Diesel - pole position every day
Audi’s famous performance slogan “Vorsprung durch Technik” also features prominently in its motor racing activities. Audi’s victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours race in 2006 and 2007 are above all thanks to the outstanding diesel technology inspired by series production models. And now, Audi drivers are also benefiting from the technological progress made on the racetrack. A cross-pollination of technological ideas that will continue for many years to come.
Le Mans is the toughest road race in the world. Drivers, engineers and engines are pushed to their absolute limits. Pit stop, driver change, a handshake, the scorching daytime heat, the cool night air – and total presence of mind at all times: 24 hours of intense concentration. A seemingly endless stretch of time that decides whether the months of hard work have paid off. Especially when a new car with a new engine technology is being driven to win for the first time.
Audi was faced with a major challenge: anyone taking to the starting line in a diesel-powered car would previously have been laughed off the track. “When we told our suppliers about the diesel project, they asked us if we were really serious”, recalls Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, Head of Audi Motorsport for the past 14 years. The company itself thinks differently. After all, Audi’s strategies are not based on risks and ventures. “Earning plaudits is not our main objective. We want to set new benchmarks by improving technologies that can be used in series production. And if this wins us prizes on the racetrack, then that’s a bonus”, says Ullrich with a smile. What is the appeal of diesel technology for motor racing? “Top performance and massive torque at low consumption levels”, explains Richard Bauder, known to all and sundry at Audi as “the Diesel Guru”. Part of the fascination of motor racing is that it spurs on developments at a breakneck pace – developments that benefit racing engines and customers all over the world in equal measure.
FIRST-CLASS PERFORMANCE, LOW CONSUMPTION
Audi and diesel go back a long way. Since 1976, the manufacturer has gradually increased the acceptability of the diesel, revamping its image in the process. As early as 1989, the 2.5 liter five-cylinder TDI engine – the world’s first diesel engine with fully electronic diesel control – went into series production, setting a new trend in diesel technology. Its high acceptance among motorists has always been due to its outstanding driving performance and optimum comfort at low consumption levels. In fact, it was this combination that originally prompted Audi to transfer the fruits of its series production to the racetrack, to further optimize the technology under these demanding conditions and to show the world just what it could offer. “To win at Le Mans, you need the best drivers and the best technology. Even the smallest mistakes or discrepancies can spell the end of your chances, even before the race reaches the crucial laps”, says Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.
The breakthrough was not long coming: with drivers Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Marco Werner, the Audi Team emerged victorious at Le Mans in 2006. With this victory, Audi even bettered its own top performance. The V12 TDI engine of the Audi R10 – packing a powerful punch with over 650 bhp – consumed almost five liters less fuel over 100 kilometers than the Audi R8 that triumphed in 2002, even though that particular R8 was already equipped with an extremely fuel-efficient TFSI engine.
PIONEERING ROLE ON THE US MARKET
This was not just a major accomplishment in sporting terms – it also spawned a new strategy for Audi: to secure the diesel engine its place in automotive history as an innovative, sporty yet environmentally compatible high-performance engine for demanding motorists. “Everything that Audi does in its motor racing activities must have a benefit for our customers. Audi has never been involved in motor racing for its own sake, and never will be. Prime examples of this are the quattro drive and FSI technology, both of which entered series production via motor racing, meaning that our customers also profited from them”, explains Ulrich Baretzky, Head of Engine Technology, not without a hint of pride. For Audi, this pole position is an important strategic selling point in its efforts to build on its pioneering role in the diesel market segment. Thanks to the constant interaction between motor racing and series production, the Audi Q7 was equipped with the cleanest diesel engine in the world in time for its US market launch in 2009. Here, Audi profiles itself as a long-established premium brand with the magic words “ultra low emission system” – a system that already complies with the extremely strict US LEV II Bin 5 emission standards and has been approved in all states of the US. In fact, this engine concept even undercuts the EU6 emission limits expected for September 2014. In Europe, the engine is offered as an option in the Audi Q7, A4 and A5. For Audi, “TDI” also stands for “Technology – Dynamism – Innovation”. The automobile manufacturer demonstrated its innovative potential back in 1913, when Rudolf Diesel developed a new technology: biodiesel. Today, Audi is already working on the second biodiesel generation. Biomass-to-liquid biodiesel (BTL) will be among the fuels used at Le Mans in 2008. Spectators will be amazed when the Audi R10 takes its place at the Le Mans starting line – its engine is so phenomenally quiet that the local rabbits will only run for cover at the last minute.
