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Revision as of 18:29, 15 June 2006 by Marc Lacoste (talk | contribs) (→Engine: 908)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The Audi R10 is a sports-racing car prepared for sports car racing in the LMP1 class of the Le Mans 24 Hours. The car was unveiled Tuesday, December 13 2005 at 12:00 CET, and will have its first 24 hour race at the 2006 Le Mans. Its maiden race was the 2006 12 Hours of Sebring which it had won.
It supersedes the previous Audi R8, a very successful model which won five times at Le Mans since 2000. In later years the ACO, who sets the rules for racing in the Le Mans 24 Hours, has reduced the restrictor size on the engine, and stipulated the R8 carry ballast, to make the races more competitive. In response to the new level of competition the development of a successor was necessary.
Though it bears a strong resemblance to the previous model, it is nevertheless a new design. The aerodynamic package is in compliance with the new regulations. A second rollover cage is added and the wheelbase is lengthened to accept the new, longer V12 TDI engine.
Engine
The main novelty of the R10 is its engine: a TDI turbo Diesel. It is a 5.5 L all aluminium bi-turbo 90° V12, with common rail direct injection of more than 1600 bar. Its output should be 650 hp (485 kW) (regulated) and 1100 N·m (811 ft·lbf) of torque, and its usable power band is between 3000 and 5000 rpm. Its benefits are a broad range of usable power, high torque and economy. Two Garrett turbochargers limited by the regulations to 2.94 bar absolute breathe through two 39.9 mm air intake restrictors. It uses the latest Bosch Motronic (MS14) management, 1600 bar piezo injectors, and makes a low noise for a race car.
It will be difficult for Audi to overcome the weight of this engine. The latest Audi TDI 3.0 L V6 weighs 220 kg (485 lb) and the 4.2 L V8 255 kg (562 lb) but their blocks are made of CGI iron. The V12 is rumored to weight upwards of 200 kgs, Audi engineers admit that the weight per cylinder is the same as the precededing 3.6-liter FSI V8 of the Audi R8. The wheelbase has been increased over the R8 to 2980 mm to account for this. This is unfavorable against the 130 kg (287 lb) of a concurrent Judd V10, and even the 180 kg of the Ricardo turbodiesel prototype based on it.
Audi's decision to use a diesel engine emphasizes the commercial success of TDI (and its competitors) on Europe's roads. It isn't however, the first diesel to be raced at Le Mans. In 2004 a Lola equipped with a Caterpillar re-badged VW V10 TDI ran for a few hours before breaking its gearbox. The Volkswagen Group itself uses a specially equipped diesel race Touareg at the Paris Dakar Rally and BMW had successfully raced diesel touring cars, winning the 1998 24 Hours Nürburgring. Peugeot will compete with its new diesel effort in 2007 in its 908
Results
On 18 March 2006, the #2 Audi R10 won the 54th annual 12 Hours of Sebring after shattering the qualifying record for the pole. However, the #1 car did not finish due to an overheating problem.
Budget
According to the April 2006 (04/2006) issue of German enthusiast car magazine Sport Auto, the Audi R10 project will cost Audi €70 Million per year. This is the most ambitious and the most expensive project ever undertaken by Audi Motorsport
Controversy
At the beginning of the 2006 season, homologation rules for LMP cars were changed, for the LMP1 class, an increase in minmum weight from 900kg to 925kg was mandated. While officially, this is to allow closed top prototypes to run with air-conditioning (as this would have added weight over open tops cars), some have speculated that this done at the behest of Audi to allow the R10 to be competitive. The R10 itself, as it ran during the 2006 12 Hours of Sebring was overweight at 935kg, meaning that the engineers did not have the ability to play around with the weight ballasts (which would have been used to bring the car up to minimum weight if it were lighter than 925kg) to affect handling and balance.
External links
- Official Audi R10 Page, with the 13 december Paris presentation in video
- Official press release via Planetlemans.com, Tuesday, 13 December 2005, with more images
- Mulsanne's Corner: 2006 Audi R10, technical details focusing primarily on aerodynamics
- 2006 Audi R10, Michael J. Fuller, Mulsanne's Corner, 2006
- Racing Toward Relevance, Christopher A. Sawyer, Automotive Design & Production, May 2006
- Ricardo-Judd Diesel V10, Mulsanne's Corner, 2003
