Who really has the corner on high tech?

[92 white 0650]

So, what does it all mean when we see a brand new Audi diesel (800 ft-lbs of torque, "clean and quiet" no less) win the 12 hours of Sebring right out of the box, then we turn on F-1 and see a bunch of the new V-8's blowing up left and right?

Wild. My cogitator can't keep up.

 

[Soichiro]

>>what does it all mean when we see

What is your point - At Sebring one of the Audis failed, so they had a failure rate of 50%. At Sepang three out of twenty V8 engines failed, for a failure rate of 15%. Looks like the F1 boys are still on top.

 

[AU_NSX]

So, what does it all mean when we see a brand new Audi diesel (800 ft-lbs of torque, "clean and quiet" no less) win the 12 hours of Sebring right out of the box, then we turn on F-1 and see a bunch of the new V-8's blowing up left and right?

Wild. My cogitator can't keep up.

The engines that failed at Sepang were the SAME engines that raced in Bahrain. Not only were they on their second race, but they had also completed hours of practice and qualifying in Bahrain and again in Malaysia... So, the F1 V8 engines probably had (est.) 8 hours at 19,000 rpm and even then, only 3 engines failed as Soichiro pointed out... So yes, I agree with Soichiro... Nowhere close!

What I find worthy of recognition for an astonishing achievement is the fact that a diesel won on a track against petrol engined competition!

This has to showcase the development of the diesel engine now can rival the petrol engine and as such the future looks promising for the internal combustion engine to survive on in the future with the diesel engine and the development of alternative fuels for it.

 

[ncdogdoc]

>>what does it all mean when we see

What is your point - At Sebring one of the Audis failed, so they had a failure rate of 50%. At Sepang three out of twenty V8 engines failed, for a failure rate of 15%. Looks like the F1 boys are still on top.

It was much more than three, since Ferrari went through three engines just in the weekend. I would have to watch the TIVO again, but even the Cosworth went, and they should have the best (IMO) chance of any seeing their illustrious career with the V-8. It was stated during the broadcast that if the redline was dropped just 500rpm, that the life of the engine could be doubled or even tripled.

The fact that the Audi won is not so exciting. They have been at the top of the prototype class for years. Diesels are known for longevity, just not for speed!! But since Audi was able to use their own fuel (not the spec fuel) and it was not even "real" diesel (a special liquifaction method created by Shell that results in a clearfuel) it is not like someone took their 240D and won LeMans, or for that matter like the guy on the east coast with a BMW diesel that is running on french fry oil in local BMWCCA races.

Not to take anything away from the TDI. I think it is time the US saw what can be done with Diesel technology, and 800lb/ft of torque is nothing to laugh at!!! In the long run, other forms of fuel are needed, so Diesel technology is just a stop gap.

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: Well, they certainly were a spectacle

What is your point

Sheesh, and I thought I was cynical.......

only 3 engines fail

But when they blew, they did it in style. Almost as much smoke as the Blue Angels I saw later in the day!!!

It was much more than three, since Ferrari went through three engines just in the weekend.

Yeah, like 8 engines couldn't go the required distance since 5 guys moved back in the grid for engine changes. C'mon you guys, remind me how hot it was and how much higher the poor little 750 HP motors have to rev now compared to the 950 HP V-10's. Don't give me weak statistics even if it is only 37% failure rate. :biggrin:

I think it is time the US saw what can be done with Diesel technology, and 800lb/ft of torque is nothing to laugh at!!!

Seriously, I, for one, agree with the headlines "History is made" when something so unlikely as a diesel can go from a clean sheet of paper to an endurance race winner in a matter of months.

 

[Soichiro]

>>their own fuel (not the spec fuel) and it was not even "real" diesel

Gary, this sounds interesting. Do you have any links or more info.

 

[VintageracerNYC]

what surprises me more than anything at Sebring is how bad Porsche and Penske failed with both of their RS Spyders NOT running at the end!

 

[ncdogdoc]

>>their own fuel (not the spec fuel) and it was not even "real" diesel

Gary, this sounds interesting. Do you have any links or more info.

No, just what I heard during the broadcast. I guess that ALMS could still have required the diesel to pass some sort of "spec", but it seems unlikely as what to compare it to?

For all I know the fuel made by Shell could be what they have been harping about for the US, but something about clear diesel just sounds "not exactly"