- "A Le Mans victor with a new closed body and weight reductions."
- ―In-game catch text for the car, from GT6's Dealership
The Audi R18 TDI Prototype '11 is a Le Mans race car produced by Audi. It only appears in Gran Turismo 6.
In-game description[]
Audi is dominant in endurance races around the world, and in 2011 they entered the R18 TDI into the world of prototype racing.
The major topic of discussion surrounding this car was that it now came with a closed body, to match new regulation changes. The change prompted an all-new exterior, and the car now dons a new body, with a shark fin that runs from the roof to the rear wing. The merits of a closed body are maximised through things like engine cooling ducts, added to the rooftop where the flow of air can be utilised easily. Other improvements, such as LED headlights, are introduced for the first time in LMP1 machines, leading to better visibility.
The reduction of body weight is another major checkpoint. With the closed body it became easier to distribute stresses in the design, and the engine, with 4 less cylinders, was 25% lighter. Revision of gearbox materials, combined with new electronics for the shift mechanism, reduced the weight of the car well beyond the regulation weight, and made it possible to optimise the weight balance of the car using ballasts.
The engine was reduced in displacement from the previous R15 to meet regulation changes, and the car is powered by a turbocharged 3.7 litre direct injection V6 diesel engine. Though output was reduced from 591 BHP to 532 BHP, the improved aerodynamics and the reduced weight improved total performance to a level surpassing the R15.
In its debut year at the Le Mans 24-hour race, the R18 TDI fought a heated battle with the car of Audi's ultimate rival, Peugeot.[1] In the end, Audi succeeded in taking the overall victory, with only a 14 second gap to the car behind.
Acquisition[]
| Game | Purchase location | Credits | Other methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Turismo 6 | Audi Dealership | 2,000,000[2] | --- |