Smokin'
May 16, 2008
The age of the diesel supercar has dawned. Should Ferrari and friends be worrying about Audi's R8 V12 TDI? Oh yes...
'It'll pass 62mph in only 4.2 seconds - and return up to 29mpg in normal driving'
I let Thomas Kräuter drive first. His surname is pronounced 'Kroyter'. His surname is pronounced 'Kroyter', and he's one of the car industry's many unsung heroes - a backroom wizard creating masterworks of engineering and not getting much credit for it. 
There are hundreds like him, and they're happy to beaver away at the things they love, knowing they've got some of the best jobs imaginable. And what a job his is. He's the technical project leader on the Audi R8 V12 TDI Le Mans concept you see here, which - although this hasn't been confirmed officially - will soon become the greatest Audi road car of all.
"This is something new," says Thomas, as I motion him to take the driver's seat. He's been asked the same boring questions over and over by the stampede of journalists from all over the world who have decamped to Miami for a spin in this thing, so it was refreshing to do some driving instead.
I have other reasons for being happy riding shotgun. I don't want any distractions from the single aspect of this car I am most curious about - its sound. We're stepping into the unknown
here, the first supercar of its kind. Much of it might seem 'normal'; it has a six-litre, 60-degree V12 mounted amidships, with two massive turbochargers fed by a big NACA duct on the roof. Excellent.
It develops 500bhp and 738lb ft of torque, which is 86bhp and 421lb ft more than the standard V8 petrol R8. Decent. The engine, lifted straight from the V12 TDI Touareg, is an exceptional one. But this is a supercar, and it's a diesel. How must it sound?
Thomas punches the starter button, mounted Ferrari mannetino-like on the steering wheel, and there is a brief whirr and then a zimmy sound. Don't know how to describe it other than 'zimmy sound', like a giant, extremely powerful sewing machine.
There are hundreds like him, and they're happy to beaver away at the things they love, knowing they've got some of the best jobs imaginable. And what a job his is. He's the technical project leader on the Audi R8 V12 TDI Le Mans concept you see here, which - although this hasn't been confirmed officially - will soon become the greatest Audi road car of all.
"This is something new," says Thomas, as I motion him to take the driver's seat. He's been asked the same boring questions over and over by the stampede of journalists from all over the world who have decamped to Miami for a spin in this thing, so it was refreshing to do some driving instead.
I have other reasons for being happy riding shotgun. I don't want any distractions from the single aspect of this car I am most curious about - its sound. We're stepping into the unknown
here, the first supercar of its kind. Much of it might seem 'normal'; it has a six-litre, 60-degree V12 mounted amidships, with two massive turbochargers fed by a big NACA duct on the roof. Excellent.It develops 500bhp and 738lb ft of torque, which is 86bhp and 421lb ft more than the standard V8 petrol R8. Decent. The engine, lifted straight from the V12 TDI Touareg, is an exceptional one. But this is a supercar, and it's a diesel. How must it sound?
Thomas punches the starter button, mounted Ferrari mannetino-like on the steering wheel, and there is a brief whirr and then a zimmy sound. Don't know how to describe it other than 'zimmy sound', like a giant, extremely powerful sewing machine.
>'It develops 500bhp and 738lb ft of torque - 86bhp and 421lb ft more than the standard V8 petrol R8'
It's coming from behind our heads, and though it's by no means as intrusive as most mid-engined supercars, you're in no doubt that something significant is lurking back there. 
The zimmy sound is accompanied by heavy breathing from the induction system, a compressed, hollow whoosh. And in the dim distance, like a far-away moan of some giant owl, is a deeper whine, very subtle but unmistakably a big-engine note.
Thomas's take on it is just as surreal as mine: "It's like 12 dwarves working, the cylinders, though they are not so small these dwarves." They certainly aren't. There isn't a hint of 'dieselness' or clatter, other than a very faint stuttering rhythm to the note at higher revs.
Thomas gives it no revs as we roll away on our brief journey down a quiet road near the harbour in Miami. Then he gives it more revs when he gets into third. Engine noise builds, but it's still a high-pitched mechanical zim dominating, along with a monstrous pipe-hitting breathing from the
turbos.
