Audi 2016 R18 Specs News: Audi Unveils Race Car That Is 'More Powerful And Efficient Than Ever Before'
Audi may have had its second consecutive year of defeat at Le Mans, but the German automobile manufacturer is determined to get back in the winner's circle next year. At the Audi Sport Finale event in Munich on Saturday, Nov. 28, the company unveiled its challenger for next season, a thoroughly redesigned R18 billed as the company's most powerful and efficient race car to date.
Though Audi is keeping the technical details secret for now, the new race car has undergone significant enhancements compared to the 2015 Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro. The Audi 2016 R18 is set to compete in the premier Le Mans Prototype 1-Hybrid class of the FIA World Endurance Championship and the Le Mans 24 Hours next season.
The new R18 has benefitted from improvements such as lightweight construction, innovative aerodynamic features, and a modified hybrid system that uses lithium-ion batteries to store energy, along with a TDI engine optimized for efficiency. This means that the company has done away with the mechanical flywheel setup of last year's R18, but has kept the diesel fuel that has set Audi apart from rivals Toyota and Porsche, both of which opt for gasoline.
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"With our new Audi R18, we're setting a clear signal," Head of Audi Motorsport Wolfgang Ullrich said at the reveal. "Audi continues to put the pedal to the metal in motorsport, deliberately relying on TDI—the world's most successful automotive efficiency technology—at Le Mans."
He went on to say: "The new Audi R18 marks a major step that we're expecting a lot of at Le Mans and in the WEC. In the DTM, we already had the strongest car in 2015. That's what we'd like to build upon. Plus, the high demand for the new Audi R8 LMS is equally gratifying as the many young talents that are interested in the Audi Sport TT Cup."
