Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Saving at the Limits Page 42 The Force Field Page 52 The Engineer Page 54
Light My Fire Page 58 Fit to Run Page 74 Life in the Pit Lane Page 80 Grip Tease Page 88 Days of Thunder Page 94
The Champions League Page 96 Speed Worker Page 104 The Sound of Success Page 112
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CONTENTS Mindset.
104
16
Skills.
42
42
Passion.
94
24
Days of Thunder
Audi at the Grand Prix Historique
96
52
28
54
Le Mans Rules
The New Efficiency Rules for
the 24 Hours
104
The Engineer
What Will Drive Audi in Future
Speed Worker
A Conversation with Generations
of Le Mans Winners
58
32
112
Light My Fire
TDI The Most Successful
Efficiency Technology
Time Lords
A Conversation about Time
and Timekeeping
74
120
Fit to Run
The Race Drivers
and Their Sport Program
Imprint
80
80
28
74
16
88
Grip Tease
The Racing Tires
for the Le Mans Prototypes
94
32
58
88
LMX
Three letters designate the new top version of the Audi R8 high-performance sports car.
The 99-unit limited edition will be presented in Le Mans. Where else?
Page 16
New Luminance
The laser high beam considerably increases nighttime visibility ideal for a sports
car like the Audi R8 LMX, the worlds first series-production car with this
technology. However, it is also ideal for a race car which is why the combination
of LED and laser high beam is making its first appearance at the
24 Hours of Le Mans in the new Audi R18 e-tron quattro. This sees Audi continue its
tradition of testing new production technologies in motorsport.
99
pit stops, or even more, could occur for all three Audi R18 e-tron quattros
always depending on how the race unfolds, on the weather, on vehicle reliability and on the
accident-prevention skills of all competitors.
Page 80
Real Teamwork
Movements rehearsed to the point of perfection, absolutely reliable
equipment and one-hundred percent understanding among all co-workers
the optimum pit stop demands perfect choreography and
permits not a single error. An endurance race may not be won in the pits
but it can certainly be lost there.
537
horsepower, equal to 395 kilowatts, perhaps a few more, are generated
by the new four-liter race engine. The TDI was and is the superlative efficiency technology
although the new Le Mans regulations certainly dont make life easy for it.
Page 42
new development and, once again, the dynamism of competition on the race track
is driving technology forward. This is also very much to the benefit
of customers, as many developments from this, the worlds toughest test bed,
have already found their way into series production.
86,400
seconds, 1,440 minutes, 24 hours Le Mans lasts a whole day
and a whole night. It takes all 86,400 seconds to win, but it takes just one to lose.
Page 32
Seconds Count
Decades ago, mechanical stopwatches were sufficient. You could measure
on an ongoing basis whether the individual lap times where still
within the desired range. Today, telemetry delivers high-precision data from the
race cars in real time, which is decisive for selecting the right race strategy
and for monitoring compliance with the rules.
Mindset.
Mindset
It was the courage to innovate that put Audi at the top.
The company wants to expand its lead with a constant stream of new
ideas and with a clear approach.
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16
24
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Long
W y
a
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The Bright Impression
The Audi R8 LMX is the worlds first series-production car with laser light
technology. It is a very special pleasure indeed to drive such a car through France
to Le Mans the place where, in a few days, the R18 e-tron quattro
will turn night into day on the race track, thanks to its laser high beam.
Home
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Text
Armin Gtz
Photos
Bernhard Huber
3
4
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10
11
Audi R8 LMX
Laser light
1 Control unit
2 Base plate with fan
3 Low-beam light group
(3 modules with a total of 6 reflectors)
4 Casing for indicator/daytime running light
with LEDs on Flexboard
5 Laserlight design faring with
backlit technology
6 High beam
7 Design faring
8 Thick-wall daytime running light with
backlit design faring
9 Casing for daytime running
light with LEDs on Flexboard
10 Laser module
11 Low beam
12 Converter
13 Laser beam 450 nm
14 Laser diodes
15 Casing
12
15
2
3
4
13
5
14
6
10
13
9
13 Range comparison the laser beam
illuminates the darkness for twice the distance
of an LED high beam (A: LED low beam;
B: LED high beam; C: Laser spot as of 60 km/h).
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11
C
8
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12
Text
Alexander von Wegner
Illustrations
Barbara Stehle
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Text
Eckhard Schimpf
Illustrations
Bernd Schifferdecker
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those seated at Pichs table in the Hotel Okura in Tokyo was prepared to believe what he threw in more-or-less as an aside, Youll
see that a diesel will soon win at Le Mans. Of this he was utterly
convinced. Hmmm thought all the guests at the table thats a
bit of science fiction. Just like the 18-cylinder that he drew on a
serviette, and the 1,001 hp that this fairytale power unit would
generate. Today, we know that the man sees everything he undertakes through to its conclusion with dogged determination.
And that was what happened with the diesel victory at
Le Mans. In 2006, Pich sat with his wife Ursula in the grandstand
opposite the pit lane when the sliver/grey Audi R10 TDIs drove
across the line in triumphant formation somehow unnaturally
quietly. By winning with the V12 diesel, Biela/Pirro/Werner opened
a new chapter in racing history. Audis diesel race cars have now
long become favorites in Le Mans and elsewhere, too even with
ongoing downsizing. The number of cylinders dropped from V12,
through V10 to V6, while displacement decreased and lightweight
design produced an astonishing stream of new advances. For 2014,
Audi motorsport chief Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich summed up the task
for the R18 e-tron quattro thus: Its about achieving roughly the
same lap times as before with considerably less energy. Making
more from less a forward-looking approach. This coincides pretty precisely with Pichs penchant for hi-tech superlatives. His oneliter car, the VW XL1, is one of them.
The young Pich, gifted grandson of automotive designer Ferdinand Porsche, frequently had to look on between 1963
and 1968 as Porsche failed to come through at Le Mans. When he
began his career in Zuffenhausen, Porsche was an underdog. It was
a likeable outsider, but one that seemed destined only for class
victories. Overall victory was reserved for others Ferrari, Ford,
Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo, Jaguar. For an ambitious engineer like
Pich, this was utterly unacceptable. His thinking was that a sports
car company with such a famous name has to dominate the racing
scene, and that includes world championship titles and Le Mans
victories. This was Pichs conviction when, in 1965, he was appointed Head of Technical Development (and therefore Head of
Motorsport). His first race design was the Carrera 6. In 1966, it won
the Targa Florio and a host of hill climbs, but was not yet sufficient
for an overall victory at Le Mans. Nor was its successor, the 907.
Then Pich decided to go for all or nothing. A strategy paper that he put in front of his inner circle on May 9, 1968,
noted in a few dry words: Layout: 4.5-liter vehicle. Twelve-cy
linder. Total weight (including fuel and driver) 980 kilos. Weight
distribution front/rear: 40:60. In top gear, top speed of 420 km/h
at 9,000 rpm. It was a task of breathtaking proportions. It was
immediately clear to all involved that there had never before been
a super racer of this kind with 600 hp generated by what was
practically two six-cylinder engines coupled together. The car
surged forwards with such mind-blowing propulsion that even
battle-scarred professionals took fright. They even refused to drive
what they called the abscess.