The turbo whoosh dominates everything when you start to move along at pace. It's all turbo, this engine. It's a massive hollow pipe rush, like hearing white noise played at full blast down a two-foot-wide metal pipe.
The zimmy sound is accompanied by heavy breathing from the induction system, a compressed, hollow whoosh. And in the dim distance, like a far-away moan of some giant owl, is a deeper whine, very subtle but unmistakably a big-engine note.
Thomas's take on it is just as surreal as mine: "It's like 12 dwarves working, the cylinders, though they are not so small these dwarves." They certainly aren't. There isn't a hint of 'dieselness' or clatter, other than a very faint stuttering rhythm to the note at higher revs.
Thomas gives it no revs as we roll away on our brief journey down a quiet road near the harbour in Miami. Then he gives it more revs when he gets into third. Engine noise builds, but it's still a high-pitched mechanical zim dominating, along with a monstrous pipe-hitting breathing from the
turbos.The turbo whoosh dominates everything when you start to move along at pace. It's all turbo, this engine. It's a massive hollow pipe rush, like hearing white noise played at full blast down a two-foot-wide metal pipe.
Thomas grins. Then he says something. And when you read the next line, read it in a German accent because it works better. I'm not poking fun, I'm just remembering what he said and how he said it. And he's German, like a human embodiment of Vorsprung durch Technic. So, get that accent ready...
"Something strange is working behind us."
Strange. And fantastic. I think I almost like it.
Now it's my turn to slot behind that beautiful flat-bottomed wheel. Thomas has turned the wick right down for our run here, so only half the torque is on tap. The A4 gearbox fitted to the
concept is at fault.
I know this because I asked Thomas to turn the wick right up, get his laptop out just for me, so that I could feel The Torque. I explained that I didn't need to drive it at full snap, but would be happy to feel it working at über-boost from the passenger seat.
"See that sign over there?" he answered, pointing to a road sign about 50 yards away. Yep. "The gearbox would be disintegrated entirely before we reached it."
A new gearbox design will be needed for this car, then, an investment I hope Audi decides to sign off. For now, we need to be gentle. I leave the engine ticking over, let the clutch out, and clack up through the R8's metal open-gate gearbox without touching the throttle pedal.
There's probably 60 per cent of max torque available at the 600rpm tickover, so I use it, and am in top gear before I know it, doing about 21mph at 600rpm. At tickover. Astonishing torque, even at half-wick.
"Something strange is working behind us."
Strange. And fantastic. I think I almost like it.
Now it's my turn to slot behind that beautiful flat-bottomed wheel. Thomas has turned the wick right down for our run here, so only half the torque is on tap. The A4 gearbox fitted to the
concept is at fault.I know this because I asked Thomas to turn the wick right up, get his laptop out just for me, so that I could feel The Torque. I explained that I didn't need to drive it at full snap, but would be happy to feel it working at über-boost from the passenger seat.
"See that sign over there?" he answered, pointing to a road sign about 50 yards away. Yep. "The gearbox would be disintegrated entirely before we reached it."
A new gearbox design will be needed for this car, then, an investment I hope Audi decides to sign off. For now, we need to be gentle. I leave the engine ticking over, let the clutch out, and clack up through the R8's metal open-gate gearbox without touching the throttle pedal.
There's probably 60 per cent of max torque available at the 600rpm tickover, so I use it, and am in top gear before I know it, doing about 21mph at 600rpm. At tickover. Astonishing torque, even at half-wick.
>'What would this be like to live with? Effing incredible. Heel-and-toe driving on a track would be a doddle'
Got to remember this is only half of it: 738lb ft must be really something, because 370 feels grunty enough, though there's nothing much to be learned on this silly low-speed drive. Thomas says the gearing will go higher with the production car.
You need to recalibrate your head with this thing. I floor the throttle at 600rpm in sixth and it pulls smoothly and cleanly, with a deep bellow and a hardening of the engine note as the revs build v-e-r-y slowly. Drop two gears, and you have awesome acceleration on tap - apparently, it will pull away in fourth gear without drama.
Later, when I am doing the 'driving photo', I let the thing run almost to the red line at full throttle - sorry Thomas - and by God, the thrust is alien at higher revs.