TDI – AUDI’S MILLION-SELLING SUCCESS
 |
Every second Audi is sold with a TDI engine. And with good reason: after all, TDI engines are characterized by low consumption, high torque and exceptional power – attributes that are just as much in demand in motor racing as they are in everyday driving situations. In terms of consumption and performance, Audi vehicles with TDI engines were streets ahead of the competition right from the outset. And this lead is set to increase even further in the near future. |
LE MANS – 24 HOURS TO ETERNITY
Audi has been a regular fixture at Le Mans since 1999 – a race that has long attained the status of legend. Audi even achieved the remarkable feat of winning the famous Le Mans trophy three times in a row – in 2000, 2001 and 2002. According to the rules, the trophy can take pride of place in Ingolstadt for ever, rather than being returned after a year. In 2006 and 2007, Audi once again won twice in a row with its revolutionary R10 (V12 TDI engine).
Drivers Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner (from left) won the legendary 24-hour race with the Audi R10 TDI, the first ever diesel racing car to do so.
AUDI Q7 3.0 L TDI: conquering America with ultramodern diesel technology
The Q7 will debut its 3.0 l TDI variant in the USA in early 2009. Although many Americans are familiar with Audi’s outstanding diesel technology from their visits to Europe, diesel engines are still few and far between on the US market, particularly in the SUV segment. Now, with the Q7’s high-performance diesel powertrain, Audi is not only complying with the strict US emissions regulations, but is carving out a new image at the same time. “A diesel vehicle doesn’t have to look like a tractor”, says Matthias Braun, Audi’s head of US sales. “The Q7 has an eminently sporty profile.” Braun believes that many Americans are passionate about motor racing and are well aware of the outstanding performance of Audi’s diesel vehicles in international races. As well as this, US citizens are now much more aware of the importance of minimizing fuel consumption. This being the case, there is plenty of room for Audi’s four rings in the land of the Stars and Stripes.
INTERVIEW WITH EMANUELE PIRRO AND HIS WIFE MARIE-HÉLÈNE
An encounter of a very special kind: Emanuele Pirro, Le Mans winner in 2006 and 2007, and his wife Marie-Hélène, mother and homemaker, talk to us about Audi diesel technology.
Mr. Pirro, what were your thoughts when Audi announced their intention of converting their racing cars to diesel? Were you skeptical at first?
EMANUELE PIRRO: To be honest, had it not come from Audi, I would have assumed it was a joke. I’ve been driving for Audi for fourteen years and know how much importance the company attaches to having the best and newest technologies. The notion of using diesel in motor racing was so innovative that it took a bit of getting used to. When I drove the car for the first time, it was a very moving moment for me and I knew instantly that it was a winner.
What differences did you notice compared with the petrol engine?
EMANUELE PIRRO: It’s a lot gentler than a petrol engine and far quieter as well. A racing car with a feel-good factor. That was a new experience for me. A veritable milestone.
Ms. Pirro, you live with your family in Monte Carlo and Rome, where driving can be rather stressful, to say the least. Why do you drive a diesel?
MARIE-HÉLÈNE PIRRO: I see diesel cars as being very suitable for women. In fact, I drove a diesel long before my husband started driving the R10. It is very economical and quiet, but still full of energy and fun to drive.
What does it feel like to get behind the wheel of your Audi after racing an R10?
EMANUELE PIRRO: There’s not much of a difference, to be honest. You immediately feel that both have the same character. It’s the same brand and as a racing driver, it goes without saying that I am part of the brand.
You are the mother of two sons. What does having an Audi diesel mean for you as a homemaker?
MARIE-HÉLÈNE PIRRO: Well, of course it’s very economical, that’s good for the housekeeping. I only need to fill up every 600 kilometers or so, which is excellent and an unbeatable argument in favor of choosing a diesel. Of course, the extremely robust engine also gives me a great sense of security.
Mr. Pirro, what will change for you as a driver of diesel racing cars over the next few years?
EMANUELE PIRRO: It’s an ongoing process; needless to say, there’ll be continual improvements to the engine. After all, Audi’s famous “Vorsprung durch Technik” slogan is not just an empty promise.
Ms. Pirro, what do your sons Christoforo and Goffredo say when they’re asked what fuels the cars their dad races?
MARIE-HÉLÈNE PIRRO: Diesel – what else?