Audi R8 LMS with GT3 podium results on three continents Good weekend for the Audi customer teams in the GT4 and TCR classes Audi RS Q e-tron tobe admired up close in Wolfsburg
At the opening round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia powered byAWS, the FAW Audi Sport Asia Racing Team set an exclamation mark with its first win of the season in difficult weather conditions. The GT4 and TCR models from Audi Sport also won several trophies in the hands of customers.
Audi R8 LMS GT3 Successes in Asia, America and Europe: Audi’s customer teams collected a total of six podium results in overall rankings on three continents. In the Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia powered byAWS, Congfu Cheng/Adderly Fong won the first race of the season in Sepang. They had qualified for pole position in the Audi R8 LMS from the FAW Audi Sport Asia Racing Team. A heavy downpour delayed the start byan hour. The Audi customer team then made a bold tire choice and opted for slicks. Cheng initially dropped back to fourth place on the wet track in the early stages, but subsequently made up two positions. Fong took over the cockpit at the pit stop, was initially in second place and, after an overtaking maneuver, ultimately prevailed by 2.1 seconds. Asa result, the duo also won the Silver class and leads this category of the standings. In the second race, a team from Japan celebrated victory in the Am class. Hiroshi Hamaguchi and Mineki Okura won the amateur classification inan Audi from The Spirit of FFF Racing. They now lead the Am Cup. At the second GT America powered byAWS event, four podium results went to Audi customers. On the streets of Long Beach, Johnny O’Connell in the Audi R8 LMS from SKI Autosports was beaten by the winner by just 0.298 seconds in the first race. The Audi privateer driver had secured pole position ahead of James Sofronas and led for a long time until he lost his position in lapped traffic shortly before the end.
The success story of AUDI AGin motorsport Victories and titles since 1981
Audi positions itself as the sportiest manufacturerin the premium segment and hasa perfect basis todoso: motorsport. Sportiness, advanced technology and emotive design are the basis for the success of the Audi brand. The genes for this have their origin in racing, since 1980.
The success story began with the Audi quattro Excluding the era before the Second World War that included the legendary Auto Union Grand Prix race cars in the 1930s, the motorsport history of AUDI AG began with the Audi quattro. The dominant victories and two manufacturers’ and two drivers’ titles achieved with the “original quattro” in the World Rally Championship between 1982 and 1984 were an important factor in the market success of the quattro drivetrain. quattro victorious in circuit racing as well After Audi had turned rallying upside down and stormed up Pikes Peak (USA) with the Sport quattro in record time on three successive occasions, Audi also made the quattro drivetrain fit for circuit racing: initially with the Audi 200 quattro and the Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO in the United States, in 1990 and 1991 with two championship titles for the Audi V8 quattro in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM), and ultimately also with the A4in the production-based super touring cars. In 1996, the Audi A4 quattro won the championship titles in seven countries. Between 2012 and 2016, the all-wheel drive system returned to the race track as the e-tron quattro. Audi R8 most successful Le Mans sports car in present-day racing After the dominant quattro drivetrain was banned from touring car racing, Audi switched to sports prototypes and also underpinned its slogan “Vorsprung durch Technik” in this motorsport category for 18 years. Audi, on making its debut atLe Mans in 1999, the toughest endurance race in the world, immediately managed the leap onto the podium, finishing third overall.
Audi builds the electric motors for the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) at the world’s largest powertrain plant in Győr, Hungary. The drive systems will initially beusedin the Audi Q6e-tron series, which is produced in Ingolstadt. Győr manufactures the PPE drive systems onan area of around 15,000 square meters (approx. 160,000 sqft), in addition to producing stator and transmission components and assembling the axles. Csaba Imre Benke, Head of the Electric Drive Systems Product Segment in Győr and responsible for the production of the PPE drive systems, explains how Audi is setting new standards with the production of electric drive systems for the PPE.
Can you give usan idea of the scope involved in producing the PPE drive systems? Csaba Imre Benke: To produce the electric motors for the PPE, the brand with the four rings has installed three new production lines. The production line for stators has28 work steps, the one for transmission components has15. Assembling one axle requires more than 190 individual steps. How many employees are involved and how many electric motors do you produce? Csaba Imre Benke: All told, around 700 employees are involved in producing the PPE drive systems. In Győr, three shifts are able to mass-produce 2,000 electric motors for the PPE every day. The electric drive systems we produce here are for the PPE models from Audi and Porsche. What previous experience does the Győr plant have in producing electric motors? Csaba Imre Benke: Producing for the PPE naturally meant we had to learn a number of work steps at the new production stations. It took our employees around 20 days of training each to learn everything. But weare not starting from scratch! We have made more than 500,000 electric motors since 2018. It goes without saying, our experience benefits us. Especially since we will be gradually increasing our vertical range ofmanufacture for electric motors.