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quattro dominated the rally scene with aces like Mikkola, Blom
qvist, Rhrl and Mouton. In the USA, race cars bearing the four
rings showed Americans the meaning of made in Ingolstadt at
the Trans-Am Series, the IMSA Series and Pikes Peak. In Germany,
Audi outclassed the competition in the DTM of 1990 and 1991.
For Pich, there was still one goal left Le Mans. He himself moved
to Wolfsburg in 1993 to head up the Volkswagen Group, but recommended the Le Mans task to his successors. In 1999, the Audi
R8 rolled onto the starting grid for the first time and just one year
later, Kristensen/Pirro/Biela claimed the first of Audis twelve victories.
To-date, Volkswagen Group brands Audi, Bentley,
Bugatti and Porsche have chalked up 36 victories at the 24 Hours.
No other group has been more successful. You can safely say that
Le Mans is firmly in the grip of the Volkswagen Group.
Text
Gisbert L. Brunner
time
Rally suitable
the Chronoswiss Stopmaster is a stopwatch
with a central 60-minute
and off-center twelve-hour counter.
Photos
Manuel Uebler
lords
Time and Timekeepers
In racing, every thousandth of a second counts. Even a race run over 24 hours depends
on exceptionally precise timekeeping. Audi board member Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg
talks to watchmaker Gerd-Rdiger Lang and specialist journalist Gisbert L. Brunner about
dynamic strategy and the fascination for the finest mechanisms.
Watch lovers
Gerd-Rdiger Lang, Gisbert L. Brunner
and Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg
discussing timekeeping instruments.
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Brunner: If two individuals are racing, you dont actually need a stopwatch. The winner is the one who is first
to cross the finish line.
Anniversary watch Audi Tachoscope,
a limited-edition automatic chronograph with
tachometer scale, developed
by Audi for its 100th anniversary.
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Brunner: Working with time is very much ruled by electronics these days clocks, transponders, cameras, etc.
Is there data protection, or can anyone access the recorded figures?
Dr. Hackenberg: The times and figures are published.
You see the rankings on the screen and can therefore
gauge the competition very well like whether someone is currently saving tires or fuel. These are things you
cant tell from the car driving past; you have to analyze
the data.
Brunner: With the aid of these facts and your experience, are you then able to modify the strategy of your
own vehicles during the race on a case-by-case basis?
Dr. Hackenberg: Thats exactly what we do. We are all
watching each other. And we measure not just ourselves, but also the competition. We can use this to
determine strategic modifications. What we are dealing with is dynamic strategy adaptation.
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Gerd-Rdiger Lang:
Passion for watches and classic cars
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SKILLS.
Skills
Audis great strengths include the skills of every single
one of its employees. It lays the foundation for perfection and innovation.
40
42
52
54
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Saving at
Sa
ving a
t
the Limits
the Limits
Text
Hermann Reil
Photos
Ferdi Krling
Ulrike Myrzik
The Technology of the Le Mans Racer
The new Audi R18 e-tron quattro is not only one of the fastest
cars in the world, it is also among the most technically complex.
Four engineers from Audi Sport talk us through a few of the highlights.
TDI
AERO
DYNAMIcs
The optimum management of airflow has
never been as important as in 2014. Even the
tiniest detail has to be absolutely spot on.
Networking
Motorsport is teamwork. It calls for
perfect communication between race car,
racing driver and pit team.
HYBRID
Intelligent use of energy recuperation brings
efficiency and speed.
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TDI
POWER PLAY
Consumption
Transmission
The R10 TDI was already a fuel-efficient race car. But, since 2008,
fuel consumption has been reduced by almost 40 percent more while
maintaining roughly the same fast lap times.
Ulrich Baretzky
Head of Engine Development
R10 / 2008
100%
R15 / 2009
92%
R18 / 2011
79%
62%
4.0
liter displacement
The new TDI engine is optimized for the full-load
profile at Le Mans. Despite its slightly higher displacement,
it is considerably lighter than its predecessor.
1
2
3
4
5
4.0
bar charge pressure
This year, the engine is finally allowed to breathe freely
without a restrictor. Plus, the permissible charge pressure
has been increased. This makes conditions for the race
engine once again similar to those for production engines.
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Thomas Laudenbach
Head of Electrics, Electronics
and Energy Systems
Electric
POWER
Motor Generator Unit
Recuperation
5.0
5.0
2.5
4.0
Flywheel accumulator
The energy accumulator is located in the middle of the vehicle,
to the left of the driver. Its usable capacity is more than
600 kilojoules. A display in the steering wheel keeps the driver
continuously informed of the current energy status per lap.
1
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4.0
4.0
Seconds
High voltage
1 High-voltage connection to the flywheel accumulator
2 Power electronics
3 Motor generator
4 Differential
5 Drive-shaft connection
kW (230 hp)
1
2
4
5
46
5.0
2.0
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Be
connected
20
Chris Reinke
Head of Le Mans Prototypes
High-speed transmitter
Pit
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Watching
You
We have improved many of the cars individual components through a process of evolution. In the sum of those, however,
the result is a revolution, says Reinke with conviction. If there is
one single screw that is identical with one from last years car, then
thats because it was determined all over again as the best possible.
This year, for the first time, it is not the power that is limited, but
the amount of energy used. This naturally calls for completely new
solutions in the technology, as well as demanding a great deal from
the drivers.
Because, not only do they have to drive fast, precisely
and vigilantly, they also have to have a constant eye on consumption. Repeatedly exceeding the limits per lap will be immediately
punished by the race management with stop-and-go penalties.
We assist the drivers of course, says Reinke, primarily with a precise display in the cockpit. The drivers have a constant eye on
whether their energy account is in the red or black. If the driver
comes up behind a slower vehicle ahead of a bend, for instance, it
may be worthwhile to follow him for a moment to save fuel and
then overtake after the bend.
The complex technology of the hybrid system itself is
something with which the driver ideally should not concern himself. How and where to make best use of the stored energy are
things the car simply knows for itself. It knows its exact position on
the track and it knows the line of an optimum lap. However, because conditions are in a constant state of flux the tires wear or
the weather changes the optimum lap stored is constantly being
compared against the one just completed.
The team engineers closely monitor the health of the
complex race car, as expertly as any hospital intensive care unit
could ever do. Our cars have long been transmission stations on
wheels, smirks Reinke. Via more than 1,000 data channels, the
telemetry sends around 20 megabytes of data per lap especially
when it is passing the pit lane. The monitoring systems there are
constantly checking the maintenance of all set values, such as pressures or temperatures. The race engineers are also paying close
attention at all times to the key parameters. If something is not
running at its best, the driver receives a heads-up over the radio.
From outside, away from the pits, the team cant change anything
on the car. Any form of remote control is forbidden by the rules.
The R18 e-tron quattro may be one of the most complex
and technically sophisticated race cars ever built, but only the driver
drives the car. His experience, his precision, his skill are what
counts. Reinke: Thats racing. The best drivers perfectly master
the fastest car.
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In the air
tonight
Jan Monchaux
Head of Aerodynamics
Jan Monchaux is French and therefore a connoisseur and hobby chef, which is why he
likes to compare his profession, race-car aerodynamics, with cuisine. The ingredients and the herbs and spices are the same for
all. The dishes seasoned with them can be very different, yet all
delicious. The overall menu just has to be right. In racing, however,
it is not the subjective taste that counts, but the objective lap time.
