Audi R10

The Audi R10 is a car of competition which was conceived to run in the tests of automobile sport, in particular the 24 hours of Mans. After having gained 5 of the 6 editions between 2000 and 2005 with the R8, the change of the payment carrying the minimum weight from 900 to 925 kg and the desulfurisation of the road gas oil to North America, Audi decides to launch out in a new challenge, at the same time as Peugeot, while trying to save a diesel with the Mans. The development of replacing of R8 could start. The gas oil used is partly synthetic. It contains GTL (gas-to-liquid) manufactured starting from natural gas in a pilot factory of the Shell group in Malaysia, whose cetane Indice, i.e. of spontaneous combustion, turns around 75 compared with 55 for the traditional gas oil.

Model " Mans v.06"

The engine

The heart of Audi R10 consists of a new engine V12 TDi of a cubic capacity of 5500 DC (the maximum authorized in Mans). The mark with the rings took a route still little explored, that of the diesel engines in race, to lead to an engine developing more than 650 horses with a couple record of more than 1.100 Nm. Ulrich Baretzky, the person in charge of the development of the engines of competition at Audi regards it as the most powerful diesel in the world, and the largest challenge of Audi Sport. V12 with 90° established in R10 is entirely out of aluminum, including/understanding 4 valves per cylinder, two camshafts. The introduction of the fuel is done by a system of common slope (Common Rail) modern, with more than 1.600 bars. Such pressures had never yet been seen in a Audi engine.

The pressure of the two Garrett turbocompressors is limited by the current regulation to 2,94 bars. The diameter of the two supports of air inlet is also limited to 39,9 Misters the engine is controlled by a system Bosch (MS14). The power and the high torque of the engine are available almost as of the idle, even if the beach of optimal use ranges between 3000 and 5000 turns/min. the noise characteristic of diesel technology is mainly made hear during the process of heating. This great silence makes lose one of the charms of the automobile race and obliges the pilots to assemble and descend the reports/ratios according to the rev counter. The engine is also equipped with two particle filters.

One of the main advantages of this engine remains its low fuel consumption while carburizing which makes it possible to less often supply. The couple of more than 1.100 Nm also required a particularly intensive development of the rear wheel-axle unit of R10. Even the last generations of Audi equipment have being re-examined and corrected to adapt to it. Thus, the gear box was corrected. The principal goal of engineers d' Audi is to make reliable the car, in spite of the internal high pressures with the engine, the image of R8 which will not have known any driving break-in on the 77 races that it ran to date.

The frame

With the first glance, Audi R10 cannot deny its family ties with R8. However, this new frame LM P1 raises a new design, Audi Sport having taken care to explore new ways. According to Wolfgang Call, person in charge of technologies at Audi Sport, R10 takes again the knowledge to make and the experience gained with R8.

One of the principal differences with its devancière is the integration of the monoshell and the elements of body. If R8 had a traditional frame, equipped with body, the elements of carbon of the R10 news are directly suspended, without additional addition of any element of careenage. This change made it possible to reduce the car, since V12 TDi was not only more cumbersome, but also heavier than V8 FSI equipping R8. The modularity also was strongly re-examined on this new concept. Thus, the back part of R10 is easily dismountable, just like the front part, structure of accident included/understood. That offers an easier access to the suspensions whereas the gear box, and certain machine elements, can be changed in a shorter time.

The aerodynamics of R10 was also re-examined to conform to the new rules of the Automobile Club of the West, organizer of the event, wishing a reduction in the supports of 15%. However, a long work of engineers Audi out of blower made it possible to find the quasi-integrality of these lost supports. What distinguishes more R10 of its devancière remain the more pointed nose, the height of more raised case or the cockpit, being able to be indifferently placed on the left or on the right. The major part of these changes with an aim of safety increased, with the image of the use of the system HANS (Head and Neck Support), already used in other mechanical sports like the Formula 1.

Although the hull of R10 is more rigid than R8, the pilots sat comfortably in their bucket, a big factor for some 24 hours races. The electric direction (with the image of recent models of production) and either hydraulics, also contribute to this increased comfort.

