
1. The number of 'advances' made to make the spectators' experience of LM
less of an experience.
2. The way the Audi PR department has completely hijacked this press release
with its 'look how great our TDi LM car is, now go and buy an 25k A3 3-door
with no air-con because we've called that TDi so it must be really similar
and great too'.
Evidence for 1.:
"Flashes of flame from the exhaust, which are created by unburned petrol in
spark-ignition engines, are not seen coming from the R10. "
"On the outside, the modern twelve-cylinder produces a faint, but sonorous
sound that quite possibly nobody would identify as a diesel power unit at
first."
"Fans at Le Mans will no longer be able to see glowing brake discs on the
Audi R10: The carbon-fibre brakes discs are fully enclosed in a cowling" [is
this supposed to be a good thing?]
"The use of traction control (ASR) reduces the high loads created by the
torque fed to the rear tyres, and helps the driver to modulate the V12 TDI
engine's power delivery, particularly in wet conditions" [er, you mean it
does the modulation for him!]
What a bunch of gits! My best memories of Le Mans 1996 are:
- Incredibly raw-sounding McLaren F1s with no (sound-deadening) turbos
- Screaming rotary-engined Mazda proptotype
- 3am, Arnage corner, glowing discs, exhaust flames, mild drifting and lots
of Noise
Now what? No glowing, no flames, no drifting, and only 'faint' noise.
Evidence for 2:
"The red brake calipers on the R10 are reminiscent of those fitted to Audi
RS models."
- What, a bit like the tyres on a Renault F1 car are reminiscent of those
fitted to my diesel Megane, merely by virtue of them being black?!
"The servo steering, which is now electric instead of hydraulic, also helps
to increase comfort."
- mmm, reminiscent of all Audi road cars then... presumably it also helps to
eliminate any of that pesky remaining steering feel too!
"The number of electronic control units rose considerably when compared with
the R8 ... Even the indicators and headlights are no longer directly
activated by the driver, he simply makes a manual impulse - everything else
is done by the on-board computers."
- So what's the 'manual impulse' the driver makes? Banging his head against
a brick wall perhaps?
Yet again, this is all more evidence that we are getting ever closer to the
'dream' that some people seem to have: of cars that can drive themselves in
the most efficient way, without any driver input, noise, excitement or
interest whatsoever, continually generating 100% perfect laps for 24 hours.
At least there's still the Goodwood Revival/Roger Albert Clark
Rally/Donington SeeRed (www.see-red.uk.com/) type events, etc.
Rant End."
Point 2, well making a link to road cars is marketing, which is one very large reason that manufacturers build racecars. They don't do it for fun. Audi is using the tried and tested "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" method. Unlike F1, they can at least make a link between their race and road cars and, naturally, they're going to do their best to exploit it. Fact is that the technology from Audi's racing and rallying has historically filtered down into their road car programmes. FSi is a prime recent example, but I think they once tried a 4WD system in rallying, or something.
FestivAli said:
I don't regard this as blasphemy - the last time I watched Le Mans (1999) there was a diesel prototype or two running, that or the commentry team was wrong. I commend it - diesels excite me, mainly because I'm not exactly bathing in money and I value fuel economy quite highly at the moment. The first car I buy myself will probably be a diesel - better torque as well.
I think Audi is simply demonstrating strategy for the enduro - those extra two laps between stops will still count quite a bit over a 24hr race.
Hope its reliable for them.
Ali.
There certainly was NOT a diesel running at LM in 1999
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