|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
10 Nov 2010, 23:51 (Ref:2788344) | #326 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,738
|
Quote:
Currently Marshall is the only one claiming the R15++ will feature wider front tyres. I will wait a bit until it is confirmed. |
||
|
11 Nov 2010, 00:32 (Ref:2788357) | #327 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,926
|
What else can Audi do to the R15 to make it worth racing, when it as of now has only won 1/3 of the races entered (3 of 9, though it could've been more if Audi had done things differently or had better luck)?
It's easy to believe that Audi would run wider tires on the R15, for if nothing else to gain info to benefit the R18. And the grip problems arise from mechanical grip, especially since the twin deck front diffuser has been dispensed with, which takes away some of the areo grip that perhaps in the past made up for it. And with the R15's wheel lock clearence bulges on the front fenders are detachable, that provides more fuel for the fire. And we have to add in the fact that sometimes the fender bulges seemed to be a bit wider than necessary for 13'' tires and 13.5x18'' wheels. Of course, it was Mike who started that rumor with the R15 test car at Sebring, and I'd like to hear his theories on it. Of course, Dagys had heard the R15 "++" rumor as well, and commented on it in his Zhuhai wrap-up in the weekly sportscar blog on Speed.com, but didn't comment any further aside from the fact that the updated R15 will test alongside the R18, and probably will run Sebring. Maybe I should ask him about it, but there's only so much these writers are allowed to tell, at least on the record |
||
|
11 Nov 2010, 06:30 (Ref:2788405) | #328 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 6,654
|
I agree on so much as using the R15+ as a test car/mule for the R18.
But i disagree on the possibility that Audi will use it on Sebring! No matter how much Audi change the R15+, it will still either get restrictions (if they continue with the V10), or wont be able to match the new purpose build "Lmp2" Lmp1's. Therefor Audi will lose Sebring, unless all the Peugeots break, which i don't see happening. And if Audi is standing with a, lets say 70% chance of losing, then why spend your money on that race, when the money could be used to finish and improve the R18! I'm pretty sure the R15+ is dead and retired from all official races. |
||
__________________
Hvil i Fred Allan. (Rest in Peace Allan) |
11 Nov 2010, 13:06 (Ref:2788533) | #329 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,834
|
Dr.Ulrich would beg to differ, it seems?
http://www.dailysportscar.com/viewAr...nID=3GQKNB3LSF R15+ with small restrictors at Sebring. |
||
__________________
Tim Yorath Ecurie Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Fan of "the sacred monster Christophe Bouchut"... |
11 Nov 2010, 13:33 (Ref:2788558) | #330 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 6,654
|
Quote:
But does Dr. Ullrich confirm a R15 on Sebring? |
|||
__________________
Hvil i Fred Allan. (Rest in Peace Allan) |
11 Nov 2010, 14:50 (Ref:2788586) | #331 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 362
|
|||
|
11 Nov 2010, 22:43 (Ref:2788854) | #332 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,926
|
Seems to be the case as Tim has posted, but not all of use have accounts on DSC.
But then again, the only reason I've brought the R15 up in this discussion is that it's being used as an R18 test bed and will continue to be raced while the R18 is being developed. As for the R18, I'd expect both the R18 and the R15 to be fielded at the Sebring ALMS test and Audi Sport's own tests at Sebring. And I still wouldn't be surprised to see the R15 run wide front tires to try and resolve it's front mechanical grip issues and to test the idea for the Audi R18. |
||
|
12 Nov 2010, 00:04 (Ref:2788893) | #333 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,738
|
Quote:
I find it hard to believe that Audi will make yet another version of the R15 for only 1 race. Wider front tyres would mean that they have do redo the front aero and suspension geometry... So I think Audi will just run the existing R15+ with whatever extra restrictions the ACO imposes (extra weight, smaller restrictor)... |
||
|
12 Nov 2010, 00:10 (Ref:2788896) | #334 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,834
|
So it's an R15++ which is an R18 front end set up... If Pug can do it, why not Audi?
They have R15 baseline, so can use R18 front end data to compare, yes? |
||
__________________
Tim Yorath Ecurie Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Fan of "the sacred monster Christophe Bouchut"... |
12 Nov 2010, 00:40 (Ref:2788911) | #335 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,926
|
Gwyllion, I think that you're forgetting that the R15 has the wheel lock clearance bulges detatchable, and are held to the nose box and fenders with screws. And if Audi has to modify the front diffuser, Audi may have to do that anyways, given the issues that they had with the diffuser breaking off the cars and damaging the suspension and floor so bad that Audi had to re-tub a car twice because of the diffuser breaking out suspension mount points at PLM. If Audi is going to use a new carbon diffuser, may as well optimize it for the wider tires, which should again help Audi with the R18.