The number of electronic units increased considerably, compared to those of which laid out R8. All the important functions are controlled by computer and coordinates by a " minis-réseau" , called Edge-bus. Even the headlights are not directly any more lit by the pilot, who is satisfied with a simple manual impulse, the order being then transmitted to the embarked computers. Another system of data acquisition was also set up by Bosch. This one collects the whole of the data and transmits them by telemetry to the stands or directly on the screen incorporated in the wheel of the car, the pilot being informed of the whole of the factors. The majority of the functions are controlled by the pilot since the buttons located on the wheel, equipped with a microprocessor and developed in synergy with Megaline.

The experts of the Megaline company were also implied in the development of the electropneumatic mechanism of the gear box, controlled by two pallets located behind the wheel. The box, developed by X-Trac, in spite of the important couple of this R10 news, is lighter than the version which equipped R8. Thanks to the characteristics of the engine turbo-diesel, the number of passages of report/ratio falls significantly. An argument moreover for reliability, as well the transmission is subjected to important forces, according to Audi, more important as in F1. The box, just like the trees, were designed to resist these forces. The new ceramics clutch also underwent the same battery of test, in collaboration with ZF Sachs. Cooling, more important on the diesel, imposed more effective cooling systems.

The tires before broad are new in LM P1. They should contribute to reduce the understeer tendency of the car, increased by the enormous push of diesel V12. The use of the control of traction (ASR) assistance also pilots to modulate this couple, particularly in wet conditions. Frank Biela, triple victorious in Mans, acknowledged, just after the first rolling of the machine, that the engine continued to push in a discontinuous way, even in fast passages. Fuelling is done in a shorter time. Contrary to the gasoline, the gas oil does not evaporate. As on R8, a panel taking again several diodes is close to the end of supply and indicates in a visual way to the mechanics the state of the levels of liquids (gas oil, water, oil).

The spectators will not be able to see any more the discs of brake rougeoyants to each braking. Those are henceforth hidden by a kind of careenage, similar to the system equipping A4 in DTM and profit from a better cooling using carbon conduits.

The clamps of brakes are similar to those visible on models RS. The headlights of R10 consist of white luminescent diodes, also resulting from the production.

The cockpit is open.

The development

The idea to develop sporting a diesel for the 24 hours of Mans is not new, it makes following concept-because, also bearing the name R10, and presented to the press at the time of several international fairs. The things became serious with the current of the month of September 2003 when the basic screen of the development of what was going to become R10 was established. It is at this time that the choice of Audi was made on a mechanics 12 cylinders. All the important components of the future car must appear in it since it will be impossible to correct them later.

In spring 2004, the final decision is made to build a V12 engine with the maximum cubic capacity allowed in the various payments, which will affect the whole of the frame. the engine being heavier, from the more significant number of cylinders, but also for of diesel technology, it was necessary to reduce a maximum the frame. The engine turned for the first time in July 2005. Previously, of the tests had already been carried out with colleagues of the department of the production, by modifying certain engines of series to apply an incredible number of different tests to it. New V12 TDi passed more than 1.000 hours on the testing grounds, before the first rolling of the machine, on November 29th, 2005. So that the plan of preparation is scrupulously respected, it should spend 3.000 hours complete on the benches and accumulate several thousands of kilometers before its participation in Mans. During these tests, the engineers of the house carried out the same tests as those which had been carried out on R8. The car gained the 12 hours of Sebring, on March 18th, 2006. The characteristics of this circuit do of them one of most demanding and hardest in the world. A kind of test life size for the " vraie" race, in Mans. The car runs for the first time on the circuit of the Sarthe during the official tests on June 4th, 2006, less than two weeks before the race. It will be last opportunity for Audi of testing mechanics. The circuit being composed of opened roads, it will not have other possibilities of tests there over there.

By traversing 5169 km (215 km/h of average) Audi R10 crosses as a winner the 24 hours of Mans by consuming definitely less than one fuel less refined than competition.

Features

Principal partners of the project

Shell
Robert Bosch GMBH
Michelin

Prize list

2006 : Winner of the championship ALMS of which 12 hours of Sebring and the Small Mans, Victorious of the 24 hours of Mans

2007 : Winner of the championship ALMS of which 12 hours of Sebring and the Small Mans, Victorious of the 24 hours of Mans

Random links: