Audi is gearing up for the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans by introducing a new long tail variant of the R18 e-tron quattro.
The new R18 e-tron Quattro comes with a longer rear section that is optimized for high-speed tracks like Le Mans. The car will compete at Spa on May 4, 2013 and would be driven by Marc Gené, Lucas di Grassi and Oliver Jarvis.
During the car’s inaugural run, the engineers would first like to compare the new variant with the existing R18 in terms of performance which means that they will analyze the time differences between the models on individual track sectors. The team will also study the practical aspects of using the new long tail variant over the standard R18.
Audi Motorsport Head Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich stated in a statement released by the company that Audi will be using the race at Spa as a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the Le Mans 24 Hours which is to be held in June like they always do. Fielding the Le Mans aero variant on the third vehicle that hasn’t been optimized for the lap times at Spa is an important element of the preparation for the 24-hour race.
Have a look at picture gallery, and stay tuned with speedlux for more updates.
