Audi 2015 Annual Report Download - page 104

Filipe Albuquerque, Audi race car driver.
Driver in the Audi R18 e-tron quattro with laser spot,
Le Mans 2015
I drive into a bend lined with trees, then a straight stretch of
road appears in front of me again. The hunt through the night
reveals the breathtaking range of the laser. And thanks to its
optimally attuned drivetrain and chassis technologies, paired
with the lightweight chassis made of aluminum and carbon, I
experience a feeling in the new R that is closer to genuine car
racing than ever before. All the more so since around  per-
cent of the street version is identical to the Audi R LMS, the
successful GT race car. This stroke of engineering genius is
clearly discernible when driving – every time I apply the accel-
erator pedal and in any driving situation. I have a constant
feeling of safety, even if I don’t know what to expect beyond
the next curve.
Winding, hilly routes alternate with arrow-straight sections
where I can accelerate again. The cleverly engineered chassis
of the R with electrically controlled dampers adapts to every
type of road surface. Together with the quattro drive and a low
vehicle center of gravity, it ensures high driving stability –
during fast and winding maneuvers as well.
The brakes grip immediately on my command before the corner,
and the sound of the V engine echoes through the solitude
of the night. I get goosebumps all over. I feel like a hunter in
the night, although stealth is hardly possible in this rocket. But
the driving pleasure could not possibly be more intense. Even
as the fi rst rays of sunlight on the horizon announce the start
of a new day, I keep driving until it is bright daylight.
PHOTOS : Tobias Sagmeister, AUDI AG
“We swear by this light because
it lets us recognize obstacles just
that bit sooner. And that is
absolutely crucial at high speed.”
Fuel consumption and emission figures at the end of the Annual Report