Title: Revised Audi R18
Post by: landman on December 17, 2011, 06:13:52 pm
Via Mid Week Motorsport on Facebook & the article below: -
http://www.fourtitude.com/news/publish/Motorsport_News/article_7375.shtml
http://www.fourtitude.com/news/publish/Motorsport_News/article_7375.shtml
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: goodduck on December 19, 2011, 11:36:00 pm
is that sebring in the photos or paul ricard?
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: Kristof on December 20, 2011, 01:40:13 am
is that sebring in the photos or paul ricard?
Paul Ricard
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: Jon King on March 01, 2012, 12:29:00 am
http://photos.speedtv.com/gallery/LE_MANS%3A_Audi_R18_e-tron_quattro_Unveil/slideshow/Photos_of_the_new_Audi_R18_e-tron_quattro/083T9TmdEQ1xX (http://photos.speedtv.com/gallery/LE_MANS%3A_Audi_R18_e-tron_quattro_Unveil/slideshow/Photos_of_the_new_Audi_R18_e-tron_quattro/083T9TmdEQ1xX)
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: LangTall on March 01, 2012, 11:29:54 am
That's the hybrid Jon. We'll have to wait for Spa to see that one live.
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: Lazy B'stard on March 02, 2012, 09:47:48 am
Paint job on the e-tron quattro is very retro. Looks like the first incarnation of the group B quattro rally car. I like it.
Looks like an Audi whitewash this year doesn't it. Can'tsee anyone getting even close for the next few years.
Looks like an Audi whitewash this year doesn't it. Can'tsee anyone getting even close for the next few years.
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: Grand_Fromage on March 02, 2012, 10:42:38 am
The 2012 Audi R18 'ultra' may look almost identical to the one from last year, but there are many 'under the skin' changes, particularly in weight saving. The most risky novelty is probably the carbon fibre composite gearbox housing.
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: Lazy B'stard on March 06, 2012, 12:55:03 pm
Why bother? The old car was under minimum weight anyway and had to run ballast. I suppose you get to choose where that ballast goes, but it still has to meet the minimum weight.
Didn't Peugoet run a Carbon box in the 908 for a few years? Most of the F1 teams run carbon boxes now and have done for a good few years, so its not as risky as it sounds.
Didn't Peugoet run a Carbon box in the 908 for a few years? Most of the F1 teams run carbon boxes now and have done for a good few years, so its not as risky as it sounds.
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: Grand_Fromage on March 06, 2012, 01:23:23 pm
They bother because the hybrid and non-hybrid are almost the same car. The weight savings were to compensate for the extra 100kg of hybrid technology, and the non-hybrid 'ultra' takes advantage of the weight saving as a side effect.
The CF box is not a new idea, but is a novelty for Audi, and they don't exactly have an unblemished history with gearbox innovations. Audi PR say it will be the first carbon box at LM, maybe they didn't do homework well enough before making that claim...?
The CF box is not a new idea, but is a novelty for Audi, and they don't exactly have an unblemished history with gearbox innovations. Audi PR say it will be the first carbon box at LM, maybe they didn't do homework well enough before making that claim...?
Why bother? The old car was under minimum weight anyway and had to run ballast. I suppose you get to choose where that ballast goes, but it still has to meet the minimum weight.
Didn't Peugoet run a Carbon box in the 908 for a few years? Most of the F1 teams run carbon boxes now and have done for a good few years, so its not as risky as it sounds.
Didn't Peugoet run a Carbon box in the 908 for a few years? Most of the F1 teams run carbon boxes now and have done for a good few years, so its not as risky as it sounds.
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: Robbo on March 06, 2012, 02:34:01 pm
Why bother? The old car was under minimum weight anyway and had to run ballast. I suppose you get to choose where that ballast goes, but it still has to meet the minimum weight.
Didn't Peugoet run a Carbon box in the 908 for a few years? Most of the F1 teams run carbon boxes now and have done for a good few years, so its not as risky as it sounds.
Didn't Peugoet run a Carbon box in the 908 for a few years? Most of the F1 teams run carbon boxes now and have done for a good few years, so its not as risky as it sounds.
Its to get around the rule regarding speedy gearbox changes at Le Mans.
More here: http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsmarch12.html (http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsmarch12.html)
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: Lazy B'stard on March 09, 2012, 09:59:41 am
I'm not sure on that Robbo.
Last years gearbox wasn't a gearbox as defined by the ACO. The ACO defined a gearbox as a casing that carried the load twixt suspension and chassis. Last years transmission sat in a cradle with a seperate carbon structure taking the suspension mounts. Therefore they could change the box as it wasn't a gearbox as defined in the tech regs.
