Audi's R18 E-Tron Quattro bringing laurels to the Le Mans and WEC
The 'Four Rings' legendary 'Quattro technology'- debuted in 1980 in few factory manufactured rally/race models and touring vehicles. 'Quattro' was a leap into the future in 80's, these all-wheel drive machines provided maximum possible traction along the straight line or on the tacky curves, way ahead of competitors. “Innovations only become pioneering achievements when they’re successfully used and others start to adopt them,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “Audi, like no other manufacturer, has repeatedly achieved such feats ever since the debut of quattro four-wheel drive in 1980.”
Audi in 2012 became the first manufacturer to win the world's toughest endurance race Le Mans including WEC (FIA World Endurance Championship) with the all wheel drive LMP1 sports car. The R18 equipped with Quatrro - four wheel drive coupled with E-Tron has won 2012 and 2013 Le Mans plus the WEC World Champion’s titles in the same 2012-13. On these back to back success company thinks that the combination of E-Tron with Quattro ( all wheel drive) provides worthy opportunity. Audi also has 34 years of remarkable expertise in all wheel drive technology (Qauttro) both in production models and motorsport vehicles.
The company also enlightened on the 2014 R18 E-Tron Qauttro for the 2014 Le Mans endurance race scheduled for June 14/15. the company has developed a more advanced version of the hybrid architecture. Audi stated that the new system is lighter with single motor powering the front wheels and all the front wheel drive assembly integrates into the monocoque of the R18.
“We’ve developed the entire hybrid drive from scratch again for 2014,” explains Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi Sport. “Specifically, it’s become even lighter and more efficient than before.” The company also developed a new flywheel storage system for recuperated energy generation, the energy stored can be used in the boost mode.