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Despite the R10 TDI being the fastest car on the 3.7-mile track, newcomer Acura/Honda was able to pull into the lead on several occasions with its LM P2 cars which weighed in at 300 lbs less than the Audis. Only in the final hour of the race were Audi Team drivers Frank Biela (Germany), Emanuele Pirro (Italy), and Marco Werner (Germany) able to take the lead for good in an extremely exciting and competitive race. With this win, Biela equaled the record of Tom Kristensen (who finished fourth in Audi’s number 2 car) with four overall Sebring victories.
Companies like Audi have always used their racing teams to drive sales of their street models. The phrase, “Race on Sunday, sell on Monday,” has been the reasoning used by every major auto manufacturer for race sponsorship since the advent of the automobile—and it works. Race-proven technology brings customers into the dealer showrooms.
By powering the R10 TDI with a diesel, Audi is signaling its desire to spread the renewed interest in this technology on both sides of the Atlantic.
It could be a tough sell in America. Interest by the Detroit Three automakers has been underwhelming to say the least for several reasons. There’s the expense of retooling their factories to produce diesel engines, the lack of clean, low sulphur diesel fuel, widespread customer disdain for what’s perceived of as a dirty, cranky power source and the inability of diesels to meet stringent emission standards in California – the largest auto market in the US. As a result, diesel has been consigned to the role of powering the dirty jobs of trucking, trains, construction and shipping. All of which added to the public’s apprehension about embracing this for their own commuting machines.
