VAGweb.co.uk :: VAG News, Audi, SEAT, Skoda, VW Forum, Club & Community

Audi R8 GT3

For the first time, Audi Sport will offer a racing sports car specifically developed for customer use in the form of the powerful 500 hp plus GT3 version of the Audi R8 which will be available from autumn 2009. The logistics and factory space required for the AUDI AG customer program will be created over the next few months in Ingolstadt, Neckarsulm and Györ.

“The R8 is the first production Audi bearing the name and genes of a successful racing sportscar and is therefore an excellent base from which to build up our first big customer sport program,” explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. “Ever since the R8 was unveiled we’ve been inundated with enquiries about a race version. With the Audi R8 we will offer customers a racing sportscar equipped with high-calibre technology and the typical Audi qualities, but which is nevertheless easy to handle.”

The Audi R8 conforms to the production-based GT3 regulations allowing the car to be fielded in numerous national and international race series.

Because the GT3 regulations prohibit the use of four-wheel drive the Audi R8 comes with the typical GT rear-wheel drive. The power is transmitted via a newly developed six-speed sequential sports gearbox. The suspension uses almost exclusively components from the production line. A comprehensive list of safety equipment guarantees the highest-level of passive safety. A modified front end and a large rear-wing generate the required downforce for the race track.

The Audi R8, which bears the project name “R16″ within Audi Sport, was developed under the direction of Audi Sport. Mid August, the first prototype successfully completed a roll-out in the hands of Audi factory driver Frank Biela.

The first test races in various European racing series are scheduled for the 2009 season. Delivery to the customers is planned from the autumn of this coming year.

The customer cars are manufactured together by Audi Sport and the quattro GmbH, which is also responsible for production of the Audi R8 street version, and Audi Hungaria

- 27th Aug 08 01:35 PM

New SEAT Ibiza uncovered

The wraps are off the new SEAT Ibiza, we will let the images do the talking so you can make up your own minds.

Buyers will initially have the choice of 1.2-litre three-cylinder or 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engines. Initially just one diesel engine will be fitted, the familiar 105bhp 1.9-litre unit.

Click here to view the discussion thread.
- 7th Jun 08 09:02 AM

2008 MIRA Skoda Fabia Custom Hybrid

Automotive designers MIRA have unveiled a retro-fit hybrid conversion that unlocks the potential to save 61% on fuel costs and lower tailpipe emissions by 39% without designing a new car. The hybrid conversion with a novel removable battery pack upgrades existing vehicles to the technology some concept cars are showcasing at this year’s motor shows. A technology demonstrator has been built around a popular b-segment car to show the potential of the technology. As a “plug-in hybrid” the vehicle can charge its batteries by running its engine or by plugging into the mains. Plug-in hybrids are at the vanguard of new vehicle design; yet MIRA has taken the idea one step further to make the concept far more practical and useful for motorists.

As a concept evaluation tool the Hybrid 4 wheel drive Vehicle (H4V) was never destined for public sale, so the project received support through the Energy Saving Trust’s Low Carbon R&D programme which is funded by the Department for Transport.

Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive of the Energy Saving Trust, which is managing the initiative said: “This project has designed a new system allowing hybrids to be more flexible and practical for every day use. With over 20% of the UK’s total carbon emission produced by road transport every year, these advances in technology are vital. Over 80% of people believe that climate change is having an impact on the UK right now, so it is important to bring more technology like these to the market place.”

Commenting on the new design Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: “With the challenges of climate change, we need to find opportunities to contribute positively to protecting our environment. Working with the Energy Saving Trust has been just such an opportunity, and I'm delighted that funding from the DfT's Low Carbon R&D programme has been put to good use in developing an efficient petrol hybrid car.

Road transport is key in our efforts to cut carbon, and bringing cleaner vehicles on to the market is vital to achieving this goal. I understand that MIRA have comfortably exceeded their emission target after tests, which is a really encouraging result, and I look forward to hearing more good news about the programme."

Derek Charters, MIRA’s Advanced Powertrain Manager explains the rationale behind the project: “Despite advances in powertrain technology you can still obtain electricity from your domestic provider far cheaper and greener than you can produce it via an automotive combustion engine, so ‘plug-in’ hybrids make sense. With this project we’ve removed the primary limitation of the ‘plug-in hybrid’ concept by allowing the battery pack to come to the mains, rather than having to park right next to a socket …which is more than a little difficult if you live in a terraced house or flat.”

The H4V project was conceived to show just what’s possible with a regular car and some specialist knowledge. Derek explains further: “MIRA’s hybrid vision is to lower tailpipe emissions and deliver better fuel efficiency than an equivalent diesel, at a diesel level ‘on-cost1’; whilst delivering driver delight features such as an EV mode and “two-pedal” town driving.”

