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Audi announced its driver pairings for the defense of the title in the WEC, and for important long-haul operations 2013th

Audi Puts In Le Mans with Three Hybrid Race Car

In the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship (WEC) Audi starts 2013 as the defending champion. Audi Sport Team Joest enters with two advanced e-tron quattro Audi R18 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the WEC race at Spa R18 a third e-tron quattro is used.

Audi is now officially at Le Mans and in the WEC on the 2012 successfully introduced hybrid technology. The flywheel storage system is more powerful, without too much to put on weight and size. From the outside, the Audi R18 is e-tron quattro differ little from this years winning car. Under the ultra-light carbon fiber skin stuck yet again a number of technical innovations. Parallel Audi Sport has been working intensively on a successor to the valid from 2014 new LMP1 regulations.

The Audi driver squad for the WEC and Le Mans 2013 consists of the reigning world champions Marcel Fässler (Switzerland), André Lotterer (Germany) and Benoît Tréluyer (France) as well as new signing Lucas di Grassi (Brazil), Loïc Duval (France), Marc Gené (Spain), Oliver Jarvis (UK), Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland).

Strong line-up at the 24-hour race at Daytona

Works driver from the WEC and DTM play in customer sport program of AUDI AG, a role the 24-hour race at Daytona (Fla.), 26-27. January Filipe Albuquerque, Oliver Jarvis and Edoardo Mortara start with an Audi R8 GRAND-AM the team Alex Job Racing. Two other R8 are also studded cast: Marc Basseng, René Rast and Frank Stippler go for APR Motorsport, Frank Biela, Christopher Haase and GT1 World Champion Markus Winkelhock for Rum Bum Racing. Add to that one American driver.
Increased involvement in the GRAND-AM series in the U.S.

With the 24-hour race at Daytona, and increased involvement in the GRAND-AM series heralds Audi will make his return to the U.S. racing. In the United States, the brand with the four rings is growing faster than the overall U.S. market, especially in the prestigious upper class. The racing activities in the United States should support this trend in the long term.

Therefore, is a use of the e-tron quattro Audi R18 at the 12-hour race on 16 March at Sebring (Florida) in the pipeline, which Audi has won ten times. "Its probably the last chance with an LMP1 car to compete at Sebring," said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "This is an opportunity we would use a lot and say goodbye to the fans after our great success story of recent years with a beautiful appearance."

And it need not be a final farewell: the 2014 GRAND-AM Series and the American Le Mans Series merge into a new North American sports car championship, which could be interesting for Audi. In addition, the U.S. fans 2013 is another opportunity to the Audi R18 e-tron quattro experience in action: On 22 September the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship has appeared in Austin (Texas).

Evolution version of the Audi R8 LMS Ultra

But the customer sport market in Europe and the rest of the world neglected Audi not: delivered an evolution version of the GT3 sports car Audi R8 LMS Ultra, which differs mainly in the rear area of ​​the current model is, by quattro GmbH in February 2013, customers .

At the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (Germany) and at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) in 2013 with the support of customer teams Audi Sport customer racing go live. Rounding out the increasingly diverse customer sport program of AUDI AG is the continuation of the successful launch of 2012 Audi R8 LMS Cup in China.

"With the more advanced versions of the R8 GRAND-AM and the R8 LMS ultra and the Cup in China, we have a very attractive proposition for our customers," says Romolo Liebchen, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. "We expect in the course of 2013 to deliver the 100th customer vehicle."

In model year 2014 Volvo wants to set the volume for the V60 Plug-in Hybrid to 4,000 to 6,000 units per year

From now on the new Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is the assembly line. The installation of the worlds first diesel plug-in hybrid is built at the Volvo headquarters in Gothenburg Torslanda into the existing production line.

The production of the so-called Pure Limited Edition, which is limited to 1,000 units, is carried out on a band with other vehicles, the Volvo brand. With the beginning of the model year 2014, the start of production is scheduled for the spring of 2013, Volvo is increasing the volumes for the Volvo V60 Plug-in hybrid then to 4,000 to 6,000 units per year. The V60 develops 215 hp (158 kW) + 70 hp (51 kW). The maximum torque of 440 + 200 Nm. According to the manufacturer, the fuel consumption (combined) at 1.8 l/100 km lie.

