• Articles
  • Motorcycles for Sale
  • Motorcycle Parts
  • Motorcycle Manuals
  • Models
  • Collectibles
  • Contact

The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Diesel Engines to Race LeMans

By Paul Crowe

Audi R10 dieselOver in the auto world, the LeMans 24 hour race has a long and prestigious history where manufacturers are always pushing their new engineering and designs in hopes of winning. The advertising that results from a win can be an even bigger win.

All of the car sites are talking at once about the new car Audi is running this year, the R10, and the item of interest to readers of The Kneeslider is the fact that it sports a 5.5 liter twin turbo V12 TDI diesel engine. A diesel will run right alongside all of the other cars in the race competing for the overall win, not some minor class at the back. These are the primary Audi prototypes for the race. The engine has 650 horsepower and 811 foot pounds of torque.

The American LeMans series, a series of shorter races over here in the States, begins running today at the 12 hours of Sebring in Florida. For those wondering if the diesel engine would work in this format of racing, the two Audi R10s qualified one and two.

We keep saying the diesels are coming with the Thunder Star, the Bulldog plus lots of other one off motorcycles that guys are cooking up all over the world. If these Audis start winning, it will be one more nudge to drastically change people’s perceptions of the diesel engine and we can expect to see lots more showing up in response to increasing demand.

Audi

Posted on March 18, 2006 Filed Under: Diesel Engines, Engines


-- Subscribe to The Kneeslider --

Be the first to know when something’s new!


Be sure to check out The Kneeslider’s motorcycle parts listings.

Your purchases through ebay links on The Kneeslider may earn a commission for this site.




« Harley Davidson and Changing Demographics
Audi Diesel Wins Sebring »

Comments

  1. doug says

    March 18, 2006 at 2:10 pm

    Really cool. Do you know if these diesels also have a fuel economy advantage? i.e. less pitstops.

    that torque is insane

  2. kneeslider says

    March 18, 2006 at 2:40 pm

    They do get better mileage, that’s another advantage of the diesels. I watched a bit of the race briefly and the cars were one and two at the time.

  3. aaron says

    March 19, 2006 at 2:11 am

    and the marketing advantage is HUGE!

  4. Bruce says

    March 22, 2006 at 5:41 pm

    The reason you’re seeing diesels debuting in endurance races like Sebring & LM is that the ability to cut back on fuel stops makes for an incremental advantage that cannot be ignore. I remember a short-story written back in the 80s where all the worlds best auto designers were invited to an endurance race, part of the rules of which were setup to encourage submitting fuel-efficient designs.

    The winner was the team that fielded two vehicles, both fairly standard passenger/cargo vans [think good ol’ front engine, rear drive, gets about 18mpg city/hwy any ol’ way you drive it full size van.] They won because they held about 500 gals of fuel apiece, and while one was zipping around keeping up w/ the joneses, the other was just plugging away cruising at the 45mph [incidentally, the most fuel efficient speed you can generally travel in a car, the reasons are simple but I’m not taking the time to explain’em]; then, when *everyone* eventually had had to pit for fuel and the 1st van HAD to be running on fumes, it ducked in behind the 2nd van, refueled like a fighter jet behind a C135 tanker, and went on to win the race.

    Great yarn, but it really explains why you’ll only be seeing diesels at endurance events, at least for the first half-dozen years or so… 😉

Subscribe to The Kneeslider

Be the first to know when something's new!

Search articles on The Kneeslider


Do You need motorcycle parts?

Everything from normal maintenance items to hard to find out of production parts, look here first.
Be very specific for best results! Use part numbers if you have them.


Be sure to check out The Kneeslider’s new motorcycle models listings.



Your purchases through ebay links on The Kneeslider may earn a commission for this site.



From The Kneeslider Archives

Hossack Ducati 800

Norman Hossack Engineers a Trellis Front Suspension on a Trellis Frame Ducati 800

XJ500T Jaybuilt Kawasaki 500 Bellytank Triple

RSS What’s happening on HorsePowerSports

  • DeLorean Motor Company is Coming Back with an Electric
  • Ford Shares Open Source CAD Files for 3D Printing Truck Accessories
  • If You Need a New Car, Buy an Old One Instead

Motorcycle Engine Powered Cars

Copyright © 2025 · The Kneeslider · Website by Crowe Computer Services
US Army veteran owned and operated
This website proudly Made in the USA!
Made in the USA