Le Mans 24 Hours preview - GT - Autosport Share this article on Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ Email This year's 24 Hours promises competition of the kind only Le Mans can throw up - a battle between the might of the Works teams and genuinely competitive privateers. You can find detailed coverage of the race on AUTOSPORT.com, or receive the latest news and comment on Radio Le Mans. For up-to-date Le Mans coverage click 'here'. The field has lost several of the competitors who helped make the 1999 event so intriguing and competitive, but the 2000 24-Hours will be no less exciting for that - indeed, it makes the possibility of a wild-card winner even more of a likelihood. The theme for this year's race is very much along the lines of 'David versus Goliath'. The works manufacturer teams will line up against various smaller - but no less professional - outfits, aiming to make a name for themselves at the race that has a strong claim towards being called 'The World's Greatest'. 1999 winners BMW will not compete this year, despite running a campaign in the related American Le Mans Series.

Equally, Toyota, who tried so hard to win the race, and came so close on two occasions will not be entering, with their resources directed towards an F1 entry in 2002. Finally, Mercedes were the first to join the list of big runners destined not to return after their Le Mans jinx struck once more. That leaves Audi and Panoz as the only 1999 front runners in the prototype class to return. However, the battles these totally different cars and teams have instigated in the ALMS so far this year indicates that the front end will be as hard fought as ever. Add to that the newcomers Cadillac, and the enormously competitive Rafanelli Lola and the field has taken on a look of tantalising competitiveness... Audi returns for a second crack at the 24 Hours, after finishing on the podium in 1999. A combination of ferocious development on the part of the team, and the loss of potential competitors means that Audi enters the race very much in the position of favourites. However, this does not in itself guarantee success as Toyota can testify only too well...

The Ingolstadt marque's R8 won on what is so far its only appearance - the 2000 Sebring 12 Hours, but the competition at Le Mans will be on another level. The driving team is formidable, with no less than five previous winners of the race. 1998 winning combo Allan McNish, Stephane Ortelli and Laurent Aiello will regroup in one of the R8s, and that car has to be favourite for pole position, if not the race. Sebring winners Frank Biela and Rinaldo Capello will team up with 1996 winner Michele Alboreto, who is reunited with Reinhold Joest - the team manger who took him to victory. The car appears to be not only fast, but phenomenally reliable, if its testing form and the Sebring win are anything to go by. With this in mind, it appears that only a crash could spoil Audi's party - though with the traditional mix of tired drivers and massive speed differences between the classes, this eventuality should not be considered as entirely off the cards.

However, the car has kept its own counsel for a large part of the time between Sebring and Le Mans qualifying, so true form is difficult to gauge. In fact, the final test before the race suggests that the Lola of Team Rafanelli, at least, is right up there with it on pace. Audi represents a large manufacturer, with a veteran team running the cars, very little expense spared and a driver line-up including the pick of the available talent. Panoz, on the other hand is not associated with a large force in the motor industry but for the first time operates the whole programme, including the engines, in house. Nothing should detract from the sense that this is a works team in the truest sense of the word. The Panoz LMP team has benefited greatly from the driving ambition of owner Don Panoz, who has sought to add the expertise of Dave Price on the organisational side, and such luminaries as Jan Magnussen and David Brabham on the driving squad. Panoz has entered no less than five cars under three teams. The spectacular front-engined roadsters starred in pre-qualifying last year, only to fade in the race somewhat.

However, this year the cars have their best chance since the Panoz name first went to Le Mans in 1997. The under-powered and over-thirsty Ford V8s of the programme's early days have steadily developed into a fast and reliable unit tuned by Elan, a Panoz-owned concern. David Brabham is the star of the driving line-up, but sometime F1 and CART driver Jan Magnussen can give him a push. Mario Andretti joins this partnership in his bid to match Graham Hill's triple crown of wins in the Indianapolis 500, the Formula 1 World Championship, and the Le Mans 24 Hours. And attempting to challenge the dominance of the established favourites for the first time in fifty years will be Cadillac, entering their Riley & Scott Northstar prototype. The works GM team will be backed up by two DAMS run cars. Riley and Scott have learned a vast amount about sportscars over the years , and the fruits of that process have been made manifest in the Cadillac Northstar prototype.

The car features a turbocharged V8, and the legendary 'Riley Rocker' suspension system which has served the team so well - and which, it believes, gives it a secret weapon. The cars have not performed as well as the leading Audis in the ALMS, and it will be some time before they are able to challenge on pace. However, satellite team DAMS has a history of being able to extract considerable performance from sportscars, and with reliability on their side, the Northstars could get a reasonable result. First in the queue to topple the giants is the Olive Garden Rafanelli team, running a Lola-Judd B2K/10. The team has performed, even by its own admission, beyond all expectations this season. A pole position, fastest lap and a podium finish in the ALMS all bear testament to the competitiveness of the squad Moreover, the team has now taken delivery of the Le Mans spec bodywork package, and has reportedly set extremely encouraging times at a test at Magny Cours alongside Audi.

Question marks remain over the durability of the Judd V10, which is considered in some quarters to be too highly strung to go the distance, but this is the team's only visible weakness at this point. Even so, expect Rafanelli to star in qualifying, and to lead the race at some point, with drivers Mimmo Schiaterella, Pierluigi Martini and Didier de Radigues quick and experienced. Other notable privateers include the Konrad Lola, and Phillipe Gache's Courage-Judd C60, which was built with Le Mans in mind and is optimised towards the long straights - though the works team's decision not to enter the race may have stymied development of the chassis. The LMP675 class, for lower power and weight prototypes is expected to be dominated by ROC and its modified LMP900 Reynard. The team has some degree of works backing from VW, as a prelude to a full works assault by the manufacturer in the next few years. The only other team in the class with a chance is the Canadian Multimatic outfit, which is running Lola's new smaller Lights chassis.

The GTS class appears to be resolving into a battle between the Dodge Vipers of Team ORECA and the Chevrolet Corvettes of Team GM. This contest would seem, on the face of it, to favour ORECA's experience, but the Corvettes ran the Vipers close at Daytona, and they have had more development since. Audi star Allan McNish rates the Corvettes very highly indeed, and what cannot be denied is that for the first time in three years, ORECA and their Vipers have some serious competition. The GT class should be evenly matched, if for no other reason than all the entrants are running Porsche's 911 GT3R. Dick Barbour Racing has won Le Mans overall before, but Team Skea's driving line-up alone will go a long way towards offsetting the team's relative inexperience. For details of road and rail routes to Le Mans, click 'here'. to see the full Le Mans 24 Hours schedule, click 'here'. To see the full entry list of cars, teams, and drivers, click 'here'. Share this article on Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ Email Get more stories on Autosport. For free.