And a major factor in that is the mastering of airflow and drag.
The R18 e-tron quattro must demonstrate not only
speed, but also efficiency. What helps for a start is the lowest possible
drag. The width of the cars has been reduced by ten centimeters this
year. They have a lower frontal area despite being higher and, above
all, the wheels are significantly narrower. Ultimately, the wheels are
always the source of poor airflow be it a sports car or a Formula 1
car with open wheels. Our job is to optimize everything around
these four great big lumps, smiles Monchaux. A car becomes fast
when it has the bad airflow around the four wheels well under
control or at least, better than the competition.
The narrower wheels also have an indirect benefit. They
generate less downforce, i.e. less of the vertical force that presses
the car onto the track. And less downforce usually also means less
drag. These days, though, everything ultimately has to fit perfectly together, says Monchaux. Previously, it was possible to use
aerodynamics to compensate relatively quickly for performance
inadequacies in the overall vehicle concept you simply added
more or less spoiler. Its not that straightforward any more. The
more or less downforce and the resulting more or less drag has an
immediate influence on drive strategy. At the end of the day, you
have to make optimum use of the defined amount of energy on
every single lap. Never before in motorsport have areas like aerodynamics and drive been so closely coupled with one another.
The fact that the completely new R18 for 2014 looks to
the lay person a lot like its predecessor does not surprise Monchaux.
At Audi, we follow a certain philosophy on race-car aerodynamics
even when the basic parameters have changed significantly. And
they have. At the front, for instance, it is now permissible to use a
real wing with a flap in place of the previous front diffuser. On the
other hand, the exhaust stream cannot be used in its previous form
for targeted flow along the rear diffuser. The high fin from the driver
compartment to the rear spoiler and the four openings above the
wheels are specified by the regulations. They are intended to reduce
the tendency for uncontrollable flying following accidents.
The target parameters and basic philosophy of a new
race car are clear from a very early stage. Then, says Monchaux,
comes a very iterative process in accordance with the model
test, error and retest, step by step. Besides plenty of experience,
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CFD
Computational Fluid Dynamics is what the aerodynamicists
use to check many alternatives in detail before they head for the
wind tunnel.
WEC
Audi has two aerodynamic versions for the World Endurance
Championship. On the shorter tracks, more downforce is helpful.
This version is identifiable by its shorter rear end.
10
centimeters narrower
Gram by gram
Not just aerodynamic drag, but weight, too, is the enemy of
racing. Virtually all parts of the outer skin are made from
carbon-fiber materials. And every last gram is shaved from
the few metal parts, too.
Le Mans
For Le Mans, the R18s are optimized for minimum
aerodynamic drag. Here, for instance, the rear diffuser
ends with the spoiler, the exhaust flow is directed
differently and the openings in the front wheel arches
specified by the regulations have been moved to
the inside.
1
2
3
4
5
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3
5
The
The
Audi R18
e-tron quattro
Text
Hermann Reil
The Contenders
The new regulations for the WEC and Le Mans call for a level of technical diversity found in no other
race series. The three factory teams are thus entering with highly differing drive concepts. Audi is running
with its TDI against the gasoline engines of its competitors. Alongside the extremely efficient diesel, Audi is
using two megajoules of recuperated energy per lap, while the competition is using six megajoules.
The vehicle
classes
in Le Mans:
Le Mans Prototypes
LMGTE: Category derived from two-door roadgoing sports cars. This year Porsche 911,
Ferrari 458, Aston Martin Vantage, Corvette
Naturally aspirated up to 5.5 liters
Turbocharged engines up to 4.0 liters
1,245 kg minimum weight
90-liter tank capacity
LMGTE-Pro: Team composition unrestricted
Audi is placing its trust in the TDI as the acknowledged most efficient internal combustion
engine, even if it is handicapped here by a small tank. The new four-liter V6 is supported by a motor generator unit at the front axle. The flywheel accumulator reacts quickly and is very lightweight. This is particularly important to Audi, as the very concept of
the TDI makes it considerably heavier than the four-cylinder or naturally aspirated gasoline engines of the competition. One example of systematic lightweight design is the
transmission housing made from extremely lightweight carbon fiber.
Force Field
Force Field
Toyota
TS040 Hybrid
Porsche
919
Porsche is using an extremely lightweight and compact V4 gasoline engine. The motor
generator unit at the front axle is of a similar size to Audis. Lithium-ion batteries are
used as an energy storage medium. They probably react for longer than the storage concepts used by Audi and Toyota. By recovering energy from the exhaust flow, Porsche
can charge the batteries not only in the purely braking phases, but also during the drive
phases.
Toyota has opted for a V8 engine that, at 100 kilograms, is incredibly lightweight. The
internal combustion engine is assisted by two powerful motor generators at the front
and rear axles. With a theoretical system output of 1,000 hp, the Toyota accelerates very
fast out of corners, although this also means that the recuperated energy is consumed
very quickly. The Toyota car differs from the Audi in many aerodynamic details.
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THE
EngineEr
Powerful, emotional and efficient Audi leads the competitive field
with its drive technologies. What strategies does the brand
have up its sleeve to extend this lead even further? A conversation with
Dr. Stefan Knirsch, Head of Development Engines.
Text
Johannes Kbler
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Photos
Bernhard Huber
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LIGHT
MY
FIRE
25 Years of Vorsprung
In 1989, Audi presented its first model
with a TDI engine. Since then, the technology
has been an enormous success story
and the brand with the four rings continues
to develop it at full speed.
Text
Johannes Kbler
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Photos
Ulrike Myrzik and Audi AG
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Under pressure
four engineers,
one resounding success
Herr Bauder, you are one of the pioneers of
the TDI engine. What was it like back then, when it
all began?
Bauder: The 1973 oil crisis triggered the instruction to
develop an engine that was as fuel efficient as possible.
It was quickly clear to us that it could only be a diesel.
Following two or three years of advance development,
we opted for the multi-spray process and were able to
convince our system suppliers to design a pump for
the purpose. At the time, the injection process was the
main development driver. It wasnt until somewhat
later that the turbocharger drew even.
How many people were available to work on this?
Bauder: There were about ten of us at the time. The use
of finite-element analysis was still very much in its infancy the computer needed several days to generate
a model and calculate the stiffness of a piston. The big
challenge was to make the engine sellable in terms of
power, torque, fuel consumption and acoustics; otherwise, it would have been a non-starter.
1995
1.9 TDI
Pioneer Audi 100 2.5 TDI Sedan.
Series production began at the start of 1990.
1989
2.5 TDI
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1991 saw Audi introduce the first fourcylinder TDI to the market. An extensive redesign followed four years later
the displacement of 1,896 cm now
delivered a substantial 81 kW (110 hp)
instead of 66 kW (90 hp). The maximum torque grew from 182 Nm to
225 Nm, available as of just 1,700 rpm
and remaining constant through to
3,000 revs.
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1997
2.5 V6 TDI
In 1997, the successor to the fivecylinder was the worlds first V6 TDI with
four-valve technology. It presented
solutions such as the swirl and tangential ducts in the intake and the radialpiston injector pump, which developed
up to 1,850 bar pressure. From a displacement of 2,496 cm, the V6 TDI
generated 110 kW (150 hp) and a maximum of 310 Nm between 1,400 and
3200 rpm. It was used in the A4, the A6
and the A8. In its final evolution, it
produced 132 kW (180 hp).
