Audi engineer discusses V12 diesels, both race and street

Audi made quite a splash at the Detroit Auto Show, unveiling a V12 diesel in a Q7 concept vehicle (click here for more info and photo gallery). Rated at 500 horsepower with more than 700 lb-ft of torque, the TDI diesel could show up in an Audi in the near future, although the U.S. won't be the first to get it. For now, our Q7s will get a 3.0-liter TDI that shares some of the technology. And speaking of sharing, the V12 gets a little bit of the injection technology from its V12 race cousin found in the R10 sports car that won LeMans, but not much more. While the car-based V12 is a traditional 60-degree V, the race engine went with a 90-degree angle to get more weight lower in the chassis. Want to know more about the differences and similarities between the two V12 engines? Check out the video interview with Wolfgand Hatz, executive director of engine and powertrain development at Audi, on Lou Ann Hammond's blog.

[Source: carlist.com]