It seems to come from nowhere as those turbos spool up effortlessly. That red line happens at a low 4,500rpm, at which speed a Ferrari engine would only just be coming on cam.
Recalibrate your brain, BT. What would this thing be like to live with? Effing incredible, is the answer. The engine is only 89kg heavier than the R8's petrol V8, and it's mounted further forward, which helps the handling.
Serious drivers haven't driven it yet, but Thomas says they will like it, says it's a real bruiser on the track, with no discernible difference in balance to the petrol car. I believe him.
The big unit feels light and revvy. There is almost no flywheel effect - this is a blippy, sporty, light-feeling engine. Thomas says the flywheel had to be small, given the space restriction of the layout. Precise heel-and-toe driving on a track would be a doddle.
You need to recalibrate your head with this thing. I floor the throttle at 600rpm in sixth and it pulls smoothly and cleanly, with a deep bellow and a hardening of the engine note as the revs build v-e-r-y slowly. Drop two gears, and you have awesome acceleration on tap - apparently, it will pull away in fourth gear without drama.
Later, when I am doing the 'driving photo', I let the thing run almost to the red line at full throttle - sorry Thomas - and by God, the thrust is alien at higher revs.
It seems to come from nowhere as those turbos spool up effortlessly. That red line happens at a low 4,500rpm, at which speed a Ferrari engine would only just be coming on cam.
Recalibrate your brain, BT. What would this thing be like to live with? Effing incredible, is the answer. The engine is only 89kg heavier than the R8's petrol V8, and it's mounted further forward, which helps the handling.
Serious drivers haven't driven it yet, but Thomas says they will like it, says it's a real bruiser on the track, with no discernible difference in balance to the petrol car. I believe him.
The big unit feels light and revvy. There is almost no flywheel effect - this is a blippy, sporty, light-feeling engine. Thomas says the flywheel had to be small, given the space restriction of the layout. Precise heel-and-toe driving on a track would be a doddle.
The real wonder of this car will be its breadth of abilities. Unbelievable flexibility and effortless acceleration at all speeds with its monstrous
torque output. Relatively good fuel-efficiency and quiet long-distance cruising, with the knowledge of the torque being there when you need it. So that'll make it a proper GT.And, last but not least, four-wheel-drive quattro grip in bad weather, combined with a nimble, light-footed, mid-engined feel on twistier stuff - direct, sharp steering, clamped-to-the-road grip, easy oversteer on demand, supercar fun. Oh, and carbon-ceramic brakes to rein in all that speed.
The car will do 186mph, passing 62mph in only 4.2 seconds and 100mph in about 10 seconds. And it'll return up to 29mpg in normal driving.
The bigger picture is interesting. Why does this car exist? To be the ultimate Audi, probably - one that will be more expensive and more exclusive than any other R8, and built in smaller numbers. Given that the normally aspirated V10 from the S6 and Audi-owned Lamborghini Gallardo will soon be used to create the new RS8, probably running at around 480bhp and 430lb ft, this mighty diesel powerplant neatly takes the car in a new direction.
Importantly, it provides Audi a cool, high-tech marketing tool to attract those all-important US customers to the brand and, crucially, to a new type of fuel.
'The diesel supercar has arrived to worry those old-school, high-revving, inefficient, supercars out there'
Diesel hasn't caught on in the States yet - but as fuel prices rise, no doubt it will. Audi will be right there, with a range of efficient, economical Bluetech diesels that will fly off the forecourts with a little help from this monster, linked as it is to the R10 racer hissing around the American Le Mans series and winning everything in sight. Or not winning...
Expect the TDI to be differentiated from 'normal' R8s in all sorts of ways other than its engine. Big duct on the roof, big engine ducting visible through the rear glass, different nose and tail and skirts like this concept, which has more intake area up front and different mesh, maybe different wheels and cabin. The ultimate Audi.
We'll have to wait for a drive in the production car to be sure, but I suspect Audi has created something special here. The diesel supercar has arrived, and it'll worry those old-school, high-revving, inefficient, noisy supercars out there.
"Something strange is working behind us." You're not wrong, Thomas. But it's something extraordinary, too.
Bill Thomas