1999
3.3 TDI
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2004
3.0 TDI
2001
1.2 TDI
In 2001, Audi set a new best in the subcompact class the A2 1.2 TDI achieved
an average fuel consumption of 2.99
liters per 100 km (81 grams of CO per
km). It was the first and, so far, the only
three-liter car in the world with five
doors. Its design adhered strictly to the
demands of the wind tunnel, resulting in a cd figure of 0.25. Thanks to the
aluminum bodyshell, it had a curb
weight of 855 kilograms.
Beneath the hood of the 3.83-meter
Audi A2 1.2 TDI was a three-cylinder
diesel with a displacement of 1,191 cm.
Derived from the 1.4 TDI, it produced
45 kW (61 hp) and maximum torque of
140 Nm from 1,800 to 2,400 rpm.
The small two-valve engine used a VTG
turbocharger and pump-jet injection
that developed 2,050 bar pressure.
A start/stop system switched off the en
gine when the car was at a standstill,
while a five-speed automated manual
transmission sent the drive to the
front wheels.
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2009
3.0 TDI clean diesel
In response to increasingly strict
exhaust regulations, Audi launched
clean diesel technology in 2009.
The 3.0 TDI clean diesel was equipped
with a common-rail system with
2,000 bar pressure and a new kind of
combustion chamber sensor. The
fine spray and the precise combustion
of the fuel ensured low raw emissions.
In the exhaust line, an SCR catalyst
reduced the remaining nitrogen oxides.
The injected liquid additive AdBlue
broke up in the hot exhaust to
create ammonia, which split the nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and water.
Frhlich: We are still active in the eight-cylinder segment and continuing our development work there. If
our customers want to drive a powerful V8 TDI, then
thats what theyll get in future, too. And the end of the
day, the key factor is acceptance, i.e. the market.
Wei: The biturbo TDI, including the one in the SQ5
TDI, is a great success for Audi and a new door opener.
We are proud of the first S-emblem on a diesel and also
of its sporty sound. We have been working on this issue
for a long time to ensure that our engines are perceived
more emotionally, despite the many catalysts, which
absorb the sound. The emotionality and the driving fun
of a diesel have many facets, not least the high torque
at low revs.
A reduction in fuel
consumption of
15 percent by 2020
is surely possible
through engine-based
measures alone.
Electrification, for
which we have developed a whole
matrix of solutions,
will increase this
figure considerably.
Andreas Frhlich
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2014
3.0 TDI clean diesel
For the 25th anniversary of TDI technology, Audi has
once more fundamentally redesigned the 3.0 TDI in
its latest evolution, the V6 diesel is even cleaner, more
efficient and more powerful. In the top version, the
monoturbo generates 200 kW (272 hp) and sends up
to 600 Nm to the crankshaft from 1,500 to 3,000 rpm.
It undercuts its predecessor in fuel consumption by a
good ten percent.
The new three-liter diesel boasts fascinating high-end solutions in all technical areas. The pistons
are supplied with cooling oil via cast-in ring channels,
while new coatings on the rings and pins ensure minimal
friction. The weight-optimized crankcase is made from
high-strength vermicular graphite cast iron and the
newly conceived cylinder heads have separate coolingwater circuits; the cylinder-head water jackets are split
into two, in order to lower pressure losses. The oil pump
is fully variable. The turbocharger and exhaust manifold
have also been modified, while the common-rail injection system develops 2,000 bar of system pressure.
Designed to meet the limits of the Euro 6
standard, the 3.0 TDI bears the adjunct clean diesel.
In the interests of rapid start-up, the exhaust aftertreatment components are positioned as closely as
possible to the rear of the engine. The oxidation catalyst lies coaxially downstream of the turbochargers
turbine outlet. Direct behind it is the diesel particulate
filter; its filter walls are covered in a coating that converts nitrogen oxides in the exhaust using the SCR process (selective catalytic reduction). A metering module
injects the necessary AdBlue additive.
Technical Data
Bore / stroke
83.0 / 91.4 mm
Displacement
2,967 cm
Cylinder spacing
90.0 mm
Power
Specific power
Torque
Compression
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16.0:1
Weight
192 kg
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2
17
17
16
1
14
14
15
8
3
7
Cylinder head
6
10
11
10
11
13
12
15
Newly developed the cylinder head of the
3.0 TDI with camshaft drive gears.
16
12
13
1 Throttle valve
2 Swirl flap in intake manifold
3 Common-rail injector
4 Common-rail
high-pressure pump
5 Drive gear for
high-pressure pump
6 Roller cam follower
7 Assembled hollow camshaft
8 Camshaft gears
9 Idler gear for camshaft drive
10 Aluminum pistons with
cooling channel and
DLC-coated piston pins
11 Balancer-shaft drive gear
12 Bearing frame
13 Crankcase in vermicular
graphite cast iron
14 Cooler for exhaust-gas
recirculation system
15 Exhaust-gas recirculation
take-off
16 Turbocharger with variable
turbine geometry
17 Turbocharger housing
insulation
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2014
3.0 TDI
with electric biturbo
Audi is working intensively on the diesel
engine with a completely new technology known as electric biturbo. The turbocharger works in tandem with an additional, electrically driven compressor.
Instead of a turbine rotor, it incorporates
a small electric motor that accelerates
the compressor rotor to extremely high
revs in a very short space of time.
The electric charger is connected downstream of the intercooler and is bypassed
in most operating situations. When very
low revs mean there is little energy in the
exhaust, the bypass flap closes and the
electric charger is activated. The new technology enables a previously unheardof level of power build up at very low revs
or when pulling away from a standstill
making the 3.0 TDI even sportier.
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25 Years of TDI:
The Success Story
This year sees Audi celebrate a very
special anniversary the 25th birthday
of the TDI. In fall 1989, the Audi 100
2.5 TDI first appeared at the Frankfurt
Motor Show; it presented the first
turbodiesel engine with direct injection and fully electronic control. Since
then, the brand with the four rings
has expanded its leadership ever further, setting many more milestones
along the way.
Audi A3 ultra
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More
from Less
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2006 to 2013
2011 to 2013
Permanent
Progress
2006 to
2008
The V12 TDI in the
Audi R10 TDI
The R10 TDI diesel race car completed
a series of resounding triumphs fol
lowing its debut in 2006. Its twelve-cylinder started a whole new motorsport
chapter. With its torque of more than
1,100 Nm, the 5.5-liter TDI exceeded all
the gasoline-powered cars by a significant margin. At its rated engine speed,
the amazingly quiet-running biturbo
produced around 480 kW (more than
650 hp) enough for a top speed of
ca. 330 km/h depending on gear ratio.
Two particulate filters cleaned the
exhaust, while a sequential five-speed
transmission sent the power to the
rear axle.
The comparatively low consumption
and the high range of the R10 TDI were
the keys to victory at the 24 Hours
of Le Mans in 2006. Drivers Frank Biela,
Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner
had to bring the car into the pits just
27 times. The same team prevailed
in the Audi R10 TDI in 2007, too, in
tough weather conditions, despite the
organizers having cut the size of the
fuel tank by ten percent. In 2008,
Rinaldo Capello, Allan McNish and Tom
Kristensen completed the hat trick
for the Audi R10 TDI.
