Audi 2007 Annual Report Download - page 69

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Jacky’s counting on vic-
tory – after all, he knows
everything there is to
know about fuel saving.
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On the city expressway,
it is possible to drive
efficiently by keeping a
constant speed.
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Biology lesson: At the
Botanic Gardens, Vanina
Ickx teaches her dad
about photosynthesis
and how plants trans-
form carbon dioxide into
organic compounds.
onship, “many things work differently in the world of motor
sport. You take the engine to its maximum, and that means
driving at the limits of its performance.” But fuel consumption
is more important in motor racing than you might think. In en-
durance racing in particular, economical driving can give you
a crucial advantage. “If you can go for one or two laps further
on the same amount of fuel, you gain precious time,” says Jacky.
After a superb view over Brussels from Salon 58, a res-
taurant in the highest ball of the Atomium, the diesel engines
start up again. The green duo are now homing in on the Audi
plant in Forest. Jacky takes a glance at his fuel consumption
gauge: Much too high! Little wonder – after all it has been
pretty much city traffic all the way. But the ring road offers an
opportunity to push the average consumption down. Jacky is
no stranger to the tricks of fuel-saving. Once again, he proves
that constant speed is a recipe for economical driving.
Jacky is the first to reach the gates of the new Audi
plant. But less than a minute later, Vanina’s A3* also rolls into
the parking lot. Although Jacky initially claims victory, the
fuel consumption gauge clearly shows that his daughter had a
better grasp of what the race was about. Her onboard compu-
ter shows that her fuel consumption, at 4.7 liters, was better
than Jacky’s 4.9. Obviously, even an old hand can learn some-
thing from a youngster when it comes to efficiency. •
Belgian motoring journalist Gert Verhoeven writes for the Belgian
Automobile Club’s Uit Magazine, Het Laatste Nieuws and AutoMax.
The winner’s
smile: At the
Audi plant in
Forest, Jacky
Ickx has to admit
that his daugh-
ter has a couple
more fuel-
economy tricks
up her sleeve
than he has.
Perhaps Vanina
will still let him
have a few of
those delicious
chocolates she
just won.
A close run: Vanina Ickx
snatches victory in the
eco-duel, using an average of
0.2 liters less fuel than her
father. She consistently
followed the advice of the
electronic shift indicator.
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05
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Photo: Jens Mauritz
*Fuel consumption and emission figures at the end of the annual report.
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