Audi takes to world of motorsport by storm today by revealing the new R18 e-tron quattro. There's a lot of information in this name. The Audi R18 e-tron quattro is Le Mans diesel hybrid racecar, equipped with an all-wheel-drive system. This is the first time anyone has ever built a LMP1 car with this type of configuration. Apart from the innovative powertrain, the R18 e-tron also comes with a new exterior design and improved aerodynamics.
The competition debut of the Audi R18 e-tron will take place on May 5 in the 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium). From there, Audi will take it to this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans where it hopes it will obtain a class victory.
For the R18 e-tron, Audi chose an interesting architecture, where one axle is powered by an internal combustion engine, while the other is powered by electric motors. The V6 TDI engine of the R18 e-tron outputs 375 kW (510 hp), which are sent to the rear wheels. The car comes with a kinetic energy recovery system, which uses the front axle to feed electricity into the flywheel accumulator. The electricity is used when accelerating at speeds above the 120 km/h mark.
To compensate for the extra weight of the hybrid system, Audi had to reduce the weight of the R18. With this goal in mine, Audi equipped the R18 e-tron with a new gearbox featuring a carbon-fiber composite housing. This is a world's first in endurance racing.
Audi will enter two R18 e-tron quattro at this year's Le Mans race. They will be driven by Marcel Fassler (CH), Andre Lotterer (D) and Benoît Treluyer (F) as well as Dindo Capello (I), Tom Kristensen (DK) and Allan McNish (GB).