2009 to
2010
The V10 TDI in the
Audi R15 TDI
In the R15 TDI, Audi distributed the
5.5-liter displacement among two cylinders fewer. The V10 TDI produced
around 440 kW (ca. 600 hp) and more
than 1,050 Nm of torque. It was
shorter and lighter than the twelvecylinder, benefiting the agility of the
newly developed sports prototype.
However, at the endurance classic in
La Sarthe in 2009, the R15 TDI fin
ished in just third place following problems with the aerodynamics and
cooling concept.
In 2010, the brand with the four rings
executed its revenge. The intensively
redesigned R15 TDI plus celebrated
a sublime triple victory. Timo Bernhard,
Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller
beat the 39 year-old distance record by
75.4 km. Although, like the year
before, the regulators in Le Mans had
lowered the charge pressure and airflow rate, the ten-cylinders power output remained virtually unchanged.
This marked the first use of turbo
chargers with variable turbine geometry
(VTG), which improved responsiveness.
Exhaust temperatures in the turbine
of up to 1,050 degrees Celsius exerted
extremely high loads on the material.
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Fit
TO Run
Driver Fitness
comes round in June,
When Le Mans
the entire team has already been through some tough weeks.
And, for the drivers in particular, physical fitness is an
absolute must. Each of them swears by his own individual
training program.
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Text
Alexander von Wegner
Filipe Albuquerque
3 Filipe Albuquerque goes to the fitness studio
every day for weight training.
Oliver Jarvis
4
Marcel Fssler
1
Andr Lotterer
2
Marcel Fssler
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Lucas di Grassi
5
Marco Bonanomi
Benot Trluyer
Marco Bonanomi
Tom Kristensen
Lucas di Grassi and Marco Bonanomi love triathlon. I do
ten hours per week, reckons di Grassi. The 29 year-old Brazilian
does around two hours of sport every day. The duration of these
sports units grows with age. He also keeps fit with surfing and
playing tennis. Marco Bonanomi covers 250 kilometers on his bicycle every week, swims three to four kilometers three times per
week and runs for eight to ten kilometers twice a week. Something
new I have taken up this year is balance exercises on a ball, reveals
the Italian. These training sessions help me achieve optimum coordination of muscles and head.
Tom Kristensen enjoys cycling and mountain biking
equally. Mister Le Mans also likes to do stability training in the
fitness studio. When it comes to his nutrition, he follows the advice
of team doctor, Dr. Christian John. On race weekends, the Dane
sticks to easily digestible meals and plenty of minerals. Weight is
very important in 2014, because light drivers have an advantage
due to the new efficiency regulations every kilo counts. The weight
of the driver also has an impact on acceleration and energy consumption.
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Tom Kristensen
Life in the
Life in the
Pit lane
Pit lane
Working in the Pits
Long before the engine fires up in an
Audi R18 e-tron quattro, a highly complex pit
structure must be built for every race weekend. We
take a look behind the scenes.
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Text
Michael Harnischfeger
Photos
Ferdi Krling
fuel tanker we have in the pit via a filler hose with a quick-release
coupling. Its safer and more practical. The opportunity was
also taken to switch from measuring fill by volume to weight, in
order to react more precisely to the energy rules in the new
regulations.
Long before the first R18 e-tron quattro starts racing, a secure network has been set up for the many laptops used
by the engineers; the measurement tools for weather monitoring have been put together and connected and the monitors of
the telemetry department cast their multi-colored light into the
semi-darkness of their dedicated area. The cables are fixed to
the floor with tape to ensure that nobody trips on them. Inside
the pit garages are the highly polished tool cupboards, testing
instruments, wheel-load scales, compressed-air bottles, and a
host of small parts that dont really make any sense to outsiders.
Precision and order are an absolute must. To use as little space
as possible, but have everything exactly where you need it
thats our aim, declares Christoph Mayer, a member of the logistics team and a tire mechanic on race car 2. Efficiency is not
only the keyword of the new WEC regulations, but also the prerequisite for successful pit work. Although the pits are different
at every race track, the Audi mechanics set a great deal of store
by always maintaining optimum order, wherever they are in the
world.
Audi Pit
Le Mans 2014
#1
#2
#3
1 Tools
2 Viewing area
3 Engine
4 Equipment shelves
5 Driver shelf
6 Server room
7 Transmission
8 Rear-end section
9 Tires #1
10 Heating tent #1
Driver teams
Lucas di Grassi, Loc Duval, Tom Kristensen
Marcel Fssler, Andr Lotterer, Benot Trluyer
Filipe Albuquerque, Oliver Jarvis, Marco Bonanomi
11 Tires #2
12 Heating tent #2
13 Tires #3
14 Heating tent #3
15 Telemetry
16 Bodywork
and parts shelf
17 Hospitality
18 Stairs to upper floor
18
#1
10
11
15
12
4
#2
1
5
14
13
Christoph Mayer
#3
7
8
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16
18
Audi Pit Le Mans 2014 (extension)
17
5 Routine not just the tools and the pit, but also the race car
are always kept clean.
6 Quiet please keeping a cool head under pressure is second
nature for the crew members.
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11
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Text
Michael Harnischfeger
Grip
Tease
Robust design
the wet-weather tires last for a full stint,
even if the track has dried out.
Meticulous preparation
each race car is allocated a diverse array of tire sets. Which ones are used
is dependent on many factors.
Close partners
Joachim Hausner (Audi) and Jerme Mondain (Michelin)
in the tire store.
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Photos
Ferdi Krling
It is a widely known fact that race-car tires are not comparable with
those for a normal road car. Two figures are enough to underscore the
differences while even sporty cars are considered aerodynamically effective when they
deliver no lift at their front and rear axles, but a few kilograms of downforce instead, WEC
race cars generate aerodynamic downforce that more than doubles the weight of the vehicle. Instead of 870 kilograms (the weight of an R18 e-tron quattro), the load exerted on
the four wheels of the hybrid race car ends up being more than two metric tons. This
downforce would enable the car to drive along the roof of a tunnel.
And, while even very sporty road cars reach their limits once lateral acceleration
climbs to 1.3 g, the Audi R18 e-tron quattros shoot around some corners so fast that the
centrifugal force climbs to more than 3 g. Under these conditions, untrained individuals
can black out.
It was not foreseeable. The new regulations mean that we lose five centimeters of tire width at the front axle and six centimeters at the rear, explains Jerme
Mondain, Head of Endurance Activities at Michelin. Instead of 36 and 37 centimeters, the
tires for the 2014 season are permitted to be just 31 centimeters wide. Although that
equates to a weight saving of around two kilograms per tire, the tire contact area shrinks
by 15 percent, says Mondain, outlining the advantages and disadvantages of the new
regulations.
Fifteen percent less contact area thats a lot! When development work began,
all involved assumed that the performance of the tires would drop significantly in terms
of grip and durability. But the first simulations and the first test-stand runs using the vehicle data on the new R18 e-tron quattro provided by Audi to its tire partner revealed astonishing findings. The regulations were striving to achieve lighter cars with less downforce and more aerodynamic efficiency. But we realized month by month through the
progress made by Audi and our own work that the cars for the 2014 season would not be
slower, recalls Mondain, looking back on the early phase.