Register in seconds and instantly upgrade your monthly news limit from 15 to 25 stories. Join over 100,000 Autosport readers and make sure you stay updated with the best motorsport news every month. Le Mans Preview - GT - Autosport Share this article on Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ Email This year's 24 Hours promises competition of the kind only Le Mans can throw up - a battle between the might of the Works teams and genuinely competitive privateers. You can find detailed coverage of the race on AUTOSPORT.com, or receive the latest news and comment on Radio Le Mans. For up-to-date Le Mans coverage click 'here'. The field has lost several of the competitors who helped make the 1999 event so intriguing and competitive, but the 2000 24-Hours will be no less exciting for that - indeed, it makes the possibility of a wild-card winner even more of a likelihood. The theme for this year's race is very much along the lines of 'David versus Goliath'.

The works manufacturer teams will line up against various smaller - but no less professional - outfits, aiming to make a name for themselves at the race that has a strong claim towards being called 'The World's Greatest'. 1999 winners BMW will not compete this year, despite running a campaign in the related American Le Mans Series. Equally, Toyota, who tried so hard to win the race, and came so close on two occasions will not be entering, with their resources directed towards an F1 entry in 2002. Finally, Mercedes were the first to join the list of big runners destined not to return after their Le Mans jinx struck once more. That leaves Audi and Panoz as the only 1999 front runners in the prototype class to return. However, the battles these totally different cars and teams have instigated in the ALMS so far this year indicates that the front end will be as hard fought as ever. Add to that the newcomers Cadillac, and the enormously competitive Rafanelli Lola and the field has taken on a look of tantalising competitiveness... Audi returns for a second crack at the 24 Hours, after finishing on the podium in 1999.

A combination of ferocious development on the part of the team, and the loss of potential competitors means that Audi enters the race very much in the position of favourites. However, this does not in itself guarantee success as Toyota can testify only too well... The Ingolstadt marque's R8 won on what is so far its only appearance - the 2000 Sebring 12 Hours, but the competition at Le Mans will be on another level. The driving team is formidable, with no less than five previous winners of the race. 1998 winning combo Allan McNish, Stephane Ortelli and Laurent Aiello will regroup in one of the R8s, and that car has to be favourite for pole position, if not the race. Sebring winners Frank Biela and Rinaldo Capello will team up with 1996 winner Michele Alboreto, who is reunited with Reinhold Joest - the team manger who took him to victory. The car appears to be not only fast, but phenomenally reliable, if its testing form and the Sebring win are anything to go by.

With this in mind, it appears that only a crash could spoil Audi's party - though with the traditional mix of tired drivers and massive speed differences between the classes, this eventuality should not be considered as entirely off the cards. However, the car has kept its own counsel for a large part of the time between Sebring and Le Mans qualifying, so true form is difficult to gauge. In fact, the final test before the race suggests that the Lola of Team Rafanelli, at least, is right up there with it on pace. Audi represents a large manufacturer, with a veteran team running the cars, very little expense spared and a driver line-up including the pick of the available talent. Panoz, on the other hand is not associated with a large force in the motor industry but for the first time operates the whole programme, including the engines, in house. Nothing should detract from the sense that this is a works team in the truest sense of the word. The Panoz LMP team has benefited greatly from the driving ambition of owner Don Panoz, who has sought to add the expertise of Dave Price on the organisational side, and such luminaries as Jan Magnussen and David Brabham on the driving squad.

Panoz has entered no less than five cars under three teams. The spectacular front-engined roadsters starred in pre-qualifying last year, only to fade in the race somewhat. However, this year the cars have their best chance since the Panoz name first went to Le Mans in 1997. The under-powered and over-thirsty Ford V8s of the programme's early days have steadily developed into a fast and reliable unit tuned by Elan, a Panoz-owned concern. David Brabham is the star of the driving line-up, but sometime F1 and CART driver Jan Magnussen can give him a push. Mario Andretti joins this partnership in his bid to match Graham Hill's triple crown of wins in the Indianapolis 500, the Formula 1 World Championship, and the Le Mans 24 Hours. And attempting to challenge the dominance of the established favourites for the first time in fifty years will be Cadillac, entering their Riley & Scott Northstar prototype. The works GM team will be backed up by two DAMS run cars. Riley and Scott have learned a vast amount about sportscars over the years , and the fruits of that process have been made manifest in the Cadillac Northstar prototype.

The car features a turbocharged V8, and the legendary 'Riley Rocker' suspension system which has served the team so well - and which, it believes, gives it a secret weapon. The cars have not performed as well as the leading Audis in the ALMS, and it will be some time before they are able to challenge on pace. However, satellite team DAMS has a history of being able to extract considerable performance from sportscars, and with reliability on their side, the Northstars could get a reasonable result. First in the queue to topple the giants is the Olive Garden Rafanelli team, running a Lola-Judd B2K/10. The team has performed, even by its own admission, beyond all expectations this season. A pole position, fastest lap and a podium finish in the ALMS all bear testament to the competitiveness of the squad Moreover, the team has now taken delivery of the Le Mans spec bodywork package, and has reportedly set extremely encouraging times at a test at Magny Cours alongside Audi.

Question marks remain over the durability of the Judd V10, which is considered in some quarters to be too highly strung to go the distance, but this is the team's only visible weakness at this point. Even so, expect Rafanelli to star in qualifying, and to lead the race at some point, with drivers Mimmo Schiaterella, Pierluigi Martini and Didier de Radigues quick and experienced. Other notable privateers include the Konrad Lola, and Phillipe Gache's Courage-Judd C60, which was built with Le Mans in mind and is optimised towards the long straights - though the works team's decision not to enter the race may have stymied development of the chassis. The LMP675 class, for lower power and weight prototypes is expected to be dominated by ROC and its modified LMP900 Reynard. The team has some degree of works backing from VW, as a prelude to a full works assault by the manufacturer in the next few years. The only other team in the class with a chance is the Canadian Multimatic outfit, which is running Lola's new smaller Lights chassis.

The GTS class appears to be resolving into a battle between the Dodge Vipers of Team ORECA and the Chevrolet Corvettes of Team GM. This contest would seem, on the face of it, to favour ORECA's experience, but the Corvettes ran the Vipers close at Daytona, and they have had more development since. Audi star Allan McNish rates the Corvettes very highly indeed, and what cannot be denied is that for the first time in three years, ORECA and their Vipers have some serious competition. The GT class should be evenly matched, if for no other reason than all the entrants are running Porsche's 911 GT3R. Dick Barbour Racing has won Le Mans overall before, but Team Skea's driving line-up alone will go a long way towards offsetting the team's relative inexperience. For details of road and rail routes to Le Mans, click 'here'. to see the full Le Mans 24 Hours schedule, click 'here'. To see the full entry list of cars, teams, and drivers, click 'here'. Share this article on Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ Email Get more stories on Autosport. For free.