The plug-in hybrid technology includes two complete drive units and a powerful battery that allows up to 50 kilometers purely electric driving. "We are the first car manufacturer, which has managed the production of a plug-in hybrid to integrate into an existing production with other models," says Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research and Development. "The integration into the ongoing production process enables buyers of hybrid models to access all configuration options that are available for the conventional diesel and gasoline vehicles in the Volvo V60."

More than 300 additional parts

The extensive number of necessary equipment and system components in the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid necessitated the conversion and modification of various sections of the production line. This adjustment allows the compared to the conventional Volvo V60 integrate more than 300 additional parts in the plug-in hybrid in the production process.

The V60 develops 215 hp (158 kW) + 70 hp (51 kW). The maximum torque of 440 + 200 Nm. According to the manufacturer, the fuel consumption (combined) at 1.8 l/100 km lie

Examples of integrated production process:

• The electric motor and its drive shaft is mounted in the same production area as the final drive of the standard all-wheel models.
• The installation of the cooling system and high-voltage cable is made at the same assembly station, which is also used for the drive unit of the vehicle and part of the body.
• The battery is lifted with the narrow side forward through a hatch into the vehicle. Then it is rotated by 90 degrees in the interior. The process takes 60 seconds and is performed with a tolerance range of less than 20 millimeters.

Rising demand

The series production of the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is the result of close cooperation between Volvo Car Corporation and which is also based in Sweden energy supplier Vattenfall. The companies have jointly funded the development. "The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is a unique vehicle - its series production is not only for Volvo, but for the entire automotive industry, a historic step. The first 1,000 units of Pure Limited Edition were sold before the car ever comes into the exhibition rooms of the Volvo dealer - and the order books for the next year are filling up steadily, "says Peter Mertens.

With the Cayenne S Hybrid, Porsche swim with the hybrid shaft at the top or sailing. Because the Zuffenhausen want as long distance glide without engine.

2010, the first Porsche Cayenne will come with hybrid drive on the market. He is the next consumption-reducing innovation, with the Stuttgart their SUV range will wean the excessive drinking habits.

Basis for the hybrid powertrain is a V6 petrol engine from Audi stocks. The aggregate three-liter, direct injection and supercharging, Audi has developed just last year. While it makes the brand with the four rings from 213 to 245 kilowatts, it offers only Porsche with 245 kilowatts of power and 440 newton meters. The charge by riemengetriebenem compressor means two things. By the power requirements of the compressor in this technique, the fuel consumption in comparison with an equally strong engine with a turbocharger is not quite as high. However ensures the compressor in the lower speed ranges for much more agility. "We use the electric motor and the battery capacity for mainly electric starting and steady cruising at higher speeds," says Dr.-Ing. Michael Head, Project Manager for the Cayenne Hybrid.

The 38-kilowatt synchronous electric motor from Bosch, together with the clutch only 15 inches long and fits relatively easily between the V6 and the eight-speed torque converter automatic by Aisin. This configuration allows the first three normal modes: conventional drive with a combustion engine, accelerating with combustion engine and electric motor (boosting) and driving with only the electric motor. There is also a control strategy for converting kinetic energy into electrical energy and subsequent storage in the nickel-metal hydride battery (regeneration) by Sanyo and the stop-start function.
Two other modes

The engineers have the Cayenne Hybrid but still planted two additional modes that make up the majority of the approximately 2.5 liters less fuel consumption compared to conventional Cayenne with VR6 engine: the load point shift modes and sailing. When the load point of the V6 engine, for example, is used not only for propulsion, it also simultaneously charges the battery. This higher load, he works in map areas that are more fuel efficient.

Solely by the load point displacement and further optimization of engine measures implemented 44 percent of under Porsche Cayenne Hybrid (8.9 liters per 100 kilometers, 210 grams of CO2 per kilometer) compared to a conventional Cayenne with VR6 engine (12.4 liters, 294 grams CO2) emissions. Other measures include the modern V6 engine, demand-controlled ancillary components, and an eight-speed automatic transmission with torque converter lockup instead of the current six-speed automatic. Using the new dual clutch transmission have been discarded because the automatic transmission, especially when starting with a trailer is better.

Electric driving contributes to an additional 26 percent of under-spending. Porsche concentrates on the electric motor operating mainly on purely electrically powered driving. Less on the supportive boost function during acceleration because the supercharged V6 compressor already has a good torque curve. The Cayenne Hybrid will be driven in large areas with low load demand, or only with the electric motor. In addition, heres the clutch between the combustion engine and electric motor into play. It decouples the engine from the rest anyway dormant drivetrain, preventing unnecessary braking drag torques. The first German production hybrid Mercedes-Benz S 400 is still the way to a rigid engine-transmission connection to the market.