The development of the new generation of endurance tires proceeded in close
contact with Audi Sport. There were two main parameters delivered by Michelin after
extensive simulation and testing that were important for our vehicle development: the
maximum wheel load and the maximum speed that could technically be achieved by the
tires, says Joachim Hausner, Head of Complete Vehicle for Audi Sport, outlining the other
side of the partnership. Using these parameters, the development engineers in Ingolstadt
worked out the maximum downforce that the aerodynamics could be permitted to generate in order not to overload the tires.
Racing tires are sensitive creatures that react to the slightest mistreatment
with poor performance, high wear or even damage. Irrespective of whether were talking
about our low-temperature or high-temperature slicks, they function best in a very narrow
temperature window, sums up Mondain. Function means, within the scope of the physical limits, no disruptive understeer on entering a bend and no oversteer on accelerating
out of it, confidence-building steering precision and grip in all situations.
At the front axle, this range is between around 80 and 90 degrees Celsius, and
between 90 and 110 degrees Celsius at the rear axle, clarifies Mondain. And what has an
extreme influence on this temperature inside the tires, which, incidentally, are identical
front and rear, is the aerodynamics of the car, including the downforce. We can use the
wheel camber to compensate for small deviations, interjects Hausner, for instance, if
the tire threatens to overheat quickly when it runs too much on the inner edge. But the
aerodynamic balance, which is obviously also important for the drivability of the car, is a
central set screw for bringing the tires into the temperature window that enables them to
work perfectly.
Fill pressure and inside temperature have a huge influence on whether a race tire
functions correctly or not. Even the tiniest deviation from the optimum
can influence both performance and durability. Hitting both parameters as precisely
as possible is one of many challenges facing engineers and mechanics.
For logistical reasons, some wheel sets have to go into the heater five or six hours
prior to their possible use.
Highest precision
deviations in tire fill pressure of just a few hundredths
of a bar can add up to one second per lap.
To put it in a nutshell, tires that run too cold dont develop their maximum grip;
and if the temperature wanders north of the optimum window, grip likewise threatens to
fade and worse still you end up with degradation, which can ultimately lead to destruction. This is also the reason why Audi Sport Team Joest pre-heats mounted wheel sets and
uses sensors for continuous temperature measurement. Tires heated up to operating
temperature give the drivers enough grip and good feedback from the very first meters of
the new stint, explains Mondain. But the tires dont develop their full performance until
after a few bends, when the flexing energy and contact with the track have really got them
up and running. Slow-speed driving, e.g. during a yellow phase, or aggressive driving during this initial phase would, of course, be counterproductive.
The prerequisite for optimum tire operation is the perfect fill pressure. This
lies in the area between 1.9 and 2.0 bar, says Jerme Mondain, going on to explain, If we
drive with too little pressure, we damage the tires. If we drive with too much pressure, the
contact area becomes smaller and we lose grip. This is where racing tires are, in fact,
comparable with their worthy siblings for production cars. But, in endurance racing, it is
all a lot more complicated. Track and ambient temperatures are changing constantly. Ten
degrees Celsius overnight, more than 30 degrees Celsius by day this is nothing unusual
at Le Mans, explains Hausner. For logistical reasons, some tire sets have to be put into the
heater five or six hours prior to their planned use. Race and tire engineers must therefore
work closely with their colleagues from weather monitoring to agree very early which air
pressure could be the right one and then set it very precisely.
One of the laws of physics states that a change in temperature leads to a
change in pressure inside a tire. We therefore have to set a low cold pressure of, say, 1.34
bar in order to arrive later at the desired warm pressure of, say, 1.96, says Hausner, summing up the challenge. One not insignificant point to consider is that the tires also heat
up differently from axle to axle and from track to track. Due, for instance, to the number
and configuration of left and right bends.
Through bends, the innermost tires are subjected to different loads than the
outermost and thus heat up to varying degrees. What this means is that each wheel is
given a different cold pressure in order to arrive later as precisely as possible at the ideal
warm pressure. Precision, what else, is the number one priority when it comes to this tire
preparation, which is based on experience and meticulous documentation, Because a
deviation from the ideal pressure of just a few hundredths quickly leads to a time loss per
lap of a second or more, says Hausner, explaining the consequences of a wrong decision.
If the engineers, weather monitors and mechanics have done a good job and
all parameters are as they should be, the Michelin endurance tires are unusually tough.
The wet-weather tires, in particular, prove surprising, with a level of robustness that is
unexpected in such high-end developments. To put it simply, they operate at their best
in the temperature window between 40 and 60 degrees Celsius, explains Jerme Mondain,
whose team brings 27 sets of slicks and 15 sets of wet-weather tires to Le Mans. But the
weather can change very quickly. Wet tracks can dry completely or partially, temperatures
change and many other parameters, too. Therefore, we have designed the wet-weather
tires so that the driver can end the stint even if the temperature has long exceeded the
60-degree limit.
This expands the teams tactical options, as does the astonishing durability of
the dry tires. We can cope with the driving time permitted by the rules for one driver with
one set, without any dramatic wear on the tires. Thats four hours and around 850 kilometers, says Joachim Hausner. A tire change takes around 20 seconds and cannot begin until
the car has been refueled. Anyone who argues that, in the context of the 24-hour race
duration, this surely cannot be a deciding factor, should take a look at Le Mans history.
When Marcel Fssler, Andr Lotterer und Benot Trjuler, then as now the drivers of car
number 2 with Audi Sport Team Joest, won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2011 in an Audi R18
TDI, they were ahead of the second-placed car by just 13.854 seconds.
Time factor
the mechanics are not allowed to change the tires
until refueling has been completed.
Triple black
the wet-weather tire (right) is quickly identified.
But the zero-profile intermediate is very similar to the slick.
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PASSION.
Passion
Passion is a driving force of Audis development work.
Passion means love, sometimes lust and always full commitment.
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94 Days of Thunder
96 The Champions League
104 Speed Worker
112 The Sound of Success
120 Imprint
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Text
Johannes Kbler
Photos
Stefan Warter
DAYS OF
THUNDER
Grand Prix de Monaco Historique
Audi's motorsport roots run deep. Among its highlights are the legendary Grand Prix
race cars of the 1930s. Member of the Board of Management for
Technical Development, Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg and motorsport legend Jacky Ickx
drove two of them on the inimitable street circuit in Monaco.
Winners
Jacky Ickx and Ulrich Hackenberg
with the Auto Union Type C and
Type D.
Thunder hall
the Type C (left) and the Type D in the
tunnel beneath the Loews Hotel.
Fascination Monaco
no track demands as much concentration
as the street circuit.
Pulling power
the magic of the old race cars still
attracts the public.
Double trouble
1,000 hp and 28 cylinders running flat out
pure adrenalin.
