Audi plans a flagship supercar R20; will be a LeMans racer for the road
Flagship cars are the torch bearers for the brand. They are absolutely at the cutting edge of technology and science that their brand represents.
The easiest way to explain what a flagship car is to a particular brand - You have to take the examples of the Mercedes S Class, Buggati Veyron and McLaren F1. All these cars took a massive investment of labor, time and funds to make them iconic in their own realm.
Audi is ready create a new flagship car which will wear the four rings logo proudly on its front grill. Earlier, a zero emission Audi e-tron was supposed wear this crown but those plans seem to be on the backburner.
Audi’s new R&D chief Wolfgang Dürheimer wants to create a road going version of the super successful Audi LeMans LMP1 racer as the new flagship for the Audi brand.
The new Audi flagship, supposedly called the R20, will be a Buggati Veyron rivaling hypercar. Audi is expected to adopt a diesel-hybrid power train with a twin-turbo V6 mated to two electric motors with a combined output of 700 bhp and a 1000 Nm of torque.
It will feature an e-quattro layout wherein the two electric motors will be placed on the front wheels. The new setup will add additional torque vectoring, some zero-emissions capability, ultimate traction, an on-demand boost effect, and a beefed up torque curve.
Design wise, the R20 will not be that far from the LeMans LMP1 racer. This will reduce the gestation period because the racer is already a two seater. Audi will only have to work on making the design production/road legal. The design features expected are –
- A downsized, single frame grille
- Stacked LED headlights
- Ventilated front and rear wings
- An adjustable tail spoiler
- A relatively narrow canopy-style cockpit accessed through gullwing doors
- A active aerodynamics system, which can distribute the downforce between the front and rear axles for optimum stability
On the inside, this will not be as luxurious as a Buggati Veyron but more on the lines of the Ariel Atom. Expect a thoroughly practical and race-focused interior. It will have a
- Dynamic mode selector
- A multi-functional black panel center display
- Active-contour seats with integrated four-point belts
- A multi-segment high-intensity windshield wiper
- A camera-based surround-view package
The R20 will be developed for a limited production of just 100 to 250 units. Expect the R20 to make a public debut at the 2016 Pebble Beach event.
[Source: Automobilemag.com]
