Audi R18 reigned supreme at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for many years. The German team's dominance deterred any other manufacturer from stepping up, leaving a privateer teams like Escarole Sport as Audi's only Challengers. Strong team work and great driving nevertheless turned the tables in Audi's favour three times in the last four years.
Out went the Audi R18 V10 and V12 engines in the LMP1 (Le Mans Prototype) class, and in CAME new capacity limits for all engines, the intake restrictors and lower limits on existing turbo-boost turbo Diesels.
Those in four attempts Audi R18 fielded three distinctly different cars against the 908 HDI FOPS and due to extensive rule changes for, the German manufacturer have been forced to develop its third new car in as many years. The most significant of these changes is a cut in the maximum displacement of a third for the diesel engines are favored by Both Audi and Peugeot. Referred to by Audi as the 'hot side inside', it features the exhausts and turbo inside the wide, 120 ° 'V'. First used on the 2010 Le Mans winning R15, the variable geometry allows the turbo to perform well across a much Wider rev range.
The single rear wing mount is very cleverly mounted flush with the fin to limit the drag generated Further event. The definitive version of the car with its minimalist livery was launched A Few days ahead of the official Le Mans Test.