Register in seconds and instantly upgrade your monthly news limit from 15 to 25 stories. Join over 100,000 Autosport readers and make sure you stay updated with the best motorsport news every month. Motorsport | Audi MediaCenter Audi MediaCenter VIDEO: LIVE 🇮🇹 @DucatiMotor Team @MotoGP presentation right here 👉 from 10:30 CET… 01/19/17 .@allanmcnish spoke about mental aspects in sports during @HintsaPerform’s sessions at @WEF 2017, joined by… 01/19/17 Facebook 01/20/17 Watch LIVE the 🇮🇹 Ducati Team MotoGP presentation from 10:30 CET today, right here 👉 Andrea Dovizioso, Jorge Lorenzo and the Desmosedici GP are waiting for you 🏁 #LeagueofPerformance 01/19/17 The 4-hour Asian Le Mans Series - Official finale in Malaysia 🇲🇾 and GT racing in Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 lies ahead for our customers this week!

🏁 #LeagueofPerformance 01/18/17 An exciting announcement! 🇸🇪 🇩🇪 We will be providing factory support to our longtime DTM driver Mattias Ekström’s EKS team in the 2017 FIA World Rallycross Championship season! 👊 They are the reigning world champions. 🏆 🏆 #LeagueofPerformance 01/17/17 Audi Sport TT Cup: Lappalainen clinches title Since 1981, Audi Sport has stood for “Vorsprung durch Technik” in international motorsport. Be it the World Rally Championship, Pikes Peak, Super Touring Cars, DTM, GT racing or Le Mans prototypes: with impressive performance, Audi has led all motorsport projects to success, claiming numerous victories and important championship titles. The motorsport program currently consists of Formula E, DTM, World RX and customer racing. Recent Press Releases Audi Sport to enter World RX AUDI AG will be providing factory support to Mattias Ekström’s rallycross project EKS starting in the 2017 season.

As a result, Audi Sport, in addition to its commitments in Formula E and the DTM, will be competing in the FIA World Rallycross Championship (World RX) in the future as well. Lucas di Grassi: “A new era has started successfully” The ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport Formula E team started virtually into the New Year: Lucas di Grassi and Daniel Abt gathered new experiences during the 1,000,000 Dollar Vegas eRace on race simulators. While Abt claimed ninth place in the 30 driver field, di Grassi was unable to start the main race due to a technical defect. Nevertheless, the Brazilian gives a positive verdict in the interview and looks ahead to a return to the real race tracks. 36 years of “Vorsprung durch Technik” Audi positions itself as the sportiest manufacturer in the premium segment and has a perfect basis to do so: motorsport. Sportiness, advanced technology and emotional design are the main elements accounting for the success of the Audi brand. The genes for it have had their origins in racing – for 36 years.

Dieter Gass to become new Head of Audi Motorsport Scheduled change at the helm of Audi Sport: Effective January 1, 2017, after 23 years of service, Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (66) will hand over this post to his successor, Dieter Gass (53). Dr. Ullrich will remain with Audi Sport in an advisory role until the end of 2017. Deliveries of the Audi RS 3 LMS have begun Audi Sport GmbH delivered the first two Audi RS 3 LMS cars in Neuburg on Thursday. Stephan Winkelmann, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH, and Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing, handed over the new TCR touring cars to Cadspeed-Racing and Speed Factory Racing Team, whose season will start as early as in the middle of January 2017 in the 24-hour race in Dubai. Duval and Rast in Audi RS 5 DTM in 2017 Audi is bringing a breath of fresh air into the DTM.

The Frenchman Loïc Duval and the German René Rast will be two new campaigners to compete in the Audi RS 5 DTM next season. Both have previously been successful in other racing series for Audi, most recently having been active in the WEC. Mattias Ekström (Sweden), Jamie Green (Great Britain), Nico Müller (Switzerland) and Mike Rockenfeller (Germany) have been confirmed as drivers for the 2017 DTM. Successful season for Audi Sport customer racing Strong season for Audi Sport customer racing: Drivers and teams have clinched 24 titles and celebrated endurance racing victories with the Audi R8 LMS in the 2016 season. As a result, in a fierce competitive environment with up to eleven marques, Audi fared brilliantly again in the eighth season of its customer racing program. Mattias Ekström and EKS win World Rallycross Championship teams’ title Mattias Ekström and his privateer rallycross team EKS are World Champions in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. After the Swede had wrapped up the drivers’ title at the penultimate round of the season, EKS triumphed at the season finale in Rosario, Argentina.

Audi wins FIA GT World Cup in Macau Audi Sport customer racing with Belgian Audi Club Team WRT has won what has arguably been the most unusual GT race in Macau. After the race had been stopped twice, Laurens Vanthoor decided the FIA GT World Cup in his favor for the first time. Audi says goodbye with one-two victory Saying goodbye with a bang: Audi achieved an impressive one-two victory in the last race of its Le Mans prototypes in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). After clinching pole position in qualifying, the Audi R18 diesel hybrid sports car went on to claim a lights-to-flag victory in the 6 Hours of Bahrain. In addition, Lucas di Grassi set the fastest race lap. As a result, Audi has clinched the vice-championship titles in the manufacturers’ and drivers’ classifications. Audi to battle for FIA GT World Cup in Macau Audi Sport customer racing will be competing against three other manufacturers in the streets of Macau from November 17 to 20, aiming to bring the most prestigious crown in GT3 racing, the FIA GT World Cup title, home to Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm with the Audi R8 LMS.

Audi Motorsport Newsletter 42/2016 Formula E and the ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport squad had a successful African premiere on the street circuit in Marrakesh. In Great Britain, the Audi customer team Tockwith Motorsports celebrated winning the Dunlop Endurance Championship with the R8 LMS ultra, and in Japan Hitotsuyama Racing won one race at the Super GT season finale. Emotional farewell for Audi from the FIA WEC Audi is ending an era. On Saturday, November 19, not only the current season of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) will end in Bahrain but also Audi ceasing its Le Mans sports prototype program after 18 years. Audi’s sports prototypes, from the Audi R8, the Audi R10 TDI and the Audi R15 TDI to the Audi R18, have shaped an entire racing era. They represent one of Audi Sport’s most successful periods and are symbols of the technical progress achieved by the brand with the four rings. Audi scores 18 points at Shanghai Audi proved its untiring endurance racing spirit in round eight of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in China.

