Some of you who follow the development of the automotive industry through foreign sites may remember a photo of an Audi R8 burned to the ground on the Nurburgring sometime earlier this year. Now, Quattro GmbH director Wener Frowein reveals what happened in an interview with Dutch news site Nieuws.nl:
The burned Audi R8 was a prototype of the Audi RS8, the high performance version of the Audi R8 – not like the car isn’t already a scorcher to begin with. In the engine bay was a 580 PS twin-turbocharged V10 from the Audi RS6. Because of the mid-engine layout, the monster twin-blown V10 had cooling problems – this resulted in a total of 3 prototypes sharing the same fiery fate.
Hat tip to Geert Pick for the pointer.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
Cooling problem? How come Audi face some probkem like this… Quite a shame…
it’s still a prototype… because its mid engined and not front engined its hard to get sufficient air into the engine bay.
The test driver sure in shock to see what came out from the engine bay.
its HOT…
cooling problem..hmm then how ferrari or lambo car survive..
they got mid engine to rite?..
Paris would say, THATS HOT ™
The heatshield must be something special when you’ve that monster engine just a few inches behind you while stuck in a jam.
afroiq: ferrari/lambo engines are normally aspirated – this one is turbocharged so it runs alot hotter.
come on.. its jst a prototype.. I believe that they will get the prob solved soon. For them to come out and acknowledge wht went wrong is a good sign.. it reflects the commitment to improve imo. anyway.. even half burnt.. it still looks hell of a car..!!! haaaha
not long ago i saw a video of a Gallardo burning on street, but i’m not sure what was the main reason……
Yea.. they’ll felt ashamed if this car is in production.. But if it is prototype, means they’re still testing it..
Its good to have problem occured during this phase, rather than in production..
Why not ask the porsche engineer to help it? Since they have the 911 turbo, maybe upgrade to hydrogen cooling.. lol…
I think this can be done by channeling more air to the radiator or have a boost cut to prevent overheating…
Well seen this pic but not sure whats the cause. Till now.
tahnks for the info Paul.
I think it would sell in potong kereta……
Thanks Paul… But i believe that Audi sure can solve this problem… Good luck R8!
just add more radiators. like the veyron
3 prototypes burned? Why did the engineers let it happen? If only 1 is destroyed then it’s acceptable lah..
Don’t know how to make mid-engine cars, please don’t. People’s life at stake here, Audi.
huh?? Mid Engine + 2 Turbo burned? Audi must take this problem seriously~
what bout 911 turbo? they had no problems.. probably they pushed the safe operating boost too far
I think people figured that out already.. I also think they sohuld take some cooling aspects of the Veyron and place it on the R8
hey, i got an idea.why don’t put the radiator on the roof .
or put the national/panasonic exhaust fan at the engine cover.
huhuhu
no overheat problem right..hahaha
Has this car gone into production yet?
But R8 FTW !!
Well, prototypes are always subject to extreme tortutres. Thr R8 is already one hell of a basher, and with the RS8, my God, the sky’s the limit they say.
However, just how long will these supercars continue to be developed given the more restrictions passed on by enviromental laws?
thats what i called R&D.
they should ask from the expert in mid-engine hey why dont the ask from lotus, lotus also mid- engine right
Audi should just think to put the CAMPRO engine. Sure this type of incident wont happen anymore. Problem solved!!
campro engine can’t even start the car,proton got engine 1 meh?
no worries…still proto…i bet they will solve it soon…audi ma…
At least the carmaker display solid accountability by revealing the cause of fire. There is nothing to be ashamed of because this is prototype.
To to toast 3 RS8′s is kinda heartbreaking…
i don’t find it suprising though, ferrari burn out always, even the enzo, check out wreckedexotics.com