Dear Ultimatecarpage.com visitor,
At last week's Le Mans Test, we had the first opportunity to see just how the all new cars from Audi and Peugeot stacked up. Whereas Peugeot had already run its 908 at the Sebring 12 Hours in March, Audi's R18 TDI made its much anticipated public debut. The new Audi was already clearly the more unusual looking of the two diesel-engined coupes but further details revealed after the test also show it is the more unconventional under the carbon-fibre panels. It uses a V6 engine with a wide angle and a single turbo with a variable turbine geometry. The turbo is mounted between the cylinder banks, making it a very compact engine. This has allowed for an ultra-low rear body, further accentuated by the tall rear fin that has become mandatory for new cars from this season. At the end of the day, the striking Audi also proved to be the fastest of the two with a very sharp time set by eight-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen. Illustrated by an 18-shot gallery complete with an engine shot, we have taken a closer look at Audi's innovative sports racer.
Also using an Audi sourced diesel V6 is the new Porsche Panamera Diesel. Displacing three litres, the oil-burner produces just under 250 bhp and 550 Nm of torque, which is enough to propel the big Panamera to 100 km/h in less than seven seconds. It is also very frugal, allowing the car to cover more than 1200 km on a single 80 litre tankful of diesel. The Panamera Diesel will be available from August.
Enjoy the links:
Audi R18 TDI 18
Year of introduction: 2011
Last updated: 05 / 02 / 2011
