[LM24] Audi at the 24 Hours in 2009

[sssssssss]

Originally Posted by JAG

For once I'd like to see an Audi that stirs the emotions like the Quattro S1, IMSA GTO or indeed R8C.

Yup, that'd be my wish too for 2009. The R8C was indeed emotionally impressive, it was almost an artistic work, too bad its gearbox was far from that. But it also had excellent performance potential, if they would have started the project earlier I suppose it would have gone at least as well as the R8R, if not better - because its race lap times were actually faster than those of the R8R, having higher top speeds and the slight overall performance advantage that the coupes had in 1999 over the open tops. It was just as fast as the BMWs in the opening laps, before, of course, the gearbox went crazy.

[Aysedasi]

One of the highlights of last weekend for me was seeing the static R8C again. Even now, some 9 years on, such a beautiful car.

[Gil Abobeleira]

Originally Posted by sssssssss

Yup, that'd be my wish too for 2009. The R8C was indeed emotionally impressive, it was almost an artistic work, too bad its gearbox was far from that. But it also had excellent performance potential, if they would have started the project earlier I suppose it would have gone at least as well as the R8R, if not better - because its race lap times were actually faster than those of the R8R, having higher top speeds and the slight overall performance advantage that the coupes had in 1999 over the open tops. It was just as fast as the BMWs in the opening laps, before, of course, the gearbox went crazy.

Are you sure about this?

I distinctly remember this race and the R8C was nowhere pace and reliability-wise.

[zac510]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

One of the highlights of last weekend for me was seeing the static R8C again. Even now, some 9 years on, such a beautiful car.

I thought too that it has aged quite well, hasn't it? Apart from a few little details if they rolled it out today it wouldn't look too old!

[sssssssss]

Originally Posted by Gil Abobeleira

Are you sure about this?

I distinctly remember this race and the R8C was nowhere pace and reliability-wise.

It didn't quite have the opportunity to show its true potential, because both in qualifying and in the race, Audi UK had numerous problems. But I remember that in the few opening laps of the race, the live timing showed times of 3:42 for the R8C, which was the standard lap time of that point in the race: the BMW was running the same and the Mercedes and Toyota were doing 3:41s, until Brundle managed a 3:37. I recall the commentators noticing this fact too, that the R8C was running as fast as the BMW, but again, the overall impression wasn't like that because it was running so far back in the field after its disastrous qualifying sessions. And it also had the gearbox stuff very early. And it also managed 349 km/h on the Mulsanne

[deggis]

http://translate.google.com/translat...-8&sl=fr&tl=en

Audi not thinking about hybrids.

[sssssssss]

Ullrich's determination when speaking about not using hybrids tells me they've got something else pretty much established already; it seems Audi will either come out with yet another revolutionary solution or will simply continue to use diesel power for the next couple of years. Let's remember that the diesel in the R10 was efficient enough to beat the Peugeot 908 (the accelerations of the car were slightly more powerful than those of the Pug - I recall the slow corners out of which the R10 used to pass the 908 - while the fuel consumption was lower - the problem of the R10 was definitely not the engine) so they could still use it in a new, more aerodynamically-advanced LMP1.

So they'll tell us in November about what they're officially up to, according to this little interview...

[zac510]

Why would you build a new car and make it hybrid? It's not even eligible for race wins.
Peugeot are just adapting an existing design, that's cheaper.

[FIRE]

Testing under race conditions?

I can imagine manufacturers (Peugeot) will be sandbagging which results in the fact that ACO give them less restrictions which means they are unbeatable in 2010. In this way ACO is still not able to rate the performance of hybrids. So it makes no sense hybrids are not allowed to score points next season.

[sssssssss]

Originally Posted by zac510

Why would you build a new car and make it hybrid? It's not even eligible for race wins.
Peugeot are just adapting an existing design, that's cheaper.

That's really a decision I can't understand from ACO. Maybe indeed Audi have a greater and less compromising green idea for Le Mans 2009 and that's why ACO hesitate in going for the hybrid thing, as a better solution might be on its way... Audi do have the attitude of knowing something nobody else knows at this moment.
As far as adapting the 908 to the 2009 regs, well... I really don't know if it can be done. A car with that much aero potential cannot be reduced, from where I'm looking at it, to doing laps longer than 3:30 at Le Mans after doing 3:18 this year. I remember the R8 - the slowest they got with it was 3:37 (2005), as compared to its fastest version (2002) which went 3:29. That's 8 seconds, but I doubt you can reduce the pace of the approximately same car with 12-13 seconds. I really don't know if the 908 is adaptable to the "slower" regulations of 2009.

[sssssssss]

so, are there still no news on audi's new car for le mans 2009?
weren't they supposed to have the press conference this month, in order to tell us all what they're up to?

[gustavobamba]

Could this be a hint to the near future????


"Created by Audi of America Design Center California, the R25 was designed to compete in futuristic racetracks"

http://www.carbodydesign.com/gallery...21-audi-r25/2/

[Aysedasi]

Now that really beats the mispelled fish out of the R8 and R10 in my book - bring it on!!

[Mockenrue]

Originally Posted by sssssssss

so, are there still no news on audi's new car for le mans 2009?
weren't they supposed to have the press conference this month, in order to tell us all what they're up to?

Their 2009 programme will be announced at the Essen Motor Show this coming Friday (28th).

[gustavobamba]

Let´s hope they don´t do like Toyota...(nothing) 23th November

in my point of view, they will only introduce Audi R8 GT3

[Tim the Grey]

Blood yell... THAT is a racecar and a half.
Now, does it comply with LMP1 regs. In any way?

PHWOAR!

[deggis]

Originally Posted by gustavobamba

Let´s hope they don´t do like Toyota...(nothing) 23th November

Untrue rumours caused that disappointment.

[nkh]

autosport.com - Audi to replace R10 with R15 TDi

Audi has confirmed that it will replace its R10 TDi sportscar with a new model, the R15, next season.

Audi claims the new car will have a smaller, lighter and more efficient TDi engine than the R10, and confirmed that it will be another open-topped car.

[sssssssss]

Soooo, lots of good news already!

That 'larger step from the R10 to the R15 as compared to R10 from R8' I think will be significantly reduced in terms of sheer performance by the ACO rules; however, in context with the other cars, the R15 may well again become the most efficient Le Mans prototype out there

Now what's the gorgeous R25 thing all about?

[deggis]

Originally Posted by sssssssss

Now what's the gorgeous R25 thing all about?

http://jalopnik.com/5066162/la-desig...adness-in-2025

Just fantasy. Altough most realistic one of these

[Aysedasi]

That's sportscar porn............