In spite of diverse adversities, the six drivers and the team never lost their concentration and in the end still managed to score 18 points. As a result, Audi defended second place in the manufacturers’ standings before the finale to be held in Bahrain in two weeks’ time. Rows two and three for Audi at Shanghai Although Audi will be starting from positions three and five in round eight of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Shanghai the brand with the four rings, having set five fastest times to date, has remained the best manufacturer in qualifying this year. Audi Motorsport Newsletter 40/2016 Audi customer teams in Australia and New Zealand had a successful race weekends: they won a championship title and finished on the podium. Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen opened in Abu Dhabi the first Audi Sport Center and Rally World Champion Sébastien Ogier tested the Audi S1 EKS RX quattro, with which Mathias Ekström won the World Rallycross Championship. FIA WEC to race in Audi’s largest market For Audi, an important race is coming up before its imminent withdrawal from the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Once a year, the LMP sports cars visit China – the company’s largest market. On Sunday, November 6, Audi is going to battle for points and trophies in the 6 Hours of Shanghai. Audi with new motorsport strategy: Formula E instead of WEC Audi is realigning its motorsport strategy. The premium brand will terminate its FIA WEC commitment, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, at the end of the 2016 season. Instead Audi is taking up a factory-backed commitment in the all-electric Formula E racing series. Audi Motorsport Newsletter 39/2016 With a strong performance the Audi RS 3 LMS debuted in the VLN season finale as the best car in the TCR touring car category. Audi customer teams clinched victories and a vice-championship title win in Europe, Asia and South America. In an interview, Joonas Lappalainen talks about his approach to becoming the titleholder in the 2016 Audi Sport TT Cup.

Audi Motorsport Newsletter 38/2016 While Mattias Ekström was crowning himself World Rallycross Champion at the Estering and Edoardo Mortara rejoiced over his DTM victory, Audi customer teams celebrated several podium places, plus two drivers and a rookies’ title in the Audi R8 LMS this weekend. DTM finale at Hockenheim: Audi Sport quotes In front of 142,000 spectators (throughout the weekend) at Hockenheim, Audi won the manufacturers’ and the teams’ classifications of the DTM, plus both final races. In the drivers’ classification, Edoardo Mortara and Jamie Green took positions two and three. Quotes following the final weekend. Audi Sport TT Cup: Lappalainen clinches title Joonas Lappalainen secured the title in the Audi Sport TT Cup season finale at the Hockenheimring. In the last race, the Finn, who is only 18 years old, came in third place, trailing Dennis Marschall and Nicklas Nielsen, and relegated the German Marschall and Nielsen from Denmark to positions two and three in the overall classification. Still, Nielsen had good reason to celebrate, too.

The newcomer in the Audi one-make cup, on achieving two second places, claimed victory in the rookies’ classification. Audi secures two of the three DTM titles Audi secured two of the three DTM titles in the finale at Hockenheim. For the third time, Audi is DTM manufacturers’ champion and for the fourth time, Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline is teams’ champion. In spite of his fifth victory this season, Audi campaigner Edoardo Mortara in the Castrol EDGE Audi RS 5 DTM missed the drivers’ title by a very narrow four-point margin. Mattias Ekström is FIA World Rallycross Champion Mattias Ekström, on finishing fifth at the Estering, secured an early title win in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. To compete in the penultimate round of the 2016 season, the Swede had opted not to run in the DTM finale at Hockenheim, marking the first time for him to miss a race in his 16-year DTM career. Audi second at Fuji after strong battle The 6 Hours of Fuji have never before been as thrilling as this year.

In round seven of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), Audi, Porsche and Toyota battled for 6 hours, separated by mere seconds. For five hours, Audi was leading the race, lacking only 1.4 seconds in the end. Timo Scheider ends his DTM career Timo Scheider will be contesting his last DTM race for Audi in the finale at the Hockenheimring on Sunday. In eleven joint years, Scheider won two DTM titles (2008 and 2009), seven DTM races and, in the Audi R8 LMS, the 24 Hours of Spa in 2011. Molina wins, Mortara shows strong nerves Suspense galore in the DTM: Following an impressive comeback by Audi driver Edoardo Mortara in the first of the two final races at the Hockenheimring, the decision in the battle for the drivers’ title will only be made on Sunday, in the last race of the year. The manufacturers’ and teams’ classifications remain open as well. Gripping season finale in Audi Sport TT Cup The finale in the 2016 Audi Sport TT Cup promises suspense galore.

Four young talents still have chances of winning the title. In the rookies’ classification, the decision is still pending as well. In the guest entrants’ group, the grid will again include two high-caliber celebrities, actor Jimi Blue Ochsenknecht and YouTube star Tim Burton alias Shmee150. The races in the Audi one-make cup will be held as part of the DTM supporting program on Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16. Audi Motorsport Newsletter 37/2016 Lucas di Grassi finished second in the opening race of the FIA Formula E season in Hong Kong. Audi customer teams celebrate first titles in North America and claim podium finishes in the China GT Championship, as well as in the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring. Benoît Tréluyer visited Audi Sport partner Michelin at the Paris Motor Show. Audi in eager anticipation of Japan The decisive stage in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) has started. Within the space of five weeks, Asia is going to host three rounds that will produce the title decisions. Audi is traveling to Japan as the runner-up in the manufacturers’ and drivers’ standings.

Round seven of the season will be held on the challenging circuit at Fuji, some 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, on Sunday, October 16. ​Formula E under the banner of the Four Rings for the first time While the Audi DTM team is preparing for a thrilling finale at the Hockenheimring, the new Formula E season begins on Sunday, October 9. The electric race cars of Team ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport will compete in the Chinese metropolis of Hong Kong, under the banner of the Four Rings for the first time. 10/02/16 Sports Titles for Audi Sport customer racing in ADAC GT Masters and Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup Two drivers’ and two teams’ titles on a single afternoon – the customers of Audi Sport customer racing popped the champagne bottles on the first weekend in October. The teams won two of the world’s most fiercely fought GT3 series, the ADAC GT Masters and the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup.

