Audi's New 2016 R18 LMP1 Prototype Is Here And It Looks Mean As Hell
Audi has taken the covers off its new 2016 R18 LMP1 prototype, which takes a step up in hybrid energy and features a number of aggressive-looking aero changes.
The German manufacturer unveiled the car on Saturday evening. It is quite a looker, isnāt it? The latest turbodiesel Audi LMP1 racer continues with the R18 e-tron quattro name and will run in the six megajoule hybrid FIA World Endurance Championship sub-class.
Audiās prototype raced in the 4MJ category this season. It has abandoned the flywheel hybrid system in favour of a lithium-ion battery, which is the same technology used by rivals Porsche, and will continue to run a 4.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine.
The changes under the bodywork should help level out the playing field under the energy-based LMP1 rules introduced in 2014, with 8MJ petrol cars - the category Porsche and Toyota run in - being the equivalent of 6MJ turbodiesels.
The aggressive-looking LMP1 machine will hit the track for the first time at the start of December, with testing taking place at the Sebring circuit.
Audi Sport boss Wolfgang Ullrich said:
āWith our new Audi R18, weāre setting a clear signal: Audi continues to put the pedal to the metal in motorsport, deliberately relying on TDI - the worldās most successful automotive efficiency technology - at the Le Mans 24 Hours.ā
Meanwhile it was confirmed at the launch that Audi and Porsche will cut back to both running two cars at the iconic Le Mans, with the former saying its 2015 driver line-up will remain unchanged.
Comments
I donāt know why, but that front looks like this to meā¦ maybe they designed it so it will have a proper face when Porsche kicks itās arse
i canāt unsee it now
Itās absolutely hideous
In fact itās so ugly that i like it
I donāt get why so many people are hating it, I think it looks brilliant. And at the end of the day itās not about looks, itās about performance! To do both is just a bonus! Ehā¦ Haters gonna hate. I just canāt wait to see it on the track.
It might be neither :P It was strong, but failed. Looking at the early release, no real changes, abandonment of flywheel energy storing they might be just looking for a decent, but not podium finish. Sad thing is, that innvation is held down from development.
Front looks like a 2011 F1 car with wheels protection.
Thought it was an F1 car for a second.
God its ugly
Iām sure it was designed with ambition to be seen with its full beams on tailgating other le man racers as close as possible
These cars get cooler and cooler and uglier and uglier. The front looks good from straight on, but from the side it looks so odd.
function over form
Is it FWD?
The front is so square it looks like a LEGO car.
You mean, like this?
āTDI - the worldās most successful automotive efficiency technologyā
More than 5 le mans owned
10 victories of 11 years.