Autoblog

Audi R18 tests successful at Sebring

Zach Bowman — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Audi, Racing

Audi R18 Testing at Sebring - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi has officially put its new R18 Le Mans racer and all nine of its factory drivers through their paces. The pair of closed-cockpit Audi bruisers and one last-generation R15 TDI spent some time lapping Sebring as part of preparations for this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. Each of the cadre of pilots was able to get some seat time in all three vehicles. Interestingly enough, Audi has made it clear that the R15 "Plus Plus" will campaign alone at this year's 12 Hours of Sebring. Audi typically uses the venue as a dry run for new hardware before showing up in France.

At this point, it appears that he R18 will enjoy its race debut at Le Mans instead. Audi motorsport boss Wolfgang Ullrich said that Sebring offers up a unique test of any race car's mechanicals, and that the warm, dry weather in Florida is more conducive to testing than European venues. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: Audi R18 at Sebring

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi R18 tests successful at Sebring

Audi R18 tests successful at Sebring originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Audi loans eight robot arms for art installation

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:31:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Videos, Audi, UK

Audi's Outrace Project - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Trafalgar Square is located in central London. It plays host to thousands of people on a daily basis. The square is filled with memorial fountains and allows direct passage to the National gallery, and starting September 16th, it will serve as the backdrop for the London Digital Festival.

Audi has determined this would make a good time to unleash its opening salvo in favor of the impending revolution by Skynet and the robots. The automaker's mechanical beast consists of eight robotic arms and weighs over 10 metric tons. It's known simply as The Octopus. Fine, it's not an octo-armed assault system but rather a new art installation device.

Each arm features a LED headlight taken from the Audi R15 TDI racecar, mounted at the end of each arm. Messages up to 80 characters in length can be sent to octopus from a computer or smartphone via the Outrace.org website, and these bits of text will be chosen at random and written in real time in the form of "light paintings." The images will be captured by SLR cameras and then transferred into a video. The images and video will be available via the Outrace site, as well as sent to the chosen contributors. To see the arms in action, you can view streaming video at both the Outrace site and Audi.com. The footage will be available 24 hours a day, for eight days.

It all sounds quite odd yet intriguing. The big robotic arms will be able to write out letters up to nearly 12 feet high, yet they are capable of precise movements down to 0.2 millimeters. Be sure to watch the trailer after the jump, and read Audi's press release to understand what all the fuss is about. We haven't throw out that Skynet idea just yet...

[Sources: Audi, YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Audi loans eight robot arms for art installation

Video: Audi loans eight robot arms for art installation originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Le Mans 2010: To finish first, first you must finish

Sam Abuelsamid — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 09:52:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

#1 Peugeot 908 powers through the night at Le Mans - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's the most important axiom of motorsports: If your car isn't running at the checkered flag, it really doesn't matter how fast you run. Nowhere is that more true than at Le Mans. The field that began with 55 cars gradually dwindled through the night. At the midway point, the #2 Peugeot led two of the Audis with the #1 car battling back from a mechanical malady. For those of you who aren't planning to watch the race on your DVR, continue reading after the jump.

Gallery: Le Mans 2010: The Race

Gallery: Le Mans 2010: Qualifying and practice

Continue reading Le Mans 2010: To finish first, first you must finish

Le Mans 2010: To finish first, first you must finish originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lead Audi nearly taken out of Le Mans by BMW Art Car

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 14:12:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Diesel, Racing

BMW Art Car and lead Audi R15 TDI altercation - Click above for image gallery

Just four hours into the 24 Hours of Le Mans, eight-time-winner Tom Kristensen's race almost ended after contact with the BMW M3 GT2 Art Car. Audi R15 driver Kristensen was the lead Audi at the time, running a lap down in fourth overall when he went off into the gravel at Porsche curves after overtaking the Jeff Koons-liveried BMW.

The Art Car was limping back to the pits with a punctured left front tire and drifted wide in the right-hand sweeper when Kristensen arrived on the scene. TK had to make a quick choice at speed and opted for the outside, assuming the BMW would stay inside. Unfortunately, the BMW was unable to turn in, and the Audi ended up going across the gravel and backing into the wall.