Audi Sport develops racing version of the Audi RS 3 With a racing version of the new Audi RS 3 that made its world debut at the Paris Motor Show, Audi Sport customer racing will extend its offering in customer sport starting in the 2017 season. The TCR version of the Audi RS 3 sedan puts customer sport at Audi on an even broader base. DTM Budapest: Audi Sport quotes 39,500 spectators (throughout the weekend) witnessed a strong performance by the Audi squad in positions one to six on Saturday and a one-two result on Sunday. Following the exclusion of Daniel Juncadella (Mercedes-Benz) and Marco Wittmann (BMW) from the classification, two Audi drivers – Edoardo Mortara and Jamie Green – before the finale at Hockenheim still have chances of clinching the drivers’ title. In the manufacturers’ and teams’ classifications, Audi clearly ranks at the top. Quotes following the DTM’s visit to Hungary. Audi Motorsport Newsletter 35/2016 In the turbulent round of the Audi R8 LMS Cup in Korea, Marchy Lee and Alex Yoong won.

In the Czech Republic and Italy, Audi customer teams celebrated successes in races and podium positions with the Audi R8 LMS as well. One-two win as well as frustration for Audi in the DTM Only two contenders left: In the grand finale of the DTM at the Hockenheimring on October 15/16, Marco Wittmann (BMW) and Edoardo Mortara (Audi) will be battling for the drivers’ title. In the manufacturers’ and the teams’ standings, Audi is leading before the last two races. Perfect weekend for Marschall in Audi Sport TT Cup Dennis Marschall made his mark on the Hungarian premiere of the Audi Sport TT Cup. At the Hungaroring, the German celebrated two lights-to-flag victories and reduced his deficit to overall leader Joonas Lappalainen from Finland to nine points. Now, the showdown will take place in the season’s finale at Hockenheim. In the guest entrants’ classification, two stars from the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), Chaz Davies and Xavi Forés, were on the grid.

Perfect day for Audi and Edoardo Mortara A perfect Saturday for Audi and Edoardo Mortara in the DTM at Budapest (Hungary): On clinching his fourth victory this season, the Audi driver reduced his deficit to Marco Wittmann (BMW) in the drivers’ classification to 14 points. In the manufacturers’ standings, Audi recaptured the lead with a one-two-three-four-five-six result. Among the teams, Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline ranks in first place again. Audi supports Ekström in world RX title race Audi factory driver Mattias Ekström is going to battle for the title in the World Rallycross Championship (WorldRX) at the Estering in Buxtehude. At the same time, Audi Sport will be giving René Rast another opportunity in the DTM. Following his strong debut in the race at Zandvoort, the 29-year-old German will contest the DTM finale at the Hockenheimring as well. Audi Sport TT Cup celebrates premiere at the Hungaroring The question of who is going to win the title in the Audi Sport TT Cup may already be decided at the Hungaroring.

On the sixth of seven race weekends, two stars from the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), Chaz Davies and Xavier Forés, will be on the grid as guest entrants. The races in the Audi one-make cup will be held as part of the DTM supporting program on Saturday, September 24, and on Sunday, September 25. Audi Motorsport Newsletter 34/2016 Successful race weekend for Audi DTM driver Mattias Ekström in the World Rallycross Championship: The Swede celebrated his fourth victory this season in the Audi S1 EKS RX quattro at Barcelona and took the lead of the standings. In the finale of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup at the Nürburgring, Belgian Audi Club Team WRT achieved a podium place. Second place for Audi in WEC round at Austin Audi led the first half of round six of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with both R18 cars in commanding style. But in the end, its strong performance, with a trophy for second place, did not produce the desired reward.

In the fifth hour, car number 7 lost a lot of time due to a collision in which its driver was not at fault. During an overtaking maneuver, a lapped race car hit the Audi which subsequently spun into the guardrail. The sister car, number 8, that was leading for a long time, lost ground following several incidents and recovered to second place. Both Audi cars on front row at Austin For the fourth time this year and for the third time in succession Audi has achieved the best starting base: the two Audi R18 cars locked out the front row of the grid for round six of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Audi Motorsport Newsletter 33/2016 Successes in races and titles for two Audi customer teams in Down Under: In the season finale of the Australian GT Trophy Series both victories and the title in the Trophy Class went to the Audi R8 LMS. At Donington, the final pre-season tests for Formula E took place. And as part of the DTM at the Nürburgring, Hans-Joachim Stuck and René Rast drove the Audi race taxis.

Audi show at DTM anniversary at the Nürburgring 72,500 spectators experienced a tremendous anniversary weekend of the DTM at the Nürburgring that ended on Sunday in an Audi show, with Edoardo Mortara clinching his third victory this season in the Castrol EDGE Audi RS 5 DTM. The victory in the DTM’s 50th visit to the Nürburgring also marked the 50th triumph of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline that brought all four cars into the points on Sunday. Joonas Lappalainen celebrates brace of wins in Audi Sport TT Cup at the Nürburgring Joonas Lappalainen is the man of the weekend in the Audi Sport TT Cup. At the Nürburgring, the Finn celebrated his second and third victories this season. Thanks to scoring the maximum number of points, the driver who finished last year in fourth place overall took the top spot in the standings. Contenders in the guest entrants’ classification included German TV star Tayfun Baydar and freestyle skier Benedikt Mayr, among others.

Audi ready for Texan racing festival Suspense galore in the second half of the season: In the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) on Saturday, September 17, Audi is aiming to win at Austin for the third time. The battles for victory in the WEC by the brand with the four rings have seldom been as close as in 2016 – twice, in the two most recent races, Audi has had chances of claiming the winners’ trophy up until the end, just barely missing it in second place on both occasions. In Texas, the tide is set to turn. Bye-bye summer break: Audi Sport TT Cup with high-caliber guest entrants at the Nürburgring The summer vacation period is about to end in most German federal states, and in the Audi Sport TT Cup, the eight-week summer break will be over next weekend. The international junior talents will be back on track. At the Nürburgring, as part of the DTM’s supporting program, a race of the Audi one-make cup will be held on each Saturday, September 10, and Sunday, September 11.

Special DTM weekend for Audi Sport at the Nürburgring From September 9 to 11, the DTM will visit the Nürburgring for the 50th time. Audi Sport has a special history in the DTM on the famous race track in the Eifel as well. Be it the V8, TT, A4 or A5: with every model range Audi has been active in the DTM so far the brand with the four rings has celebrated victories at the Nürburgring – a total of nine to date. The first one was achieved in 1990 by two-time World Rally Champion Walter Röhrl (Germany) in the legendary Audi V8 quattro. Audi second in turbulent race in Mexico Audi showed a strong battle in round five of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Following Audi’s pole position, both Audi R18 cars took turns leading the race in Mexico in the early stage. Car number 8, however, lost more than 30 minutes after suffering damage at the end of the third hour. The number 7 sister car recovered from fifth to second place following some setbacks.

