More details on the Audi R10 diesel-electric hypercar emerge

Audi is currently in the process of developing a diesel-electric hypercar and is expected  to call it the R10. According to a report from Autocar UK, the car has been inspired from its Le Mans winning R18 race car and is expected to bridge the gap between the German luxury car maker’s road going cars and its motor sports division.   

The R10 is expected to have the same combination that has made the R8 a success. It will be a two-door, two seater rear-engined four-wheeled drive car. The powertrain is likely to be a diesel electric one with an output of over 600bhp and around 1001 Nm of torque propelling Audi into the hypercar territory.

The oil burner will be Audi’s 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 which has been reworked to produce 420bhp (309bhp previously) and 698Nm of torque (649Nm previously).  Two brushless electric motors will provide the additional 140bhp and 300Nm of torque and will be mounted within the front axles to provide power to the front wheels.

Audi is also expected to fit its patented Quattro system which will work in tandem with a seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox, though it must be noted that at present Audi does not have a gearbox capable of handling so much torque except for that of Bugatti Veyrons’s.

The body is expected to be a carbon fibre monocoque and will have many design cues from the R18 race car as well as the R8 e-tron concept that was showcased last year.  

Wolfgang Dürheimer, head R&D operations has said that the new Audi was currently in the product evaluation stage and that an update will be given at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Source: Autocar UK