That also says to me that the R18 may not be that different than the R15 up front, and may use a similar diffuser to the R15/ARX-02 mounted on a more cleaned up nose box and a similar tub/suspension set up, but optimized for more front grip to get the most out of the tires. And it should be remembered that the updated R15 was also inteneded for the ALMS, but that's unlikely now unless something big happens soon, though Audi didn't announce that they would do the full '08 ALMS season until Sebring race week. I wonder if the DSC article has any details about what the modifications will be aside from the smaller air restrictors. |
||
|
15 Nov 2010, 19:56 (Ref:2791255) | #336 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,738
|
According to http://www.speedweek.de/LMS/news/162...-Dezember.html the R18 will probably be a coupe with a 2 liter turbo engine.
|
|
|
15 Nov 2010, 20:20 (Ref:2791267) | #337 | |||
Racer
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 423
|
Quote:
|
|||
__________________
Tell the truth. It's easier to memorize. |
15 Nov 2010, 21:11 (Ref:2791306) | #338 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,926
|
The article confrims that the R15 isn't done racing (which Audi themselves have confirmed that), but the move to a 2 liter straight four on the R18 may be misinformation/bull because of how much Audi has invested in their diesel engines, though that my provide fuel for fire for the V6 engine. Also, most S4 engines are production based, and Audi has no mass-produced aluminum block, oversquare inline fours, unless they want to develop on from scratch.
But there is a caveat in my mind about the diesel engine. Audi in reality built the R10 for two reasons--be the first to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a diesel engine, and to market their diesel technology to the North American audience with their ALMS involvment. That has done it's job--Audi sells every Q7 SUV they import partly on the back of the diesel engine it's available with, and has caused a resurgence in Audi A3 hatchback sales in NA. With Audi having no plans to run in the ALMS--which I think may at least in part have something to do with IMSA having a hang-up with their TV deal that may've spooked Audi of America and even Audi AG and Audi Sport--there's no huge incentive to run the diesel engines, espcially if the regs have truly equalized things, espeically if the R18 is to run KERS. And the ALMS deal would've consisted of running the updated wide tired R15 anyways. |
||
|
15 Nov 2010, 21:41 (Ref:2791321) | #339 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,738
|
Independent of which configuration Audi chooses, the engine will always be a purpose built race engine. In fact, Audi can just use half of the Bentley 4.0 V8 TFSI.
|
|
|
15 Nov 2010, 22:00 (Ref:2791328) | #340 | |||
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 16,491
|
Quote:
|
|||
|
15 Nov 2010, 22:05 (Ref:2791331) | #341 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 6,654
|
|||
__________________
Hvil i Fred Allan. (Rest in Peace Allan) |
15 Nov 2010, 22:15 (Ref:2791336) | #342 | ||
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 16,491
|
|||
|
16 Nov 2010, 09:41 (Ref:2791495) | #343 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,222
|
So, the last Rumor said Audi R18 will be a coupé 2.0 turbo gasoline with KERS???
Is that so??? why did they leave the diesel engine??? |
||
|
16 Nov 2010, 11:44 (Ref:2791543) | #344 | ||||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,738
|
Other rumors still suggest a 3.7 V6 TDI engine. For instance:
Quote:
Quote:
Anyway, a petrol engine will be lighter and it probably requires less cooling, which is good for the aero (less drag). Perhaps more importantly, according to Baretzky a 4 cilinder engine gives more room for (future) energy recovery systems. Quote:
|
||||
|
17 Nov 2010, 10:40 (Ref:2792031) | #345 | |
Racer
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 209
|
on the latest issue of italian magazine Automobilismo there is a portrait-interview with Dindo Capello
The question is:where is moving Audi? His answer "There is a lot of talk about hybrid tech,but actually Audi is not interessed to follow this way and I think the diesel will soon also be set aside for new projects that are at studio. For 2011 there will be a totally new machine, the R18, which besides having the roof will also have an lower engine capacity and I'm excited to be able to live in what will surely be my last year at this level, the handover between the r15 and r18" |
|
|
17 Nov 2010, 11:45 (Ref:2792052) | #346 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,738
|
Another confirmation that the R18 will be a coupe.
Of course, the R18 engine will have a lower capacity: 2.0, 3.4 or 3.7 is less than 5.5 |
|
|
17 Nov 2010, 13:55 (Ref:2792110) | #347 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 362
|
Im glad to know that it is a coupe for sure and am very curious as to what Audi may be planning with this car. Dindo made it sound like they are not going diesel or hybrid and have something entirely different...
|
||
|
17 Nov 2010, 14:29 (Ref:2792125) | #348 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 10,500
|
If it's a 2.0T could it be 5 cylinder?
Audi's road cars are moving away from big V8's towards lighter models and small turbo engines. |
|
|
17 Nov 2010, 15:06 (Ref:2792134) | #349 | |||
Veteran
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 6,654
|
Quote:
|
|||
__________________
Hvil i Fred Allan. (Rest in Peace Allan) |
17 Nov 2010, 16:29 (Ref:2792156) | #350 | |||
Racer
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 362
|
Quote:
Ah good point with the R18 being Diesel. I think Audi will go the electric route since that is where the production road cars seem to be headed |
|||
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
[WEC] Porsche GTP / Hypercar: factory and customer | Simmi | North American Racing | 9284 | 18 Sep 2024 14:24 |
[WEC] Toyota LMP1 Discussion | Gingers4Justice | ACO Regulated Series | 6771 | 18 Aug 2020 09:37 |
Nissan LMP1 Discussion | Gingers4Justice | Sportscar & GT Racing | 5568 | 17 Feb 2016 23:22 |
How about a LMP1 Pro & LMP1 Privateer class | Holt | Sportscar & GT Racing | 35 | 6 Jun 2012 13:44 |
[LM24 Race] Audi LMP1 Poster all art deco'd. | blackohio | ACO Regulated Series | 2 | 27 Oct 2011 06:30 |