Audi’s latest Le Mans prototype, the R18, comes with a radically new design. It is the first one in over ten years to have a closed cockpit, which is a great aerodynamics booster. The car is also the first one of its kind to have a single piece carbon fiber monocoque.
The R18 is powered by a smaller engine than its predecessor, the R15 TDI Plus Le Mans, but we shouldn’t worry about that. We don’t expect Audi to create a slower car than the previous Le Mans winner. So the 3.7 liter TDI V6 engine, mated to a six speed transmission, will hopefully prove us right.
The lightweight yet rigid exterior is ready to enter the harshest competitions, the first one being the Spa Francorchamps in Belgium.
