2009 Audi R8 TDI

An exotic sports car with a diesel? Sounds like peanut butter with jelly to us.
BY JORDAN BROWN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEINRICH HÜLSER AND JEFFREY G. RUSSELL
May 2007

Those familiar with VW/Audi’s naming conventions know TDI is the acronym for Turbocharged Direct Injection, the German automaker’s revolutionary diesel power plant that made its debut back in 1990 in the form of an inline five-cylinder powering the Audi 100 Wagon. So the next question is, “An R8 with a diesel?!” In short, yes.

Sources say Audi has a diesel-powered R8 in the works, and we’d like to think they’re right. As far as cutting-edge diesel technology goes, Audi’s one of the best in the biz. Its latest demonstration of spark-plugless prowess came in the form of the R10 TDI race car, winning its very first race at the 12 Hours of Sebring as well as the infamous 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Petit Le Mans. So who better to make a diesel exotic?
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IamEvilHomer - 6/4/2007 3:41:41 AM

+1 Boost

soulds like a winner

when you are done on the track you can pull stumps or tow a 80 foot traler

IamEvilHomer - 6/4/2007 3:42:15 AM

+1 Boost

soulds? Sounds

Agent63 - 6/4/2007 4:41:09 AM

+4 Boost

Audi makes diesels not hybrids. They will stick to what they have always done.

Rupert - 6/4/2007 5:51:05 AM

+2 Boost

I thought TDI stood for Turbo Diesel Injection...

MunichRob - 6/4/2007 7:19:58 AM

+1 Boost

When does this car hit the roads again?

IamEvilHomer - 6/4/2007 1:16:22 PM

+1 Boost

the V8 will be at the dealers as soon as Aug and late as September

M53R - 6/4/2007 7:34:44 AM

+1 Boost

The car looks stunning from this angle.

Will_ - 6/4/2007 7:41:45 AM

+1 Boost

Initial power/acceleration advantages would clearly be awarded to a hybrid powertrain, but a diesel will give you more mid-range grunt, which is not a new approach to an exotic sports car. If it's good enough for a LeMans legend, I think giving the technology to even your most exotic production vehicle wont hurt.

EnnNorak - 6/4/2007 8:12:14 AM

+1 Boost

utahnkid: Looks like the R8 is destined to become the poster boy for diesel. You should be aware that the high cost of eventual hybrid battery replacement makes the hybrid approach to fuel economy unattractive from the life-cycle-cost perspective. A hybrid in any vehicle might make sense only if the batteries are designed for a life equal to the life of the vehicle itself.

The hybrid's batteries add too much weight to a sports car which is supposed to have quick acceleration. Using a V10 or V12 in a hybrid defeats the purpose of having a hybrid. Best fuel economy (at the expense of sustainable performance) is achieved with a big heavy battery pak and a tiny economical engine to top up the charge as needed. Regenerative braking is a must also.

As for me, simply give me the 500 h.p. V12 TDI and no hybrid.
I can just see it: the next thing you know, the ethanol folk will come up with a V12 E-85 sports car as their poster boy in attempt to hide the fact that almost as much energy goes into the production of corn E-85 as what you get out of the final product. Cellulose ethanol is another story --have a look at how Brazil has become totally independent of oil imports by making ethanol out of sugar cane and wood chips.

IamEvilHomer - 6/4/2007 1:18:45 PM

+1 Boost

this engine is lighter then the v8