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1930
1939
2,930.66 km
122.11 km/h
Bugatti 57 C
Distance
Average
3,354.76 km
139.78 km/h
37
19
30
19
The
champions
league
1937
Bugatti 57 G
Distance
Average
39
19
3,287.94 km
136.99 km/h
Text
Eberhard Kittler
1924
1928
Bentley Sport
Distance
Average
2,077.34 km
86.55 km/h
1929
Bentley Sport
Distance
Average
2,843.83 km
118.49 km/h
2,669.27 km
111.22 km/h
29
19
28
19
24
19
1927
Bentley Sport
Distance
Average
2,369.81 km
98.74 km/h
27
19
1924
1939
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1970
1976
Porsche 917
Distance
Average
4,607.81 km
191.99 km/h
Porsche 936
Distance
Average
4,769.92 km
198.75 km/h
1977
71
19
1971
Porsche 936/77
Distance
Average
4,671.83 km
194.65 km/h
Porsche 917
Distance
Average
5,335.31 km
222.30 km/h
76
19
70
19
77
19
81
19
1979
1981
Porsche 935 K3
Distance
Average
4,173.93 km
173.91 km/h
Porsche 936/81
Distance
Average
4,825.35 km
201.06 km/h
79
19
1982
Porsche 956
Distance
Average
4,899.10 km
204.13 km/h
8
19
8
19
2
19
8
3
Distance
Average
5,047.93 km
210.33 km/h
1984
1986
Porsche 956
Distance
Average
4,900.28 km
204.18 km/h
8
19
4
1970
1986
1983
Porsche 956
1985
8
19
5
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Porsche 956
Distance
Average
5,088.51 km
212.02 km/h
Porsche 962
Distance
Average
4,972.73 km
207.20 km/h
1987
2004
2000
Audi R8
Distance
Average
5,007.99 km
208.66 km/h
0
20
0
2002
2001
2004
Audi R8
Distance
Average
5,118.75 km
213.07 km/h
Audi R8
Distance
Average
4,367.20 km
180.95 km/h
20
0
02
20
Bentley Speed 8
Distance
Average
5,145.57 km
214.40 km/h
20
01
2003
03
20
1987
Porsche 962
Distance
Average
1996
4,991.70 km
199.66 km/h
TWR-Porsche WSC-95
Distance
Average
4,814.40 km
200.60 km/h
1998
9
19
Dauer-Porsche 962
4,678.40 km
195.24 km/h
1997
TWR-Porsche WSC-95
Distance
Average
4,912.34 km
203.12 km/h
9
19
Distance
Average
87
19
1994
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19
9
19
100
Audi R8
Distance
Average
4,783.78 km
199.32 km/h
5,169.97 km
215.15 km/h
2008
5,129.65 km
216.30 km/h
0
20
8
2010
Distance
Average
5,410.71 km
225.23 km/h
10
20
2005
Audi R8
Distance
Average
5,050.50 km
210.22 km/h
2007
05
20
0
20
6
2006
2011
5,029.10 km
209.15 km/h
4,838.29 km
201.26 km/h
11
20
5,187.00 km
215.41 km/h
07
20
Distance
Average
2012
Year after year, Audi brought new,
innovative technology to
Le Mans making the brand a
serial winner.
2013
4,727.89 km
197.45 km/h
13
20
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20
2005
2013
5,151.76 km
214.47 km/h
Speed
Speed
WORKER
WORKER
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Text
Eckhard Schimpf
Photos
Ulrike Myrzik
HANS
herRmann
V I TA
Born 1928. He began racing in Formula 1 in 1954/55
alongside Fangio and Moss in the Mercedes Silver Arrows. He also drove
Grand Prix cars from Maserati, Cooper, Lotus and BRM and
sports cars from Abarth and Borgward. But he achieved
his greatest successes with Porsche. He ended his career in 1970 with
a victory at Le Mans in a Porsche 917.
Chicane Carte S
Ligne Droite
des Hunaudires
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Virage dIndianapolis
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ALLAN
McNISH
V I TA
Born 1969. He began in karting, ascending to Formula 1 via
Formula Ford, Formula 3 and Formula 3000. The Scotsman spent several
years in Formula 1 as a test driver (with McLaren and Benetton
among others) and drove a full season for Toyota in 2002.
However, he achieved his greatest successes in sports cars. He has been
a works driver with Audi since 2004 and has won the 24 Hours
of Le Mans three times.
Chicane Carte S
stuck
I knew when I was seven years
old that I would
be a racing driver one day.
Hans-Joachim Stuck
Virage dIndianapolis
V I TA
Virage dArnage
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I rolled up to the
starting line sometimes and
thought: Whose turn is
it today? Him to the left of me?
Or the right? Thats just
the way it was.
Hans Herrmann
Survival was in no way a given between the 1960s and
the 1980s. There was a saying: Sex is safe, racing is dangerous.
Its rather the other way round these days Back then, around 20
to 25 race drivers died in accidents every year. Herrmann: I have a
list of 28 drivers that I knew well all dead. I rolled up to the starting line sometimes and thought: Whose turn is it today? Him to the
left of me? Or the right? Thats just the way it was. Fatal accidents
were par for the course. The list of victims is long. Very long. Also
among them German drivers: Count von Trips, Mitter, Stommelen,
Bellof, Winkelhock.
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Chicane Carte S
FRANK
BIELA
Le Mans is the
biggest in racing. These masses
and masses of people
300,000, 400,000.
Hans-Joachim Stuck
V I TA
Born 1964. His background is typical of todays racing drivers:
karting, Formula Ford, Formula 3. In 1991, he joined
Audi and drove for the Ingolstadt brand for almost two decades.
DTM champion (1991), French champion (1993), winner
of the touring-car world final (1995), British champion (1996),
winner of the American LM Series (2003, 2005)
and five-time winner of Le Mans.
J acky I ckx ,
T he F ace of L e M ans
PITS
Virages Ford
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Does Le Mans have a face? What a strange question. But one that
can be answered with a resounding Yes!: It is a face etched with
years of foot-to-the-floor dueling; the face of Jacky Ickx. Just as
certain movie titles immediately summon up the image of an
actor, the subject of Le Mans calls to mind the charismatic, headstrong Belgian racing star. He is Monsieur Le Mans. He may
have won there only six times (Dane Tom Kristensen has won nine
times so far), but despite all his Formula 1 success, Ickx is still
the king of endurance, crowned first and foremost by Porsche.
No racing fan will ever forget how Jacky Ickx managed to overturn an outdated regulation the extremely dangerous Le Mans
start. That was the sprint by the drivers to their cars on the other
side of the track. In 1969, Ickx did not run to his Ford GT 40. He
took a leisurely stroll, was last to set off and won. Following
this provocation, there has never been another Le Mans start.
THE SOUND
THE SOUND
OF SUCCESS
OF SUCCESS
Audi motorsport legends
From the Auto Union Type C to the R8 Le Mans prototype Audi has been
a hugely successful part of motorsport history. Here, we present the sights and sounds of
seven legendary racing cars from four decades.
Text
Johannes Kbler
1936
AUTO UNION
TYPE C GRAND PRIX
Seldom is a racing car so intensively defined by its engine as the Auto Union Type C Grand Prix the V16 is a power
unit of epic force and infernal noise. The supercharged engine was designed by Ferdinand Porsche; from its beginnings
as a 4.4-liter in the Type A, it grew by the C generation to a displacement of 6.0 liters. The long-stroke engine, which
uses one central camshaft, sends 382 kW (520 hp) to a four-speed transmission. At just 2,500 revs it already generates
around 850 Nm of torque.