However, this years transmission has the suspension directly mounted to it, so in the ACOs eye it has become a gearbox again. Therefore they cannot replace it during the race. It can be repaired but not replaced.
Now what happens if the car gets a good smack on a rear wheel during an accident? The impact loads will now be transferred directly into that carbon gearbox casing. As we saw last year when a pug tore its suspension mounts out of the chassis after hitting the curbs too hard, it is a relativly week area. Have the designed the suspension components to fail in a controlled manner before such impacts can affect the gearbox casing? Once that casing is damaged its game over. It can't be changed in the race. The Audi drivers did quite a bit of wheel banging last year, two big accidents at LM last year were started by hits on the rear wheels and McNish was out of contention after banging wheels with a GTE car at Silverstone too. It's not an area of the car that Audi can take a chance on in my opinion!
I'm suprised that Audi have taken this route. Last years system was a much better concept. Is weight distribution so critical on the new car that Audi have had to take such risks?
Yes there is the additional weight of the hybrid system to consider, but Toyota look to have got there without such drastic measures.
Also as Audis hybrid system is powering the front wheels, and there is the additional weight of the drive motors and power storage systems, then I see no need for them to place available ballast over the front end to make use of those wide front tyres like Acura and Rebellion have done over the last few years.
Of course I'm no expert and these are just my own ignorant ramblings, but something just doesn't add up. There has to be some inherent problem with that car to have made such a radical, and some might say backward step in that transmission solution.
Si
Last years gearbox wasn't a gearbox as defined by the ACO. The ACO defined a gearbox as a casing that carried the load twixt suspension and chassis. Last years transmission sat in a cradle with a seperate carbon structure taking the suspension mounts. Therefore they could change the box as it wasn't a gearbox as defined in the tech regs.
However, this years transmission has the suspension directly mounted to it, so in the ACOs eye it has become a gearbox again. Therefore they cannot replace it during the race. It can be repaired but not replaced.
Now what happens if the car gets a good smack on a rear wheel during an accident? The impact loads will now be transferred directly into that carbon gearbox casing. As we saw last year when a pug tore its suspension mounts out of the chassis after hitting the curbs too hard, it is a relativly week area. Have the designed the suspension components to fail in a controlled manner before such impacts can affect the gearbox casing? Once that casing is damaged its game over. It can't be changed in the race. The Audi drivers did quite a bit of wheel banging last year, two big accidents at LM last year were started by hits on the rear wheels and McNish was out of contention after banging wheels with a GTE car at Silverstone too. It's not an area of the car that Audi can take a chance on in my opinion!
I'm suprised that Audi have taken this route. Last years system was a much better concept. Is weight distribution so critical on the new car that Audi have had to take such risks?
Yes there is the additional weight of the hybrid system to consider, but Toyota look to have got there without such drastic measures.
Also as Audis hybrid system is powering the front wheels, and there is the additional weight of the drive motors and power storage systems, then I see no need for them to place available ballast over the front end to make use of those wide front tyres like Acura and Rebellion have done over the last few years.
Of course I'm no expert and these are just my own ignorant ramblings, but something just doesn't add up. There has to be some inherent problem with that car to have made such a radical, and some might say backward step in that transmission solution.
Si
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: Lazy B'stard on March 21, 2012, 09:29:16 am
Timo has wrecked the new R18 Ultra during testing at sebring. Looks like turn 17 where they also destroyed a R15 a few years back. He's spent the night in hospital but did climb from the wreckage on his own so hopefully he's OK. The Aston lads were just packing up when it happened and say the Audi is a right mess.
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: Grand_Fromage on March 21, 2012, 10:53:00 am
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/le-mans-bernhard-crashes-new-audi-in-sebring-testing/ (http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/le-mans-bernhard-crashes-new-audi-in-sebring-testing/)
Timo has wrecked the new R18 Ultra during testing at sebring. Looks like turn 17 where they also destroyed a R15 a few years back. He's spent the night in hospital but did climb from the wreckage on his own so hopefully he's OK. The Aston lads were just packing up when it happened and say the Audi is a right mess.
Title: Re: Revised Audi R18
Post by: Jon King on March 27, 2012, 01:19:57 am
Check this interesting video of the Audi R18 e - tron and ultra plus interviews with drivers.
http://youtu.be/C8j8jz63bUU?list=UU5rBpVgv83gYPZ593XwQUsA (http://youtu.be/C8j8jz63bUU?list=UU5rBpVgv83gYPZ593XwQUsA)
http://youtu.be/C8j8jz63bUU?list=UU5rBpVgv83gYPZ593XwQUsA (http://youtu.be/C8j8jz63bUU?list=UU5rBpVgv83gYPZ593XwQUsA)