Fortunately for Audi, Kristensen kept the engine running and got a push of out the gravel. Back in the pits, the car was taken into the garage, where the crew descended upon it with huge shop vacs to get the gravel out. After two and a half minutes, fresh rear bodywork and a new wing were attached and the R15 was on its way again, another lap down. The #7 Audi is now running seventh overall.

Gallery: Lead Audi nearly taken out of Le Mans by BMW Art Car

[Source: SPEED TV]

Lead Audi nearly taken out of Le Mans by BMW Art Car originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Jun 2010 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Le Mans 2010: Peugeot grabs first four grid spots, Corvette on GT2 pole

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Chevrolet, Honda, Jaguar, Ferrari, Peugeot, Diesel, Racing

Peugeot 908 HDi qualifying for Le Mans 2010 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans is getting quite predictable, with the big question being which of the Peugeot 908s will come out on top. After three timed sessions over two days, the No. 3 Peugeot of Pedro Lamy, Sebastien Bourdais and Simon Pagenaud came was quickest as the four French diesels filled the first two rows on the grid. Right behind them are the three factory Audi R15+ TDIs and then the two Aston Martin-Lolas.

Down the field in the LMP2 ranks, the Honda powered ARX-01c campaigned by UK-based Strakka racing lapped the eight-mile circuit 1.46 seconds faster than a similar car being run by defending American Le Mans Series champs Highcroft Racing. 2010 is the final year of eligibility for the GT1 class at Le Mans and Aston Martin hopes to go out in style. The DBR9 driven by Tomas Enge, Christoph Nygaard and Peter Kox edged out a pair of Ford GTs and the ex-factory GT1 Corvettes.

In GT2, ALMS regulars ruled the roost. The No.82 Risi Ferrari ran fastest but its time was disallowed because of an unknown technical infraction. As a result, the two Corvette C6.Rs will lead the GT2 field to the green flag with Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta and Emmanuel Collard on the pole. Unfortunately for the JaguarRSR team, the cool green-and-black leaping cat livery has not translated into much speed with the XKR finishing dead last in qualifying, nearly 13 seconds slower per lap than the lead Vette. The green flag falls at 3PM CET on Saturday, so stay tuned.

Gallery: Le Mans 2010: Qualifying and practice

[Sources: Le Mans, Corvette Racing, Audi, Peugeot]

Continue reading Le Mans 2010: Peugeot grabs first four grid spots, Corvette on GT2 pole

Le Mans 2010: Peugeot grabs first four grid spots, Corvette on GT2 pole originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spoiler Alert: Audi's new R15+ racer comes out storming

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:37:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Diesel, Racing

Allan McNish in Audi R15+ - Click above for high-res image gallery

Despite winning in its debut at the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring, last year was not a stellar year for Audi's Le Mans Prototype program. After a thorough reboot, Audi is trying again this year with the R15+ TDI. The heavily revised R15+ has been testing for two months and this weekend it is competing for the first time at Le Castellet in France for the first round of the Le Mans Series. In qualifying the Audi managed to get onto the front row alongside the first privately run Peugeot 908 fielded by Team Oreca. Follow the jump to find out what happened in the eight-hour race.

Gallery: Audi R15+ TDI at Le Castellet

[Sources: Audi, Le Mans Series]

Continue reading Spoiler Alert: Audi's new R15+ racer comes out storming

Spoiler Alert: Audi's new R15+ racer comes out storming originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi R15+ shows off its new duds ahead of race debut

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Diesel, Racing

2010 Audi R15+ - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi has just dropped a bunch of photos of the new livery that its R15+ TDI race cars will wear for 2010 beginning with their competition debut this weekend in France. The heavily revised R15+ features a completely new aerodynamic treatment up front and along the sides, a change which Audi hopes will allow the car to have both better grip and lower drag than than last year's model. In fact, it looks like almost nothing but the cockpit area has been carried over, with the racer's side-pods and even the rear wing being heavily re-worked.

The 2009 car was something of a disappointment and for the first time in a decade (aside from 2003 when Audi stepped aside in favor of sister brand Bentley) was handily beaten at Le Mans. Audi opted to skip last month's American Le Mans Series opener at Sebring to spend the time testing. Only one R15+ will run at Le Castellet this weekend for the opener of the Le Mans Series, and we don't expect to see the R15+ racing in North America until the Petit Le Mans in September.

Gallery: 2010 Audi R15+ TDI

Gallery: Audi R15 TDI - studio images

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi R15+ shows off its new duds ahead of race debut

Audi R15+ shows off its new duds ahead of race debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi adds three new drivers to 2010 Le Mans lineup, teases R15 "Plus"

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Diesel

New drivers for Audi R15 - Click above for high-res image gallery

After finally losing the top spot on the Le Mans podium to Peugeot last June, Audi is bound and determined to recapture victory this year. To that end the automaker has signed on three new drivers for this year's squad including one Peugeot veteran. Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Treluyer will man Audi's third car in France after a warm-up race at the 1000-kilometer race of Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium in May.

Fässler ran a pair of races for Audi in the American Le Mans Series in 2008, while Lotterer drove one of the privateer R10s for the Kolles team last year. Benoît Treluyer was part of the nine-driver Peugeot crew at Le Mans last year.

Audi also released three images of each driver sitting in what may be a new version of the R15 diesel-powered race car dubbed the "R15 TDI Plus." This new version of the R15 is being developed to address official complaints made by rival Peugeot about the original's car design. The driver images don't show much besides a decidedly sexy naked carbon fiber body, and the "Plus" moniker is a bit misleading as these modifications won't likely help the R15's performance in any way, which would give Peugeot cause for more complaints. With the new car still in development and Peugeot not willing to race against a modified version of the 2009 car, don't expect the R15 "Plus" on the starting grid at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March, though Audi is expected to be there testing the new car.

Gallery: New drivers for Audi R15

[Source: Audi, Fourtitude]

Continue reading Audi adds three new drivers to 2010 Le Mans lineup, teases R15 "Plus"

Audi adds three new drivers to 2010 Le Mans lineup, teases R15 "Plus" originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Audi posts more than two dozen clips from Petit Le Mans

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Audi

Audi does Petit Le Mans - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Over the past weekend, while the Joest Racing crew was working away preparing the two Audi R15 TDIs for the extra-Petit Le Mans, reserve driver Mike Rockenfeller and a camera crew were out and about shooting a series of videos. Audi has now posted more than two dozen videos on its YouTube page that include driver and crew interviews, tours of the garage, pits and a tour of Road Atlanta. There's plenty of up-close action as everyone gets ready for what proved to be a rain shortened race.

During the track tour, Rockenfeller (a.k.a. Rocky) describes some of the physical attributes required to get through certain corners at maximum speed. For those unfamiliar with Road Atlanta - or what goes on behind the scenes with a team like Audi - it's worth checking out the vid posted after the jump.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading VIDEO: Audi posts more than two dozen clips from Petit Le Mans

VIDEO: Audi posts more than two dozen clips from Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi and Porsche win Michelin GreenX Challenge at Petit Le Mans

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Porsche, Diesel

Audi R15 TDI leading Petit Le Mans - click above for high-res gallery

The American Le Mans Series ran half of its annual flagship race this past weekend at a rain-saturated Road Atlanta track in Georgia. The race marked the first anniversary of the inauguration of the ALMS Green Challenge, and in spite of the truncated race length, organizers announced winners in both the prototype and GT categories and the winners all came from the Volkswagen Group.

Among the prototypes, the No. 1 Audi R15 TDI led for more than four hours until shortly before the race was red flagged. However, the combination of the diesel's fuel efficiency and performance gave the Audi sufficient points to be declared the Michelin GreenX Challenge winner. Among the GT cars, several problems hurt the performance of the cellulosic E85-fueled Chevrolet Corvettes. Thus, the Flying Lizard team's Porsche 911s had the best combination of carbon footprint and performance. With only one race remaining at Laguna Seca, the Porsches look like strong contenders to win the season-long Green Challenge championship. Galleries below, official press releases after the jump.

Gallery: Audi R15 TDI at Petit Le Mans 2009

Gallery: Flying Lizard Porsche at Petit Le Mans 2009

[Sources: Audi, Porsche]

Continue reading Audi and Porsche win Michelin GreenX Challenge at Petit Le Mans

Audi and Porsche win Michelin GreenX Challenge at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Mike Rockenfeller guides a tour of the Audi pit at Petit Le Mans

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Audi, Diesel

Click above to view the video after the jump

With the American Le Mans Series returning to Road Atlanta this weekend for its flagship event, the Petit Le Mans, Audi has returned to take on the French. Peugeot, of course, won this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans after a multi-year battle with the diesel-powered Audis. So far, in the first three open practice sessions on Thursday, Peugeot's diesels continued to have a speed advantage over the Audi entries, with Frank Montagny setting the fastest time of the week so far during the night practice session at 1:07.912, three-quarters ahead of the second Peugeot, and the Audis also running third and fourth.

Earlier on Thursday, one of Audi's reserve drivers for the ten hour race, Mike Rockenfeller, conducted a backstage tour of the Audi paddock where the crew were preparing the cars for the first practice. This is back in an area that spectators don't get to see much of. As the cars were being taken out to the track, Rockenfeller went into the big tent behind the pit where the engineers were pouring over telemetry data on their screens trying to figure out how to make the R15 faster. Check out the videos after the jump.

Gallery: Audi R15 TDI

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading VIDEO: Mike Rockenfeller guides a tour of the Audi pit at Petit Le Mans

VIDEO: Mike Rockenfeller guides a tour of the Audi pit at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game On! Audi headed to Petit Le Mans to challenge Peugeot

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Diesel

Audi R15 TDI - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Audi vs. Peugeot endurance racing battle will continue next month at Road Atlanta as the German team finally confirmed it will bring the R15 TDI back to America. Peugeot announced several weeks ago that it would run its Le Mans-winning 908 HDI at both the Petit Le Mans and Laguna Seca. So far Audi has only committed to the 10-hour race in Georgia. Audi Sport Team Joest will be running the two R15s for the German automaker.

The diesel-powered racers opened up the season battling at the 12 hours of Sebring with the R15 grabbing a debut victory. From there, the Franco-Prussian war moved on to the 24 Hours of Le Mans where Peugeot finally came through with a win after three years of trying.

Audi motorsports boss Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich blamed a lack of testing for the team's failure in France this year and plans to have the team test at Road Atlanta the week prior to the race next month. Hopefully, Audi will stick around for the California race, as well. Full press release after the jump, and thanks to all for the tips!

Gallery: 12 Hours of Sebring - 2009

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Game On! Audi headed to Petit Le Mans to challenge Peugeot

Game On! Audi headed to Petit Le Mans to challenge Peugeot originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Peugeots are coming to Petit Le Mans! Now, about those Audis...

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Peugeot, Diesel

Peugeot has confirmed that for the second year running it will be sending its 908 HDi prototypes to Atlanta in September for the Petit Le Mans. Peugeot will be looking to follow up its victory at Le Mans last June with its first win at the ALMS flagship race. In France, Peugeot had a resounding victory over Audi's new R15 TDIs but so far the biggest competition in Atlanta will come from the LMP1 Acuras. Peugeot will be bringing two of the 908s to Georgia for the race that joins Sebring in becoming increasingly known as a warmup for the 24 hour race in France.

There have been repeated rumors that the R15s would return to the U.S. for the final two races at Road Atlanta and Laguna Seca for several months. We checked with Audi Motorsports spokeswoman Eva-Maria Veith, who said, "There is no decision made about any more races with the Audi R15 TDI this year. I hope that we will know more in the near future." Hopefully an official commitment from Peugeot will prompt Audi to try and avenge their loss in France.

[Source: American Le Mans Series]

The Peugeots are coming to Petit Le Mans! Now, about those Audis... originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peugeot takes pole at 24 Hours of Le Mans for third straight year

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Peugeot

It's mid-June and that means it's time for the 24 Hours of Le Mans again. If the past decade is anything to go by, the number one contenders will again be the factory Audis, which have won eight of the last nine races (all nine if you count the 2003 as the Audi it truly was). For the past two years, the big battle for overall glory has been between the diesel-powered Audi R10 and Peugeot 908, and this year looks to be no different aside from Audi having an all new car, the R15, still with TDI power.

While the Peugeots have shown superior speed the last two years, the Audis have had better reliability and pit work. This year, the R15s appear to have made up the speed deficit, and the Germans look set for victory again if the crew can keep them running. Unfortunately for Audi, the race won't start with one of its cars in the lead, as Stephane Sarrazin has once again captured the poll in his Peugeot 908 for a record third straight year. Alan McNish managed to qualify one of Audi's three R15s right behind Sarrazin, but the other two cars managed to qualify only sixth and seventh on the starting grid. Three other Peugeot 908s will start from third, fourth and fifth, respectively, which means diesel power penetrates all the way back to the fourth row on this year's starting grid.

For those interested in following Audi's progress this weekend, the automaker is following up up its Sebring Facebook coverage with even more social media stuff this weekend. You can find photos, videos and news at AudiR15TDI.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Our own Damon Lavrinc will also be reporting live from Le Mans this year, so keep an eye on Autoblog and make sure to follow our Twitter feed all weekend long.

[Sources: Yahoo Eurosport, Audi, AutoCar | Photo by Ker Robertson/Getty Images]

Peugeot takes pole at 24 Hours of Le Mans for third straight year originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Audi hoping to return to ALMS in 2010

Drew Phillips — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Audi R15 TDI

It was a sad day for the American Le Mans Series when Audi announced they were abandoning their U.S. racing program back in December. The German automaker had been a staple of the series since its inception, but with the exception of the 12 Hours of Sebring, which Audi won, and possibly a couple of races at the end of the season, the R15 TDI has and will be absent from the starting grid in 2009.

Things are looking up for next year, however, with Johan de Nysschen, President of Audi America, telling AutoWeek that his company "would like to" return to the ALMS in 2010. Audi has apparently retained the core members of the race team and intends to come back to the series if economic conditions allow. de Nysschen also claims that the 24 Hours of Le Mans remains a top priority, and it would take a lot for Audi to quit the world's most prestigious endurance race. "We've got a proud record to protect at Le Mans," he told AW.

So while Audi's LMP1 program is not in doubt, we can only hope that their competitive spirit leads to another full season of racing in the ALMS next year.

Gallery: Audi R15 TDI

[Source: AutoWeek]

REPORT: Audi hoping to return to ALMS in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Combining Forzas: Audi ports over Porsche LMP2 drivers for Le Mans

Noah Joseph — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:50:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Audi, Porsche

With Porsche now reigning over the Volkswagen auto empire, we can expect to see synergies between the small sportscar maker and all its new subsidiaries over the years to come. One of the first such opportunities has actually emerged in reverse out on the race track, as Audi Sport has ported over two of Porsche's most successful drivers to its Le Mans team.

Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas have scored nine victories - including at Sebring, Daytona and the Nürburgring - along with two consecutive LMP2 titles behind the wheel of the Porsche RS Spyder in the American Le Mans Series, not to mention both contesting the main event in France several times with other teams to considerable effect. The two will be joining Audi's roster of endurance racers in the new R15 TDI at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the words of Audi motorsport chief Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (which you can read in full in the press release after the jump) the team is "pleased that withing the Group the opportunity now presents itself to have [Bernhard and Dumas] race for us at Le Mans."

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Combining Forzas: Audi ports over Porsche LMP2 drivers for Le Mans

Combining Forzas: Audi ports over Porsche LMP2 drivers for Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi launches Facebook fan page for the R15 TDI

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi

With the new R15 TDI making its competition debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring this weekend, Audi has set up outlets where fans of the diesel racer can get behind-the-scenes updates. A Facebook fan page has been created where you can see fresh photos and videos from the track along with posts on what's happening. For those who prefer their R15 news in a more bite-sized format, there's also a Twitter feed that you can follow at http://twitter.com/audiR15tdi. Audi promises to post tons of information as the R15 takes on the Peugeots and Acuras for overall glory in Florida.

Audi launches Facebook fan page for the R15 TDI originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi drops a whole collection of new images of the R15 TDI

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi

Audi R15 TDI - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Audi R15 TDI should be hitting the track competitively for the first time next week at the 12 Hours of Sebring. The new diesel-powered racer will be running against the Peugeot 908 HDi and Acura's new ARX-02a next Saturday. The oil-burning Audi and Peugeot will be competing under modified LMP1 rules that have cut their wing widths by 40 mm (for all P1 cars) and reduced the size of their air restrictors and amount of turbo boost pressure for the diesels. The new R15, which replaces the very successful R10, has been optimized with a reduction in weight, radically new aerodynamics and an all-new powertrain to work with the new rules while still trying to outrun the Peugeots.

The R10's old 5.5L V12 has been replaced in the R15 by a smaller V10 of unknown displacement for greater efficiency and improved packaging. The car's electrical system now uses a lithium-ion battery, again for reduced mass compared to a lead battery. As far as we know, Audi is not planning to use a hybrid KERS system on the R15. Contrary to some information released by an unnamed Audi official at the Geneva Motor Show last week, the R15 will only run at Sebring next week and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in July. The last two ALMS races at Road Atlanta and Laguna Seca are not part of Audi's game plan at this time.

Gallery: Audi R15 TDI - studio images

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi drops a whole collection of new images of the R15 TDI

Audi drops a whole collection of new images of the R15 TDI originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi releases more details on the R15 TDI

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Audi R15 TDI

Following its annual meeting in Germany, Audi released photos and more details of its all-new R15 TDI race car. After some spy shots and one official pic of the R15 being tested in unpainted carbon fiber, we can now see the new LMP1 car in its standard Audi livery of silver and red. Audi is billing the R15 as the first second-generation diesel racing sports car and the company has focused on creating a vehicle that can consistently beat its French challenger, the Peugeot 908 HDi.

When the R10 debuted it was the first diesel-powered Le Mans Prototype and reliability was put ahead of outright speed. This time around, Audi has optimized the aerodynamics, reduced the weight and built an all-new smaller, more efficient powertrain. The 5.5-liter V12 has been supplanted by a new V10. and although Audi hasn't disclosed its displacement, the automaker admits it's more compact, has a lower mass and features new smaller and lighter particulate filters.

While the car doesn't use a hybrid KERS system, it does have a lithium ion battery for its electrical system. The advanced battery provides higher voltage with lower weight -- always a boon in a race car. The R15 will make its racing debut March 21 at the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Gallery: Audi R15 TDI

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi releases more details on the R15 TDI

Audi releases more details on the R15 TDI originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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24 Hours of Le Mans invite list released

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Aston Martin, Audi, Chevrolet, Porsche, Peugeot

Plenty of teams have dropped out racing series around the world this year as economic problems have caused sponsors to pull back. So far, it looks like the 24 Hours of Le Mans has managed to remain relatively immune as the Automobile Club de l'Ouest received 82 entries for the 55 openings for this years race. The top LMP1 class is set to be another battle royal with 12 factory supported entries from Audi, Peugeot and Aston Martin. Peugeot will be trying to finally win Le Mans and has increased its squad to four by entrusting one of the 908s to the Pescarolo Sport team. Audi will have three of its new R15 TDIs and two of the old R10s which will be run by the Kolles team.

In the P2 field, a trio of Porsche RS Spyders with will be leading the way along with an assortment of Lolas, Zytek and Radical prototypes. In GT1, the factory Chevrolet Corvette C6R will make its final trip to Le Mans before being replaced by a new GT2 car. The GT1 field will be filled out with pairs of private Chevys, Aston Martins and Lamborghinis. Finally, the GT2 class is mostly Ferrari F430s with a few Porsches, and an Aston Martin and a Spyker. The festivities get under way on June 10. Check out the full entry list here.

[Source: LeMans.org]

24 Hours of Le Mans invite list released originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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