This is precisely what MIRA have done with H4V. The demonstrator vehicle is based on the popular Skoda Fabia, instantly differentiating itself from the standard model by the unique H4V badge and aerodynamic modifications. The 50/50 hybrid derives power jointly from a 60Kw petrol engine at the front and two 35KW inboard motors powering the rear wheels though MIRA’s clever e-differential. Overall, the H4V differentiates itself from the standard model by returning 64mpg2, as measured on the EU drive cycle. Whilst general levels of performance, such as top speed and acceleration are similar to standard.

The car boasts a battery pack arranged into 3 portable cassettes, each capable of storing 30KW. These storage units could also power external devices, including a range of lifestyle accessory items. The very latest nano-particle technology has been applied to increase the energy density of the already ‘high-tech’ Lithium Ion Phosphate batteries. This ensures the energy pack is as lightweight and compact as possible, whilst delivering superior voltage stability over the charge range. The same Li-Ion Phosphate battery technology is evident in the separate low voltage circuit used to start the engine, insuring the car’s impeccable ‘lead free’ green credentials.

The battery pack in one of the key ingredients of a modern hybrid. With so much effort and expense being invested in the battery pack it makes sense to use it in as many places as possible, not just the car itself. The ultimate aim of the project team is to see the power pack transferred from the car into a range of other devices, which could include camping equipment for SUV variants, or redeployed to power electric jet skis or quad bikes.

Despite the impressively green credentials, headline grabbing hyper-economic mpg figures were never the aim for H4V - to do that the team would logically select a more frugal base vehicle. The selection of the base car is largely unimportant, as far as the technology is concerned; so long as the donor vehicle’s specification included modern features, such as a throttle by-wire system and some other basics, to avoid duplicating unnecessary workload. The project code of H4V, standing simply for ‘a’ Hybrid 4wd Vehicle re-enforces the generic nature of the upgrade.

A 39% improvement is beyond what most traditional hybridisation systems would normally deliver, so MIRA have retuned the engine and created a custom calibration that works in harmony with the electrically driven axel to deliver additional synergies beyond the simple fuel savings possible via ‘torque-neutral’ hybridisation schemes.

A regenerative braking system makes its debut on a MIRA hybrid. Derek explains why: “The viability of such systems requires careful analysis to ensure that the mass penalty is outweighed by the energy recovery potential. The technology has now matured to deliver a tangible economy benefit, not just a ‘feature’ for the marketers.”

The frugal powertrain is supported by a new aero pack, further reducing drag by 8% to achieve a Cd of just 0.299. Aerodynamics makes only a small contribution to EU drive cycle calculations, due to the cycle’s overall low speed character, so it’s often marginalised by those wishing to bias development towards attributes that make the most difference at low speed. Thankfully, MIRA’s approach goes some way to deliver a vehicle that lives up to consumer expectations on real roads.
- 24th May 08 09:36 AM

Audi RS 8 Gets Turbo V10 with 572 bhp

Audi is not playing “nice” with its two main German rivals anymore. In fact, Ingolstadt is preparing an arsenal so powerful that some may even start accusing Germany of another world war. Of course this is in the motor arena where “wars” are fought in friendly territories like engines and powertrains, race tracks and cup holders. And so it will be when the new R8 V10 – Audi says it can’t be called RS8 because that might confuse it with a high-performance A8 which may or may not happen – debuts with its 5.2-litre V10. Of course we’ve known all along this was the type of equipment to be fitted, but what we initially didn’t realize was that Audi would take the bull by its sharpest thorns and go turbo on us with this! Yep folks, R8 V10 will debut next year with the same firepower handed to the RS 6. In essence we are talking about 572 wild German horses confined only by ten cylinders, translating to a sub 4.0 second time on the 0 – 100km/h flight, with a cruise limiter of 200 mph.

Audi has been denying all of this turbo talk, even when questioned about the test mule that infamously caught fire at Nordscheife last year, saying the engine could easily provide the required horses, but cooling it would be the main bone of contention. Now ladies and gentlemen, that bone has been chewed and spat and V10 twin-turbo is a go. Speaking to Autocar head of Audi powertrain development Wolfgang Hatz said: “The car is now signed off, and will appear during the second quarter of 2009. I can’t say much about it until then. The cooling is no problem now.”

VW Group’s greatest cooling problem on a road car so far has been Bugatti Veyron, but they managed ok there and learnt some cooling lessons along the way. The cooling system has also helped in V12 TDI prototype, a system that provides up to 20 percent more cold air into the radiators and a roof air vent that works with the turbos.

“Why would we spend money developing a whole new engine for this car, when we already have such a good one?”

A wonderful question.

In a separate development it seems the upcoming 2.5-litre 340 bhp TT RS will not be labeled as such. According to our source, only Porsche can use the moniker RS as suffix (one that comes after another word) in the VW Group. Audi can use it, but only as prefix, meaning in front of something else, like RS 6 or RS 4 etc. Wow, family feuds!
- 2nd Apr 08 12:30 PM