Audi to become involved in Formula E Audi is going to intensify its future commitment in the world’s first racing series for fully electric race cars. Starting in the 2016/2017 season that opens in Hong Kong on October 9, Audi will increase its involvement in Formula E Team ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport. In addition, it is planned to incorporate Formula E into a factory-backed motorsport program as of the 2017/2018 season. Audi captures third pole position in Mexico Silverstone, Nürburgring, Mexico City: Having set the fastest time in qualifying for the third time this year, Audi is the best brand in the qualifying sessions of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) to date. For the first time this season the number 8 Audi R18 will be starting the 6-hour race from the top spot on the grid. Audi and the FIA WEC break new ground in Mexico Just one month before the factory opening, Audi starts the crucial phase of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in Mexico. Five of the nine championship races on the calendar are held between September and November.

The world tour begins with the first ever world championship race in Mexico City on September 3. For drivers and engineers alike, it is the altitude of the 4.304 kilometer long track that represents the biggest change: at a height of more than 2,000 meters above sea level the air is quite literally rarified. DTM Moscow: Audi Sport quotes Rain on Saturday, sunshine on Sunday: 25,000 spectators (throughout the weekend) witnessed two highly diverse DTM races at the Moscow Raceway, neither of which went the way Audi Sport had been wishing for. Quotes following the DTM’s visit to Russia. Comeback by Edoardo Mortara at Moscow What a race for Edoardo Mortara: The Italian from Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline in his Castrol EDGE Audi RS 5 DTM advanced from grid position 17 to sixth place in the second race at the Moscow Raceway (Russia) on Sunday. Following a disappointing qualifying session, Audi showed a strong race. DTM front runners moving together even closer Following the first of the two DTM races in Russia, the contenders at the top of the standings in all three classifications are moving together even closer.

In the teams’ classification, Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline recaptured first place at the Moscow Raceway on Saturday. In the manufacturers’ classification, Audi is five and in the drivers’ classification just four points short of the top spot on the leaderboard. Summer break is over: Audi ready for final DTM sprint Jamie Green or Edoardo Mortara? Both Audi drivers have good chances of bringing the lead of the drivers’ standings home from the DTM round in Russia (August 19 to 21). In the manufacturers’ and teams’ classifications, Audi Sport is setting its sights on the top spot as well. Audi Motorsport Newsletter 29/2016 Audi driver Edoardo Mortara proves his abilities in GT3 sports car: in the Audi R8 LMS Cup in Malaysia he won the second race, the first race was won by Alex Yoong. Phil Hanson and Nigel Moore triumphed once again in the Dunlop Endurance Championship at Silverstone. Coupe du Roi and sixth consecutive podium finish for Audi Fans of the 24 Hours of Spa saw one of the most exciting ever editions of the endurance classic.

Audi was among the small group of favorites as the race entered its final quarter, but ultimately it was lady luck that decided the outcome. Four brands fought for victory in the closing stages, before a tire failure robbed Audi Sport Team Phoenix of any chance of victory. In the end, Audi Sport Team WRT from Belgium staged a strong fightback to grab a trophy for Audi. Nico Müller (CH), René Rast (D) and Laurens Vanthoor (B) finished third, while Audi won the “Coupe du Roi” manufacturers’ classification. Drivers/Riders | Motor Sport Magazine Database 2014 Interlagos 6 Hours Bio Jacky Ickx was known as the greatest Le Mans driver of all time for so long and his six wins seemed unbeatable. When Tom Kristensen surpassed that tally in 2005 it was akin to Michael Schumacher’s demolition of Formula 1’s long-standing record book. A winner on debut at both Le Mans and Sebring – he had established new records for most victories at both legendary venues by the time he retired from racing.

Upbringing and early racing career The son of a Paris-Dakar competitor, Kristensen began karting in 1977 and his multiple title wins included the 1985 Scandinavian crown. He switched to Formula Ford 2000 in 1987 although he returned to karts to finish second in the 1987 World Championship at Jesolo. Winner of the German and Japanese Formula 3 titles in 1991 and 1993 respectively, he finished second at Macau and won the Fuji invitational that latter year when driving a works TOM’s Toyota 033F. Kristensen continued racing in Japan and was runner-up behind Toshio Suzuki in the 1995 Formula 3000 Championship with Cerumo’s Lola-Mugen. He also finished second in the national touring car series on two occasions. International Formula 3000 The Dane returned to European racing with Shannon Racing Italia in the 1996 FIA F3000 Championship. Fourth in the opening round at the Nürburgring, he qualified on pole position next time out at Pau.

But the team folded before round three and Kristensen returned with Edenbridge Racing. Second at Silverstone and on pole again before finishing third at Spa-Francorchamps – he was sixth equal in the championship despite missing three races. He was signed by Auto Sport Racing for the 1997 F3000 campaign and won the opening race at Silverstone. Second next time out at Pau was one of two further podium finishes. However, Kristensen was only classified sixth once more as accidents, including crashing out of the lead at Spa-Francorchamps’ Blanchimont Corner at approximately 160mph, blunted his challenge. Winning at Le Mans However, he had already embarked on his record-breaking Le Mans career by then. Kristensen made his debut in the 24-hour race in June 1997 when paired with Michele Alboreto and Stefan Johansson in a Joest Porsche WSC95. Running second when the leading works car retired with three hours to go, they were on hand to inherit victory.

Tyrrell’s Formula 1 reserve driver during its last season in 1998, testing a Williams FW21-Supertec a year later and Michelin’s 2000 development driver as it prepared for its return to the category was as close as Kristensen would come to Grand Prix racing. Third in the 1999 German Super Touring Car Championship, he won on his debut in the Sebring 12 Hours that year with a BMW V12 LMR and led at Le Mans before forced to retire while in contention for victory. The move to Audi A move to Audi for 2000 heralded a period of unprecedented sports car domination by the marque and Kristensen always seemed to be in the right car at the right time. Six Le Mans victories in succession (including in 2003 with a Bentley EXP "Speed Eight") meant that he passed Jacky Ickx’s record at Circuit de la Sarthe in 2005. Two years without victory in the great race, Kristensen added a record eighth victory in the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours after rain negated Peugeot’s speed advantage.

He was the 2002 American Le Mans Series Champion and he won the Sebring 12 Hours for a record sixth occasion 10 years later. Also second at Le Mans in 2012, Kristensen and McNish finished runners-up in that year’s World Endurance Championship behind team-mates Benoît Tréluyer, André Lotterer and Marcel Fässler. He won the Le Mans 24 Hours for a record ninth time in 2013 and was crowned as that year's World Endurance Champion with co-drivers Allan McNish and Loïc Duval. DTM title challenge and retirement Kristensen also won races in Germany’s DTM series for Audi and challenged Bernd Schneider for the title in 2006. However, the following season began with Kristensen triggering a huge accident on the first lap of the opening DTM race at Hockenheim. He spun in the pack and was lucky to escape injury after being T-boned by three cars. Twice Danish Sportsman of the Year and among sports car racing’s greatest drivers, the affable Kristensen was second at Le Mans once more in 2014 during his final season before retirement.

