Audi R10

[Truckosaurus]

Launch Photos

Pictures imply a "V12 TDi", but full details out at lunchtime on: www.audi.de/r10

[venom500]

Just when you thought it was safe bet to see another team win Le Mans... for a change! Audi= yawn! Can,t they go away for a couple of years...

[RichUK]

Wow, looking forward to seeing that next year.

The live web conference is very good.

[Truckosaurus]

The R10 will debut at Sebring, and then go onto Le Mans. Audi want to be the first team to win LM in a diesel.

The engine is 5.5litres, V12 bi-turbo diesel making 650bhp and 1100NM. They reckon an extra 2 laps per tankful.

[Tripps]

Truckosaurus said:

The R10 will debut at Sebring, and then go onto Le Mans. Audi want to be the first team to win LM in a diesel. The engine is 5.5litres, V12 bi-turbo diesel making 650bhp and 1100NM. They reckon an extra 2 laps per tankful.

I'd imagine next year will be a learning curve, as even the might of VAG will need some time to get used to racing diesel engines that large.

Good luck to them though, as what they learn can only be good for road diesels.

[remal]

looking forward to that. I wonder if it sounds like a diesel

[vetteheadracer]

full details here......

www.audi.de/audi/de/de2/erlebniswelt/motorsport/r10.html

....hope you can read German!

[hansgerd]

Here's a quick article:

www.speedarena.com/news/publish/sportscar/article_6324.shtml

No flames from the exhaust, no glowing disk brakes, wind noise louder than engine noise... uh, ah, I don't know what to think of this.

[up-the-dubs]

hansgerd said:

Here's a quick article: www.speedarena.com/news/publish/sportscar/article_6324.shtml No flames from the exhaust, no glowing disk brakes, wind noise louder than engine noise... uh, ah, I don't know what to think of this.

It all sounds a bit tame really.

[20vt_mk2dub]

the glowing disk brakes and flame pops at 3 in the morning @ Dunlop bridge are part of the magic!

booo

[Mark B]

Clods of black smoke, no high revving engines... Yesterday was a said day!!!!

A diesel winning Le Mans, what has the world come to!

[the fury]

Yeah, I've got mixed views on this one. I'm sure it's great for the progress of diesel power etc, but I hope that something with a screaming Judd engine or similar kicks its ass, this year at least. From what I remember though, the Caterpillar powered jobbie from a while ago sounded not too dissimilar to a 'normal' race car, but not very distinctive or memorable (evidently). The R8 was always a quiet car so it's not like we'l notice the difference...

[//j17]

the fury said:

Yeah, I've got mixed views on this one. I'm sure it's great for the progress of diesel power etc, but I hope that something with a screaming Judd engine or similar kicks its ass, this year at least. From what I remember though, the Caterpillar powered jobbie from a while ago sounded not too dissimilar to a 'normal' race car, but not very distinctive or memorable (evidently). The R8 was always a quiet car so it's not like we'l notice the difference...

Shove a full race exhaust on anything and it's going to sound good enough.

Taurus ran the Lola/Caterpillar diesel in 2004. Nasamax had a Reynard with a Cosworth bio-ethanol engine in 2003.

Other than spending more time in the garage than the Audi pit crew, they didn't seem out of place!

[simon138]

i remember hearing an interview on radio le mans with the taurus team boss (can't remember his name, sorry) in '04 and he predicted a diesel win at LM 'within five years'. i don't know if he had inside info but it sounds like he was pretty much on the money...

[ettore]

The rules ultimately favour a well developed Diseasel - I suspect this is the hook that has enabled the ACO to attract Peugeot and the renewed Audi programme. Could it also be the reason why Porsche have plumped for a pony LMP2 campaign?

I understand the rationale but rue the day!

[jellison]

Woa that is AWESOME - Diesel - but who care when it is that cool - will be able to go up walls with that Torque! Bet it will make a good noise.

[ettore]

jellison said:

Woa that is AWESOME - Diesel - but who care when it is that cool - will be able to go up walls with that Torque! Bet it will make a good noise.

If it sounds anything like the Taurus Diesel you will barely be able to hear a thing...

[//j17]

ettore said:

...Could it also be the reason why Porsche have plumped for a pony LMP2 campaign?

The reason Porsche are targetting LMP2 is probably more the fact that the current regs make LMP2 potentially quicker than LMP1. You have a car 1/6 lighter and the performance differencies between a 6L/4L Turbo engine and a 3.4L/2L Turbo race engine aren't really that great.

[ettore]

//j17 said:

ettore said: ...Could it also be the reason why Porsche have plumped for a pony LMP2 campaign? The reason Porsche are targetting LMP2 is probably more the fact that the current regs make LMP2 potentially quicker than LMP1. You have a car 1/6 lighter and the performance differencies between a 6L/4L Turbo engine and a 3.4L/2L Turbo race engine aren't really that great.

I`ve heard this discussion and it may be true but I`m not sure I`m convinced. LMP2 cars have been close to LMP1 in the last couple of years mainly because there haven`t been any significant LMP1 developments for a little while - most have also been nobbled in some way or other.

Porsche have a proud history at Le Mans that is one of the key props to their brand value - they are currently doing nothing to reinforce this (money making customer GT3RS programmes don`t count!)

[the fury]

//j17 said:

the fury said: Yeah, I've got mixed views on this one. I'm sure it's great for the progress of diesel power etc, but I hope that something with a screaming Judd engine or similar kicks its ass, this year at least. From what I remember though, the Caterpillar powered jobbie from a while ago sounded not too dissimilar to a 'normal' race car, but not very distinctive or memorable (evidently). The R8 was always a quiet car so it's not like we'l notice the difference... Shove a full race exhaust on anything and it's going to sound good enough.

Uh? Surely all the prototypes must have 'full race' exhausts?