The mid-engine concept put the Auto Union Type C decades ahead of its competition. With its tubularframe chassis and aluminum outer skin, it had a dry weight of just 824 kilograms; around 750 kilograms without
wheels and tires. Its running gear, too trailing-arm suspension at the front, swing-arm axle at the rear, torsion springs,
friction dampers and drum brakes was state-of-the-art. Bernd Rosemeyer won the 1936 European Championship
with the Type C.
V16 supercharged
Displacement
6,005 cm
Power
112
Encounter Technology
1985
Audi sport
quattro S1
In May 1984, Audi entered the World Rally Championship with the Sport quattro with a wheelbase of just 2.22 meters
the intention behind this drastic shortening was to make the series-based front-engine coupe lighter and more
agile. July 1985 saw the arrival of the final evolution, the S1. Its 2.1-liter five-cylinder with 20 valves delivered 350 kW
(476 hp) and 480 Nm of torque. With the medium final drive, it catapulted the car to 100 km/h in just 3.1 seconds.
There were a number of differentials available for the quattro driveline; shortly before the end of the
season, the range was enhanced by a pneumatically actuated dual-clutch transmission a precursor to todays S tronic.
The load-bearing body was made from sheet steel with plastic add-on panels and reinforced by an artfully incorporated roll cage. The radiator, cooling fan, battery and alternator were in the rear for improved axle-load distribution. On
fast tracks, massive wings and scoops shoveled air onto the car. In October 1985, Walter Rhrl scored a glorious victory at the San Remo Rally in the Audi Sport quattro S1.
1989
Audi 90 quattro
IMSA GTO
In the 1989 season, Audi entered North Americas most demanding touring car series, the IMSA GTO with its freeranging technical regulations. The Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO was a purely functional machine the first Audi touring
car with a CFRP floorpan, tubular mesh frame and plastic panels on the sides, front and rear. With 2.65 bar of maximum charge pressure, the commendable five-cylinder generated 530 kW (around 720 hp) and 720 Nm of torque. The
IMSA GTO reached a top speed of about 310 km/h and made full use of its strengths in handling and traction when
cornering all four tires were 36 centimeters wide.
From the outset, Audi reached second place in the manufacturer rankings. In the driver table, HansJoachim Stuck was in third place ahead of his teammate Hurley Haywood. In the 13 races run by the IMSA GTO, he took
seven victories.
Year 1989
Year 1985
Engine Five-cylinder
Engine Five-cylinder
Displacement
2,190 cm
Displacement
2,110 cm
Power
Power
115
Encounter Technology
1990
Audi V8 DTM
The Audi V8, with which the brand entered the German touring-car championship (DTM) in 1990, was a winner
although, at first sight, the 4.90-meter long, bulky sedan didnt seem to be a natural motorsport talent. The freebreathing, 3.6-liter V8 initially produced around 309 kW (ca. 420 hp); in 1992 this ended up at around 346 kW
(around 464 hp) and a good 380 Nm of torque. Alongside standardized tanks, the regulations also called for standard
tires. At just 265 millimeters wide, they were actually too narrow for the Audi V8 DTM. However, quattro technology once again proved decisive, particularly in wet weather.
The overall package brought Audi two DTM titles in succession, with the decider run both years in the
last race of the season on the Hockenheimring. Hans-Joachim Stuck won the title in 1990. In 1991, it was the young
Frank Biela who inherited the crown with the incipient rain slowing down the rear-wheel driven competition.
Audi V8 DTM
Year 1990
Engine V8
Displacement
In 1993, Audi entered the French Touring Car Championship with the Audi 80. In 1994, the Ingolstadt company
switched to the newly created, close-to-production Supertourenwagen-Cup (STW). The team began with the Audi 80
and moved later to the A4. The regulations were based on the international standards for two-liter touring cars;
they used a rev limit of 8,500 to limit the power of the naturally aspirated, two-liter four-cylinders to around 210 kW
(285 hp).
Aerodynamics became even more important. Audi spent around 140 hours in the wind tunnel fine tuning
the outer skin of the A4 quattro Supertouring. Inside, in the interests of weight distribution, the drivers seat was
positioned a little lower, rearward and towards the center. A sequential six-speed transmission directed torque to the
permanent quattro all-wheel drive, which was a major contributor to the harmonious, well-mannered character of
the racing A4. The 1996 season brought a historic triumph the Audi quattro Supertouring entered seven national championships on three continents and won them all.
3,562 cm
Power
1996
Audi A4
supertouring
Audi A4 Supertouring
Year 1996
Engine Four-cylinder
Displacement
1,998 cm
Power
116
Encounter Technology
2005
Audi r8
In the Olympics of motor racing, the Audi R8 holds a place of honor. When it retired in 2006, it had chalked up 63
victories in 80 outings, including five Le Mans wins in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005; each time with Dane Tom
Kristensen at the wheel. Even with added weight, smaller tanks and power restrictions via airflow limiters from
449 kW (610 hp) to 382 kW (520 hp) there was no effective way of holding back the open-top sports prototype at the
classic race in La Sarthe.
From its debut in 1999, then with the R8R, Audi very quickly learned its lessons in endurance racing.
The R8 was not only fast, it was also a pleasure to drive and extremely service-friendly throughout its entire racing
career, it never once suffered an engine failure. In 2001, Audi switched the 3.6-liter biturbo V8 to direct injection
a successful durability test for the series-production of TFSI technology, which started four years later.
Audi R8
Year 2005
Engine
V8 biturbo
Displacement
3,600 cm
Power
2009
Audi A4 DTM
From 2004 until 2011, Audi competed in the German touring car championship (DTM) with the A4 DTM, following
on from Team Abts successful participation from 2000 to 2003 with the TT. In 2004 and 2007, Swede Matthias
Ekstrm won the drivers championship, with Timo Scheider taking the honors in 2008 and 2009 and Martin Tomczyk
following suit in 2011.
Although the regulations called for rear-wheel drive and a host of standardized components, the Audi A4
DTM was a hi-tech race car. Its CFRP monocoque and steel-tube roll cage was wrapped in an aerodynamic, highly
efficient exterior skin, which bore the look of the new series model as of 2008. The four-liter V8 sent around 340 kW
(460 hp) and more than 500 Nm to the sequential six-speed transmission at the rear axle; the clutch and brake
discs were made from CFRP. Its vital statistics are impressive: a dry weight minus trim ballast of around 900 kilograms, zero to 100 km/h in less than three seconds, lateral acceleration of up to 2.5 g.
Audi A4 DTM
Year 2009
Engine V8
Displacement
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fascinating sound of the Audi A8!
4,000 cm
Power
119
Encounter Technology
Imprint
AUDI AG
85045 Ingolstadt
Responsible for content:
Toni Melfi,
Head of Communication,
I/GP
Executive Editor:
Christian Bangemann
Editor:
Armin Gtz
Authors:
Gisbert L. Brunner
Armin Gtz
Michael Harnischfeger
Friderike Herbst
Eberhard Kittler
Johannes Kbler
Hermann Reil
Eckhard Schimpf
Oliver Strohbach
Alexander von Wegner
Photography:
Krling Bildagentur
Bernhard Huber
Ulrike Myrzik
Manuel Uebler
Stefan Warter
Gold Winner
Gold Winner