# Autosport print ed report: 2012 Audi R18 likely to be a hybrd, may have it's name changed.



## chernaudi (Oct 6, 2006)

Autosport's print edition is now reporting that based on comments from Audi Sport boss Wolfgang Ullrich, the 2012 version of the Audi R18 will likely be a hybrid, with the type of electification system to be announced if pursued. Also, to separated it from the normal R18, the car may have a name change, either something subtle (Audi R18 TDI-H, for example), or to whatever the next Audi Sport R-number is.

It must be noted that the Audi R18 was designed with provisions for a hybrid system to be installed at a later date. It's reported that the car will be an evolution of the R18, and will resemble it closely, and will use the basic powertrain and likely the tub and an updated aero package that's a clear evolution of the original R18, but will have many detail changes to embody the hybrid system.

This can also be seen as a help to Porsche, who need a compact hybrid system for their newly proposed 2014 LMP1 car.

In spite of their public non-committal to hybrid systems, several people who have spoken to Audi Sport personel off the record seem to point out that Audi would persue hybrid systems if the thought it would be a performance gain, which is likely the motivation behind Peugeot pursuing KERS.

It'll be interesting what the coming days and weeks will have for Audi and the R18, and I'd expect for some of the parts being used on the R18s by the end of the season, perhaps as early as Silverstone in Sept.

And this can maybe explain the abscence of the 101 and 102 R18s, of which 102 resurfaced at the Goodwood Festival of Speed--Audi may be holding those cars in reserve for use to test the hybrid system.


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## chernaudi (Oct 6, 2006)

Another important hint at a R18 hybrid: Racecar Engineering has reported in the August issue about the R15 and R18 Garrett/Audi VTG turbocharger system, and the fact that Audi may run turbo compounding on the R18 next year, which might be the major component of the hybrid system.

And Mulsanne's corner has photos of the R18 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed showing what the engine bay pipes may be up to, and where they orginate, and how they might work:

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsjuly11.html


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