RE: Pic Of The Week: Audi R18

[zebedee]

wackojacko said:

Just over 4 months until I'm standing on
the verge at Tetre Rouge whilst easily 3 times over the drink drive limit

Awesome Pic Interesting Audi are now Running enclosed cockpits ...... I did hear something about a possible regulation against open cockpit LMP1's ......anyone confirm that ?

no, eg Aston's new LMP car is to be open. Closed cockpit is I think because the regs lead to less power, so the better aerodynamics are optimised on a closed car. Also used to be good to be open as you could have quicker driver changes, but with the rules that require longer stops now, that isn't really a factor

[DeadMeat_UK]

Seeing that in the rear view mirror would concentrate the mind !

[wildman0609]

Pixel Pusher said:

Chris71 said:

B10 said:

Where is this car actually made and designed? Is it a UK made car from someone like Lola wearing a badge of convenience or is it designed and maunfactured by Audi in Germany. A quick google reveals little.

Nope, it is actually made by Audi Sport. Audi, Peuegot/Citroen and Porsche are the only companies I can think of off the top of my head with a genuine in-house motorsport division still.

Ferrari?

ferrari's motorsport devision is only its F1 effort, all sports racing cars cars are made by separate race teams (Loris Kessel etc.)

bmw have an in house motorsport division for touring cars and sports cars.

aston and prodrive and now the same so it could be argued that aston have in house race team.

[MogulBoy]

I would love to see the home of Audi's Director of LED Lighting Systems. I imagine that it would look a bit light this...

[wackojacko]

zebedee said:

no, eg Aston's new LMP car is to be open. Closed cockpit is I think because the regs lead to less power, so the better aerodynamics are optimised on a closed car. Also used to be good to be open as you could have quicker driver changes, but with the rules that require longer stops now, that isn't really a factor

Oki doke thanks chap.

[R11ysf]

Is this really a diesel???

Any reason why, is it something to do with the regulations or is it an engineering exercise??

[blueg33]

What's the betting that it has led daylight running lights around the headlamps?

[wackojacko]

R11ysf said:

Is this really a diesel???

Any reason why, is it something to do with the regulations or is it an engineering exercise??

Economy and also to show how far diesel technology has evolved and advanced.

[Tallbut Buxomly]

R11ysf said:

Is this really a diesel???

Any reason why, is it something to do with the regulations or is it an engineering exercise??

Diesel i believe is really good as it gives them tonnes of torque giving them a great advantage out of bends and corners was the argument used by other teams when they used their first diesel iirc.
I expect it also makes the car slightly more reliable than petrol as well.

[Tallbut Buxomly]

blueg33 said:

What's the betting that it has led daylight running lights around the headlamps?

WTF is wrong with all the people whingeing about the leds???

The simple fact is eu legislation soon coming into force will require all cars to have daytime running leds...

Audi have simply got ahead of the game and decided to use them as part of their design and styling features which sets them aside from other marque competitors like bmw and merc and in theory also lowers their costs of manufacture and design.

I personally think the led lights that are being fitted these days are great. At least other motorists will actually notice the drivers of the cars with leds fitted.

[mylesmcd]

I would sell both of my nuts for a couple of laps in that thing.

[Pixel Pusher]

Tallbut Buxomly said:

blueg33 said:

What's the betting that it has led daylight running lights around the headlamps?

WTF is wrong with all the people whingeing about the leds???

The simple fact is eu legislation soon coming into force will require all cars to have daytime running leds...

Audi have simply got ahead of the game and decided to use them as part of their design and styling features which sets them aside from other marque competitors like bmw and merc and in theory also lowers their costs of manufacture and design.

I personally think the led lights that are being fitted these days are great. At least other motorists will actually notice the drivers of the cars with leds fitted.

I've never quite understood the antipathy directed at LEDs either. Day running lights have been on Volvo's for decades.

[blueg33]

Pixel Pusher said:

Tallbut Buxomly said:

blueg33 said:

What's the betting that it has led daylight running lights around the headlamps?

WTF is wrong with all the people whingeing about the leds???

The simple fact is eu legislation soon coming into force will require all cars to have daytime running leds...

Audi have simply got ahead of the game and decided to use them as part of their design and styling features which sets them aside from other marque competitors like bmw and merc and in theory also lowers their costs of manufacture and design.

I personally think the led lights that are being fitted these days are great. At least other motorists will actually notice the drivers of the cars with leds fitted.

I've never quite understood the antipathy directed at LEDs either. Day running lights have been on Volvo's for decades.

I drive an Audi A6 so I am not anti Audi. I acknowledge that they daylight running lights need to be there but Audi's style of LED running lights is OTT in my opinion, they have tried too hard to make them a feature, again IMO its sort of chavvy, like an onyx coffee table and a Cheshire orange suntan.

I much prefer the way BMW and Merc have dealt with the same issue.

[nickythesaint]

R11ysf said:

Is this really a diesel???

Any reason why, is it something to do with the regulations or is it an engineering exercise??

They are amazing to watch at Le Mans, they don't realy sound diesel like, they have this wonderful low down turbine sound, doesn't sound like it runs on anything like deisel, sounds more like it runs on photons or something.

And they go like sting, as someone else mentioned, they really fly out of corners due to all the torque.

And in the early hours of the morning after drinking your own body weight in booze several times over sitting in the dark and the cold, its often a welcome restbite from your ear drums after the onslaught of V8's popping and growling past.

[nickythesaint]

I love this, think it looks amazing and have no doubt it'll be ultra competitive as usual.

[nickythesaint]

diesel sound:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChGGWY_CwO0&fea...

[joz8968]

Gun said:

When I see this car from the front it always reminds me of Daffy Duck.

[B10]

Audi Sport that run this car are based in the UK. Since the UK is probably the top location for world motor sport manufacture, it would not surprise me if the car, minus engine, is made and engineered in the UK. Can anyone shed some light?

[carse]

B10 said:

Where is this car actually made and designed? Is it a UK made car from someone like Lola wearing a badge of convenience or is it designed and maunfactured by Audi in Germany. A quick google reveals little.

I know Fondtech weren't involved with the aero development after Audi's lack of confidence in the company after the whole R15 issue. I'm sure RTN probably did some development work for the R18 as well given their history - previously owned by Audi and their status as an Audi 'preferential supplier".

[mcdjl]

B10 said:

Audi Sport that run this car are based in the UK. Since the UK is probably the top location for world motor sport manufacture, it would not surprise me if the car, minus engine, is made and engineered in the UK. Can anyone shed some light?

I vaguely remember hearing that they were doing some testing in Norfolk a few years back as they were based that way but could be wrong.