Production of the upcoming fully electric Audi Q6e-tron series, as well as all other vehicles built at the site, will be net carbon-neutral Audi Board Member for Production and Logistics Gerd Walker: “By transitioning the Ingolstadt site to renewable energies, weare taking a major step toward our goal of net carbon-neutral vehicle production” As part of the environmental program Mission:Zero, all Audi sites will be net carbon-neutral by 2025
The Audi plant in Ingolstadt began net carbon-neutral production on January 1, 2024. After Brussels (Belgium, 2018) and Győr (Hungary, 2020), itis the third Audi plant to operate with net zero emissions. In addition are the Audi R8 and e-tron GT quattro models, which have been built at Böllinger Höfe with net zero emissions since 2020. As part ofits Mission:Zero environmental program, Audi has set itself the goal of achieving net carbon neutrality at all its sites worldwide by 2025. By then, the final steps will have been taken in Neckarsulm and San José Chiapa (Mexico).
Audi Board Member for Production and Logistics Gerd Walker emphasizes: “Protecting the environment as best as possible is firmly anchored in Audi’s corporate strategy. By transitioning the Ingolstadt site to renewable energies, weare taking a major step toward our goal of net carbon-neutral1 vehicle production.” To achieve its ambitious goal, the brand with the four rings is implementing a four-pillar concept.
1. Increasing energy efficiency In the first pillar, Audi is improving energy efficiency atits sites, which will already avoid large amounts of carbon emissions.
Carbon hood and fenders as well as22-inch wheels ina distinctive design ensure high recognizability Adjustable coilover suspension, high-performance tires, and optimized quattro sport differential enhance the driving dynamics Only 660 units worldwide and heritage decals based on the Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO guarantee exclusivity
The new Audi RS 6 Avant GTis the pinnacle of the model series. The special edition is packed with exclusive details for both the exterior and the interior. An impressive pass-through roof edge spoiler, redefined diffuser, and 22-inch wheels ina distinctive design underscore its top position in the model series. The interior features high-quality bucket seats, a fresh color combination, and individual numbering in the center console as exclusive accents. Lightweight adjustable coilover suspension unique to the RS 6 Avant GT and a reworked quattro sport differential on the rear axle sharpen the driving experience. The twin-turbocharged eight-cylinder engine ina V-layout hasan output of 463 kW (630 PS) and delivers 850 Nmof torque from 2,300 to 4,500 rpm. Delivery of the Audi RS 6 Avant GT will begin in the second quarter 2024, the price starts at 219,585 euro.
Suitability for everyday use confirmed: a Paralympian and a wheelchair user test the Audi charging hub The Audi Q4e-tron model family offers driving aids from the factory Ample room between charging stations and adjustable and lightweight equipment are decisive factors for easy use
When creating infrastructure for electric vehicles, itis important to remember people with mobility requirements. Audi brand ambassador Gerd Schönfelder, the most successful Winter Paralympian of all time, and Audi driver Uwe Herrmann have clear ideas on what charging without barriers and disability-friendly vehicle modifications should look like. Schönfelder lost his right arm and shoulder inan accident at the ageof19, while Hermann has been usinga wheelchair since adolescence. While Schönfelder has been driving an Audi Q4e-tron for the past 18 months, Herrmann (still) drives an Audi with a gasoline engine and is curious to hear about Schönfelder’s experiences. At the opening of the sixth Audi charging hub in Frankfurt am Main, the two men met up for a chat.
Gerd Schönfelder: Public charging stations must be accessible for all electric car drivers, including people with mobility needs. With its barrier-free features like the swivel arm and the height-adjustable display, the Audi charging hub isa great place for people like us with disabilities to charge their cars ina comfortable environment quickly. Inmy opinion, however, everybody benefits from the barrier-free concept at this charging facility. Uwe Herrmann: I’m still driving a car with a gasoline engine, but everything I’ve heard about e-mobility to date sounds positive. And the Audi charging hub looks promising, too. Sometimes, I have to ask for help filling upmy current Audi SQ5 when the car isinan awkward position. But that could soon change with an electrically powered Audi ata charging point like this.