Automobiles Review

Tag: Le Mans

  • 1981 Porsche 936-81 Spyder

    With two wins at the Le Mans 24 Hours race already under its belt, you could be forgiven for expecting a race car to enjoy a well-earned retirement. However, the enduring design and speed of the 936 concept enabled the Porsche racing department at Weissach to further evolve the car such that it won the race once more in 1981. (more…)

  • 1977 Porsche 936-77 Spyder

    The Porsche 936 was a two-seat prototype developed by the engineers in the Weissach racing department for the 1976 Group 6 World Championship – and it was rewarded with that year’s title and a remarkable trio of Le Mans wins.

    Led by Norbert Singer, the team of Porsche engineers used the chassis concept that had been proven by the 917 and clothed it in new, open cockpit ‘Spyder’ bodywork. (more…)

  • 1971 Porsche 917-20 ‘Pink Pig’

    A total of 59 examples of the Porsche 917 were built, 41 as short or long-tail coupes with naturally aspirated engines of up to 5.4-litres, and 18 as CanAm or InterSeries Spyder versions with 1,400bhp turbocharged engines. One model is slightly different; the 917/20, of which only a single example was ever built. (more…)

  • 1971 Porsche 917LH Long Tail

    The Mulsanne straight at Le Mans, which is about six kilometres in length, has always played an important role for drivers and engineers in the history of the 24 Hours race. This is where high speed has top priority and decisive seconds can be gained. This is also why, as on no other race track in the world, aerodynamics determine how cars for Le Mans are designed. (more…)

  • 1970 Porsche 917K

    With the 917, Porsche for the first time entered the league of immensely powerful, large-capacity racing cars. The 580bhp from the twelve-cylinder 4.5-litre engine of the 917 set new standards, to the extent that even decades later, independent experts rate this Porsche as one of the most impressive sports cars of the century. (more…)

  • Ford Model T And Capri Race Again At Le Mans

    Two unique and specially restored Ford race cars will return to the famous Le Mans 24 Hours circuit for the 2008 Le Mans Classic between July 11 and 13.
    After painstaking restorations, the two cars, a 1923 Model T Montier and a 1973 Ford Capri RS2600, are taking to the track to compete again at the iconic Sarthe circuit under the ‘Ecurie Ford France’ banner. (more…)

  • First full-LED headlamp for the Audi R8

    Ingolstadt – Effective immediately, the range of equipment available for the Audi R8 sports car now also includes the first full-LED headlamp. In addition to the daytime running light which now features 24 LEDs per headlamp, light-emitting diodes are also used for the turn signals, the low-beam and the high-beam headlights. The €3,590 option rounds out the list of equipment available for the high-tech, mid-engine sports car. (more…)

  • The Audi TT 2.0 TDI quattro – Coupe and Roadster

    Performance and efficiency
    Purist sportiness and compelling performance, combined with sensational efficiency – Audi is setting the trends yet again. The Audi TT Coupe 2.0 TDI quattro and Audi TT Roadster 2.0 TDI quattro are the first series-production sports cars in the world to be powered by diesel engines. The two-liter fourcylinder engine delivers dynamic thrust, with a power output of 125kW (170 hp) and 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft) of torque. (more…)

  • Audi R8 TDI Le Mans

    Audi is presenting a revolution in the top class – the first 12-cylinder diesel engine in a high-performance roadgoing sports car. The V12 TDI with a displacement of six liters powers a concept car based on the Audi R8. This unit generates a huge 500 hp and 1,000 Newton-meters (737.56 lb-ft) of torque. Audi is writing a new chapter in diesel technology with this power unit. Equipped with the expertise that Audi has built up through its motor sport activities, the R8 TDI Le Mans in Brilliant Red embodies superb road handling, pioneering technology and fascinating design. (more…)

  • Audi Q7 V12 TDI

    A time of 5.5 seconds for the sprint from a standstill to 100 km/h and an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h put the performance SUV from Audi on a par with high-calibre sports cars. The engine limits its consumption to an average of just 11.9 litres/100 km.

    The new V12 TDI is the crowning glory of an engine line-up brimming with dynamic performance – each and every one of the diesel engines from Audi generates a high output and tremendous pulling power for a sporty drive. This character has emerged over and over again in the brand’s models, not least in the form of the six- and eight-cylinder 2.7 TDI, 3.0 TDI and 4.2 TDI models. (more…)