Reactivation of the internal combustion engine in 0.3 seconds

Calls to the driver more torque and the energy storage is exhausted, the combustion engine is in less than 0.3 seconds is coupled to the drive train, and from the electric motor is started. "The sails are phases in the current testbed possible up to a speed of 138 kilometers per hour, to the start of this mode should be extended until at 157 pace," said Head. Overall, the process developed by Bosch hybrid management for the complex control strategy more than 20,000 parameters. For comparison, a conventional motor control comes from with 6,000 parameters.

The introduction of the sail and their expansion phase up to a brisk highway speeds makes sense, since the typical driving profile of the Cayenne contains more intercity and highway routes and smaller urban units with stop-and-go traffic.

The sailing mode, the Cayenne ruled on a splash and sail around Stuttgart already very well when the drivers foot on the accelerator and curbing the flow of traffic as evenly as possible about his death. The reactivation of the engine is almost imperceptible to the driver. The hybrid Cayenne consumed on the average driving profile approximated circuit just over nine liters per kilometer. Remarkably, after all he is about 170 kilograms heavier than his brother, with series six-cylinder. Since the electric motor in addition to the rather moderate power of 38 kW but develops 285 Nm of torque, comply with the performance and acceleration values ​​which the larger V8 engine. This approval, however, the cycle 15 liters of petrol per 100 kilometers, 355 grams of CO2.

The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is a glimpse into the future of the sports car maker: latest hybrid technology in trendy shooting brake guise. (Porsche)

New rear and stronger hybrid: Porsche shows in Paris a Panamera, which is visually convincing as drive terms. The concept vehicle is above all a taste test of what would offer the sports car maker in the future.

This is Porsches look into the future: The study Turismo Panamera Sport is not just a shooting brake but also has a hybrid drive. At the Paris Motor Show, the Zuffenhausen now presented before the 4.95 meter long Panamera Sport Turismo. Eye-catching is the large tailgate, which resolves the crunchy end of the car. The concept vehicle is generous with power: 306 kW / 416 PS are available in the peaks. Nevertheless it is of purely electrically powered car can reach speeds of up to 130 km / h. A range of over 30 km is thus possible and also scores when it comes to the concept of consumption: At 3.5 liters per 100 kilometers with a CO2 emission of less than 82 grams per kilometer would be the Sport Turismo sparingly.

Visually striking is smooth on the sides of body. Porsche eliminated from the study on conventional mirrors and relies entirely on futuristic two cameras in the side air outlets. The images of the rider gets on a display in the cockpit. Only the word "e-hybrid", which refers to the drive concept differs from the flawless profile.

For a Shooting Brake characteristic is the tail, which is designed as compared to the serial Panamera scratch. In the form, the representatives of value on three dimensions: both the rear lights in LED technology and the taillight strip with the words are formed. An adaptive carbon rear spoiler rounds out the rear view. It forms the roof edge and provides in addition to the sporty look also for improved downforce.

The need for the hybrid drive battery case is made of aluminum and sits under the boot floor, which consists of elektrochromatischem glass. By pressing a button, the glass is a view of the illuminated in Acidgreen energy source.
Whopping 315 kW system power

The electric motor in the Turismo Sport offers around 70 kW / 95 PS, doubling the capacity of the current Porsche hybrid drive. A supercharged three-liter V6 engine, the system adds an additional 245 kW / 333 PS. In combination of both drives the accelerated study in less than six seconds from zero to 100 km / h

The electric drive is the favored mode of operation. A button on the steering wheel, the driver disables this. With the e-batch mode it reaches the targeted increase in the charge state of the high-voltage battery. This is particularly useful if a highway driving route follows a city that should be purely electrically and without local emissions. Also, the plug-in-charge of the Panamera Sport Turismo is planned. In only 2.5 hours to take place this.

The interior continues the futuristic orientation. A large color display replaces the traditional instruments. The driver can access all information on the display and can be displayed as needed. Two additional displays in the form of tubes, for example, inform about hybrid-specific driving modes, such as the pure electric driving. Multitouch functionality allows all vehicle displays and control functions operate like automatic climate control, seat adjustment, light, rear view camera and the functions of the Porsche Communication Management.