Championship seasons Show Race in Moscow: Motorsport Legends, Sports Stars and Playmates Go Head to Head in the Scirocco R-Cup - VWVortex Store Great Email Updates From VWVortex Show Race in Moscow: Motorsport Legends, Sports Stars and Playmates Go Head to Head in the Scirocco R-Cup Comments Scirocco R-Cup action picks back up in Moscow this weekend, featuring no less than three former Formula 1 pilots, two Playboy Playmates, and two professional athletes which should make for an interesting event. Racing will take place on both Saturday and Sunday of the DTM weekend in Moscow, and will be available for streaming online. Read the full Press Release below. Renowned circuit experts take on famous rally aces Football star Dudek and Olympic ski-jumping champion Hannawald in action Playmates Seidel and Tushkanova add a little glamour Fans can follow the race via live stream The show race in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup in Moscow features an attractive mix of motorsport legends, sports stars and playmates.

The environmentally-sound one-make cup will line up in Russia for the first time when its natural gas-powered cars appear on the programme for the DTM race weekend at the Moscow Raceway on 11 and 12 July. This first is being made possible by Gazprom, a partner of Volkswagen, which has been the sole provider of the fuel for the Cup-Scirocco since last season. The show race promises to be extremely entertaining, with 16 drivers from six different countries and a wide range of fields all going head to head on the outskirts of the Russian capital. Mika Salo (FIN), Jan Lammers (NL) and Nicola Larini (I) became familiar names around the world on the back of their appearances in Formula One, the pinnacle of motor racing. Larini, 1993 DTM champion, goes into the show race as the hot favourite. He won the first race of the 2013 Scirocco R-Cup in Hockenheim as a guest starter in the Legends competition. Another man who has tested in Formula One is Roman Rusinov (RUS), who is probably the best-known Russian racing driver.

He now races for Audi in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), having previously claimed a class victory at the 1000km of Le Mans and enjoyed success in GT racing over the course of his motorsport career. Drivers from F1, DTM, Le Mans, WRC, Dakar and WTCC in the starting grid Another man well capable of winning in Moscow is DTM legend Manuel Reuter (D), who won the title in the International Touring Car Championship (ITC) in 1996. Reuter has also won the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours on two occasions. At the start of this season he took on the role of mentor in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, and is thus more than familiar with the 285-hp racing car. The list of motorsport stars in the field also includes rally legend Markku Alén (FIN), two-time Russian Rally Champion Andrey Sevastyanov (RUS), and Andrey Karginov (RUS). Karginov won the Truck class at this year’s Rally Dakar with the Russian Kamaz Team.

Another of the hosts’ great hopes is Mikhail Kozlovskiy (RUS), who has been racing in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) with Lukoil Racing since 2013. He joins the grid as well as F3 driver Nikita Zlobin (RUS) and WEC pilot Viktor Shaitar (RUS) from the Russian team SMP. A driver with rallying experience is Inessa Tushkanova (RUS), who drives in the European Championship, but has also made a name for herself away from motorsport as a Playboy model. Doreen Seidel (D) was Playmate of the Year in 2008. The attractive blonde from Munich is the only regular driver in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup who has also travelled to Moscow. Seidel has already scored ten points this year, and will take on the likes of Sven Hannawald (D) at the Norisring on the last weekend in June. The 2002 Olympic ski-jumping champion is looking to go on the attack in Moscow.

The same goes for goalkeeping legend Jerzey Dudek (PL), who is demonstrating his driving ability as a regular in this year’s Volkswagen Castrol Cup Poland. Dudek won the UEFA Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, before joining Real Madrid, where he played from 2007 to 2011. After 60 appearances for the Polish national team, Dudek swapped the football pitch for the racetrack. The show race in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup promises to be another highlight in his already illustrious career. Since making its debut in 2010, the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup has become a real crowd favourite on DTM race weekends. The identical cars used in the series are looked after centrally. Only air pressure, anti-roll bar and the position of the seat and steering wheel can be adjusted. A mixture of talented youngsters, old hand and prominent guest starters provides the necessary spice and guarantees thrilling racing. The 2014 season consists of ten races spread over six events. On top of this comes the additional show race for the first time, which will be held in Moscow.

A brief rundown of the motorsport legends in action in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup in Moscow Nicola Larini (50): The Italian contested 75 Formula One Grands Prix between 1987 and 1997, making one appearance on the podium. He won the DTM title in 1993 and raced in the World Touring Car Championship from 2005 to 2009. In 2013, Larini won the season-opener of the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup in Hockenheim. Jan Lammers (58): The Dutchman made the step up to Formula One after winning the title in the Formula 3 European Championship. He then contested 41 Grands Prix between 1979 and 1992. Further highlights from his motorsport career include victories at the 24-hour races in Le Mans and Daytona. Manuel Reuter (52): With 203 races under his belt, the German is regarded as a DTM legend.

He was crowned International Touring Car Champion (ITC) in 1996 and won the Le Mans 24 Hours for the second time (after 1989) in the same year. The 2003 winner of the Nürburgring 24 Hours took on the role of mentor in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup at the start of this year. Markku Alén (63): The Finn is one of the most successful rally drivers in the history of the sport. In 1978 he was crowned unofficial world champion. For a long time he held the record for the greatest number of stage wins, with 801 to his name. Alén has also lined up in the Rally Dakar, the DTM and the International Touring Car Championship. All Videos | Audi MediaTV Audi MediaTV The Audi highlights at the Detroit Motor Show Audi is kicking off the new year with a powerful trio: with the Audi Q8 concept car, the premium carmaker is previewing a future production model at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

At the same time, the brand with the four rings is celebrating the world premiere of the Audi SQ5 TFSI and publicly presenting the A5/S5 Cabriolet for the first time. Duration: 2:11 min Audi at the Detroit Motor Show: the press conference Audi is kicking off the new year with three highlights: with the Audi Q8 concept car, the premium carmaker is previewing a future production model at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. At the same time, the brand with the four rings is celebrating the world premiere of the Audi SQ5 TFSI and publicly presenting the A5/S5 Cabriolet for the first time. Audi SQ5: This vehicle is not yet on sale. It does not yet have type approval and is therefore not subject to Directive 1999/94/EC. Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet: Fuel consumption in l/100 km: combined 7.8 – 4.5; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 177 – 118.

