Audi R18 e-tron quattro represents multiple
optimization of light-weight design
Lower weight, higher safety and fuel economy: No Audi
Le Mans prototype has ever been as efficient as this one
New safety rules increase requirements
Ingolstadt, April
7, 2014 – Audi had to master a particularly challenging task before the 2014
season. Since the brand entered Le
Mans prototype racing in 1999, the safety rules have
never been as strict and a race car as complex as this year. At the same time,
the car is allowed to be lighter than ever before.
Design engineers – whether in production or race car engineering – are tasked
to resolve target conflicts on a daily basis. However, the concept design of
the new Audi R18 e-tron quattro confronted the engineers at Audi Sport with a
particularly challenging requirement. On the one hand, the racing weight of the
LMP1 cars compared to last year is allowed to decrease from 915 to 870
kilograms. 45 kilograms less weight make a significant difference in racing. At
the same time, the new technical regulations contain various requirements that
call for completely new solutions which lead to an increase in weight. For
example, to protect the driver in the case of lateral impacts, the regulations
prescribe Zylon side panels. This particularly tough and impact-resistant
material prevents lateral intrusions of pointed objects in the cockpit in an
accident. The monocoque itself had to be redesigned as well to withstand the
higher test loads specified starting in 2014.
The eight wheel tethers (two per wheel) which are to prevent the separation of
the wheels from the car in case of a crash are new as well. Furthermore, the
2014 Audi R18 e-tron quattro is equipped with a rear crash absorbing structure.
This new component made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) absorbs the
energy in a rear-end collision. And, last but not least, the regulations now
allow transmissions with seven instead of the previous six forward gears. The
new gear pair and its actuation make a difference on the scales as well. “The
aggregate of all these measures corresponds to an additional weight of more
than 20 kilograms,” explains Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi
Sport.
As a result, the engineers were tasked to make the newly designed race car even
lighter than before – to compensate for this additional weight while achieving
the lower minimum weight. “Thanks to our constant development work there are no
measures left that would yield major weight savings in a single step. Instead,
the art lies in achieving further improvements of all the details,” says
Wolfgang Appel, Head of Vehicle Technology at Audi Sport. Audi has consistently
increased the CFRP content in the race car. In the 2014 season, the steering
wheel column of the sports prototype is made from this material for the first
time. However, this material continues to be prohibited in various areas. For
instance, the wheel suspension elements still have to be made of metallic
materials, according to the regulations.
Due to these regulatory specifications and technical options the room for maneuver
becomes increasingly constrained year after year. In spite of this, Audi
achieved its target weight in the R18 e-tron quattro for the current season.
The diesel hybrid sports car meets the limit of 870 kilograms.
In total, the new Audi R18 e-tron quattro is safer, lighter and more efficient
than any of its predecessors, and Audi’s light-weight technology has a major
part in this. For more than 20 years, the company has been proving its
expertise in this area in the development of its production cars as well.
