Audi Is Promoting Its Quickest Race Vehicles

There are “uncommon alternatives” and there are genuinely uncommon alternatives. That is the latter. Audi introduced that it is promoting examples of its quickest, most technologically superior race automobiles ever: The Le Mans-winning R18 LMP1 and the RS5 DTM. If you should buy it, it is best to.

Audi Sport calls this the “racing legends undertaking,” and the intention is to promote these unbelievable race automobiles to a choose few prospects, in addition to present technical assist for his or her operation. This information got here to us through Sportscar365. Each had been from an period in racing the place constructors pushed know-how to its limits, with little regard for price. The LMP1 Hybrid method or DTM’s Class 1 had been completely unsustainable. Right this moment’s top-flight sports activities prototypes are rather more tightly regulated and cost-controlled, and whereas Class 1 lives on as GT500 in Japanese Tremendous GT, DTM has switched to utilizing available and comparatively reasonably priced GT3 automobiles. 

Though each automobiles are over a decade previous, technologically, solely present Formulation 1 automobiles surpass them.

Picture by: Audi

The R18 E-Tron was the final of Audi’s dominating LMP1 automobiles, an all-wheel drive diesel hybrid that gained Le Mans in 2012, 2013, and 2014. If you did not have Audi manufacturing facility assist, you in all probability would not be capable of run the automotive, so superior is its engine and hybrid know-how. And you will wish to know what you are doing behind the wheel as a result of an R18 E-Tron is quicker than at present’s Le Mans Hypercars. 

Audi is first presenting R18 Chassis #207, which gained the 2012 Spa 6 Hours, got here fifth at Le Mans, and podiumed at each subsequent World Endurance Championship spherical that 12 months. Presumably, Audi will promote extra R18 examples, but it surely hasn’t introduced which, or if it’s going to half with any Le Mans winners.

The RS5 DTM just isn’t a hybrid, however do not be fooled by its appears to be like—that is no typical sports activities automotive, it is extra like a prototype sporting RS5 bodywork. As with all later Class 1 DTM automobiles, it has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making round 600 horsepower, and all types of loopy aero bits. On a monitor, a GT3 automotive would not see the place this factor went. That is chassis 107, which gained the 2015 DTM finale at Hockenheim. 

Audi Sport says the primary buyer supply is ready for the summer season. In an announcement, the corporate mentioned:

“[The handover marks the start of comprehensive support: regular technical inspections, the offer of repairs, but also a spare parts service and expert advice from former developers complete the attractive range of services provided by Audi Sport racing legends. Audi Sport provides support during the events. With this sale of a limited number of drivable prototypes from LMP1 racing and the Class 1 era of the DTM, Audi Sport racing legends offers an exclusive clientele high-caliber one-offs from an unforgettable motorsport era.”

Audi isn’t the first automaker to offer something like this. Ferrari has its Corse Clienti program for old F1 cars and FXX track-day machines, and McLaren offers similar services if you know who to talk to. But as far as we’re aware, this is the first time members of the public are getting a chance to own and use a top-flight LMP1 Hybrid. They are incredibly complicated and expensive to own, run, and maintain, but as I said earlier, if you can, you should.