Audi Q5: Fuel consumption in l/100 km: combined 7.1 – 4.9; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 162 – 129. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data as well as the efficiency classes are dependent on the choice of wheels and tyres. Duration: 13:52 min Audi S5 Cabriolet - Footage In the Audi S5 Cabriolet a new six-cylinder turbocharged engine developing 354 hp and 500 Nm (368.8 lb-ft) of torque ensures top performance. The Audi S5 Cabriolet is moving into a whole new league with its newly developed 3.0 TFSI. From its 2,995 cc of displacement, the boosted six-cylinder engine produces 260 kW (354 hp) of power – 15 kW (21 hp) more than the engine in the previous model.

Audi S5 Cabriolet: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 7.8 - 7.7 (30.2 - 30.5 US mpg); Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 177 - 175 (284.9 - 281.6 g/mi). Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data as well as the efficiency classes are dependent on the choice of wheels and tyres. Duration: 5:00 min Audi A5 Cabriolet - Footage The premiere of the new Audi A5 Cabriolet completes the new generation of the A5 family. Up to four people can enjoy intense driving pleasure on board the open-top mid-sized model. The fully automatic acoustic hood opens and closes up to a speed of 50 km/h (31.1 mph).

Audi A5 Cabriolet 3.0 TDI quattro S tronic 160 kW: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 5.2 - 4.9 (45.2 - 48.0 US mpg); Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 137 - 128 (220.5 - 206.0 g/mi). Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data as well as the efficiency classes are dependent on the choice of wheels and tyres. Duration: 4:39 min Audi Q5 on location Footage TDI The new Audi Q5 is launching in Europe with five powerful and efficient engines: four TDI engines and one TFSI. They have added up to 20 kW (27 hp) of power, with fuel consumption however being significantly reduced. Particularly the 2.0 TDI engines in the new Q5, with outputs of 110 kW (150 hp), 120 kW (163 hp) and 140 kW (190 hp), are highly efficient.

The two-liter diesel is also a highly efficient engine in the version with 140 kW (190 hp). Q5 TDI: Fuel consumption in l/100 km: combined 5,2 – 4,9; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 136 - 129 Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data as well as the efficiency classes are dependent on the choice of wheels and tyres. Duration: 10:05 min Audi R8 Spyder V10 Audi Space Frame Animation According to DIN unladen weight without driver, the new Audi R8 Spyder tips the scales at just 1,720 kilograms; dry weight is a mere 1,612 kilograms. The key to this outstanding figure is the new multimaterial Audi Space Frame (ASF). It combines aluminum components with components made of structurally integrated carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). The ASF in the new Audi R8 Spyder has a total weight of just 208 kilograms.

Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 11.7; Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 277 Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data as well as the efficiency classes are dependent on the choice of wheels and tyres. Duration: 2:20 min The Audi press conference from Paris Audi presents two world premieres at the Paris Motor Show. The unveiling of the Audi Q5 signals the arrival of the second generation of Audi’s top-selling SUV. In the compact category, the sporty Audi RS 3 Sedan makes its debut in Paris. S5 Sportback: Fuel consumption in l/100 km: combined 7.5 – 7.3; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 170 – 166 Q5: Fuel consumption in l/100 km: combined 7,1 – 4,9; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 162 - 129 RS 3 Sedan: This vehicle is not yet on sale. It does not yet have type approval and is therefore not subject to Directive 1999/94/EC.

Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data as well as the efficiency classes are dependent on the choice of wheels and tyres. Duration: 14:08 min The Audi highlights from the Paris Motor Show Audi is taking the wraps off a glittering array of new products at the motor show in Paris. Sporty, efficient, stylish and with high everyday usability – it has the right offering for every customers. The Ingolstadt carmaker is showing the new Audi Q5 and the new Audi RS 3 Sedan to an international audience for the very first time. S5 Sportback: Fuel consumption in l/100 km: combined 7.4 – 7.3; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 170 – 166 Q5: This vehicle is not yet on sale. It does not yet have type approval and is therefore not subject to Directive 1999/94/EC. RS 3 Sedan: This vehicle is not yet on sale. It does not yet have type approval and is therefore not subject to Directive 1999/94/EC. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data as well as the efficiency classes are dependent on the choice of wheels and tyres.

Duration: 3:29 min Audi TT RS Matrix OLED Animation For the first time in a series-production Audi, Matrix OLED technology (organic light emitting diode) is used in the rear lights as an option. These emit an extremely homogeneous, precise light. The light does not cast any harsh shadows and does not require any reflectors – this makes the OLEDs in 3D design efficient, lightweight and visually impressive. Audi TT RS Coupé: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 8.4 – 8.2; Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 192 – 187 Audi TT RS Roadster: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 8.5 – 8.3, Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 194 – 189 Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data are dependent on the choice of wheels and tyres as well as on the combination of engine and gearbox. Duration: 2:05 min Audi TT RS Animation powertrain The power of the 2.5 TFSI engine flows via a seven-speed S tronic, which shifts at lightning speed, to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive.

Its multi-plate clutch distributes power fully variably between the two axles. This ensures strong grip and plenty of driving pleasure. Audi TT RS Coupé: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 8.4 – 8.2; Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 192 – 187 Audi TT RS Roadster: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 8.5 – 8.3, Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 194 – 189 Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data are dependent on the choice of wheels and tyres as well as on the combination of engine and gearbox. Duration: 2:39 min Virtual Experience pre sense - Footage Audi is making increasing use of high-tech simulation tools, like the Audi Virtual Training Car, an Audi A4 equipped with a virtual reality headset for the driver. A driving simulation played back in the VR headset allows the driver to experience in realistic scenarios how the emergency braking assistant Audi pre sense city works – in a car that is actually driving.

A4 Sedan: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 7,5 - 3,7; Combined CO2-emissions in g/km: 170 - 95. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions data are dependent on the choice of wheels and tyres as well as on the combination of engine and gearbox. Duration: 9:55 min Coupe du Roi and sixth consecutive podium finish for Audi Fans of the 24 Hours of Spa saw one of the most exciting ever editions of the endurance classic. Audi was among the small group of favorites as the race entered its final quarter, but ultimately it was lady luck that decided the outcome. Four brands fought for victory in the closing stages, before a tire failure robbed Audi Sport Team Phoenix of any chance of victory. In the end, Audi Sport Team WRT from Belgium staged a strong fightback to grab a trophy for Audi. Nico Müller (CH), René Rast (D) and Laurens Vanthoor (B) finished third, while Audi won the “Coupe du Roi” manufacturers’ classification. Duration: 2:27 min

Question: Since 1999, which manufacturer has won Le Mans on all but two occasions?
Answer: AUDI