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gennaio 19, 2017 - Audi

36 years of “Vorsprung durch Technik”

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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.

The success story began with the Audi quattro

Disregarding the pre-World War II era including #auto Union’s legendary Grand Prix race cars in the 1930s, the #motorsport history of AUDI AG began with the Audi quattro. The commanding victories, plus two manufacturers’ and two drivers’ titles achieved with the “original quattro” in the World Rally Championship between 1982 and 1984, were a key factor in producing the success of quattro drive in the marketplace.

quattro victorious in circuit #racing as well

After Audi had turned rallying upside down, storming up Pikes Peak (USA) with the Sport quattro in record time three times in succession, Audi established quattro drive in circuit #racing as well: initially with the Audi 200 quattro and the Audi 90 quattro IMSA-GTO in the United States, in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) with two title wins of the Audi V8 quattro in 1990 and 1991 – and ultimately with the A4 in production-based super touring car #racing. 1996 saw the Audi A4 quattro clinch 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 present-day Le Mans sports car

After the dominant quattro drive was banned from touring car #racing, Audi switched to sports prototypes and went on to underpin the company’s slogan “Vorsprung durch Technik” in this #motorsport category as well for 18 years. In its 1999 debut at Le Mans, the world’s toughest endurance race, Audi, on clinching third place, instantly managed the leap onto the winners’ podium. In the following years, the Audi R8 was in a class of its own. From 2000 to 2002, Audi achieved a historic hat-trick, not least thanks to debuting TFSI technology that subsequently made its way into production technology. 2004 and 2005 saw customer teams score two further overall victories for Audi. The R8 secured its place in #motorsport history with a total of 63 victories in 80 sports car races.

Title wins following return to DTM

Following Laurent Aiello’s 2002 victory in the Abt-Audi TT-R, Audi returned to the DTM with a factory commitment in 2004 and, with Mattias Ekström, instantly clinched the title. The Swede triumphed again in 2007, while in 2008 and 2009 Timo Scheider won, making Audi the first – and so far only – automobile manufacturer in DTM history to have achieved a title hat-trick. Martin Tomczyk completed the success story of the Audi A4 DTM in the 2011 season with another title win – the fifth one in total for the Audi A4 DTM. In 2013, Mike Rockenfeller in the Audi RS 5 DTM claimed the ninth DTM title in total for Audi.

Pioneering achievements with TDI technology

With TDI technology, Audi demonstrated a pioneering achievement, again proving “Vorsprung durch Technik” in the process. In 2006, the Audi R10 TDI featuring a new concept was the first-ever car with diesel power to triumph in the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours. In total, TDI technology won at Le Mans on eight occasions. 2007 and 2008 again saw Audi win at Le Mans with the R10 TDI. In addition, Audi won the American Le Mans Series three times in succession with the diesel-powered sports car, plus, in 2008, the Le Mans Series in Europe. With the R15 TDI, Audi celebrated a one-two-three result in the fastest Le Mans race of all time in 2010, as well as setting a new distance record that has not been broken to date. In 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, Audi TDI Power again won at Le Mans, plus in 2014, the brand celebrated its 13th victory in only 16 races it had participated in. Audi has been demonstrating “Vorsprung durch Technik” in terms of energy efficiency as well, having reduced diesel consumption by 46 percent throughout the entire TDI era within the space of one decade.

First hybrid winner at Le Mans

On clinching the first victory of a hybrid race car in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2012, Audi achieved another pioneering feat in the world’s most important endurance race. Three times in succession (2012, 2013 and 2014), the Audi R18 e-tronquattro remained unbeaten at Le Mans. Numerous other innovations such as Audi laser light complement the brand’s pioneering prowess in technology. Drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles with the hybrid sports car clinched in the FIA World endurance Championship (WEC) in 2012 and 2013 complete the track record of Audi’s sports car era, which ended in 2016.

GT #racing as third pillar

In the R8 LMS, Audi, in 2009, developed a race car specifically for use in customer #racing for the first time. The GT3 sports car, more than 50 percent of which consists of production components, instantly impressed. By the end of 2016, Audi delivered more than 200 race cars to customers. In March 2015, Audi presented the second generation of the successful GT3 sports car that, only two months later, won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. To date, 35 overall drivers’ titles around the globe, nine overall victories in the iconic 24-hour races such as the ones at the Nürburgring and at Spa-Francorchamps, plus four successes in 12-hour races have been achieved by the R8 LMS.

“Vorsprung durch Technik” to continue making its mark

For the 2017 season, Audi Sport has repositioned its commitment. The company demonstrates “Vorsprung durch Technik” not only in the DTM, but in two #racing categories that have been included in the brand’s portfolio for the first time. Audi supports the rallycross team of Mattias Ekström who in 2016 won the drivers’ and teams’ classifications in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Starting in the 2016/2017 season, Audi has intensified its involvement in Formula E Team ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport as well. In addition, it is planned to expand Formula E into a factory-backed #motorsport program for the 2017/2018 season. It is the first-ever series featuring all-electric race cars. 

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