Audi improves the RS Q e-tron as soon as once more: Forward of its third outing within the Dakar Rally, the rally prototype with its pioneering electrical drivetrain with a high-voltage battery and an vitality converter receives improvements in lots of areas. The Audi driver crews of Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist, Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz advantages from quite a few element enhancements in January 2024. The brand new concepts make the RS Q e-tron safer, extra dependable, extra comfy and just a little lighter, in addition to having shorter upkeep instances for the staff.

In January 2024, Audi will tackle the world’s hardest desert rally for the third time with its low-emission car. “What the RS Q e-tron is essentially able to has been demonstrated by our drivers and co-drivers with six stage victories and 22 different single-day podium outcomes on the Dakar Rally since 2022,” says Rolf Michl, Head of Audi Motorsport. “Now it’s a matter of exhibiting our efficiency as steadily as attainable in order that we are able to combat for high positions.” Audi Sport has analyzed the earlier outings, recognized weak factors and set clear priorities for additional growth. Dr. Leonardo Pascali, the venture’s new Technical Director, has targeted on 5 key subjects along with his growth staff for the reason that early summer time.

Security: proceed to enhance on a excessive degree

The accidents of Stéphane Peterhansel and Carlos Sainz on the 2023 Dakar Rally have prompted Audi to enhance security but once more. “Our purpose was to scale back the height vertical acceleration throughout landings after massive jumps,” says Dr. Leonardo Pascali. By working with the springs, dampers and the bump cease within the chassis, the engineers have higher distributed a number of the load over time. They thus allow optimum management of the platform, which is so necessary for the general efficiency of the automotive. A second contributing issue comes from the froth within the seats. They assist to distribute hundreds on the motive force and co-driver over an extended time frame and thus scale back peak hundreds. The builders have particularly targeted on the fabric stiffness and geometries of the froth within the seats, additionally bearing in mind how the cockpit temperature influences the stiffness of the froth. The safety of the occupants after a tough frontal touchdown of the car, like Carlos Sainz’s second accident on the 2023 Dakar Rally, which ended up with the automotive rolling over, was additionally on the minds of these accountable. The CFRP crash field on the entrance finish of the chassis construction is now longer, with out compromising the angle of assault, which is so necessary in cross-country rallying. It now absorbs the vitality generated throughout such accidents higher than earlier than.

Reliability: intelligent particulars for the large image

The Audi RS Q e-tron is a really dependable race automotive, even within the hardest circumstances: All three vehicles noticed the end line at their first Dakar Rally occasion in 2022. The truth that two of the three vehicles didn’t end in 2023 was not as a consequence of technical points, however as a consequence of accidents. Because the advanced drivetrain expertise is principally mature, Audi Sport can focus on particulars when it comes to reliability. Beforehand, penetrating stones received caught between the rim mattress, brake disc and upright. In some circumstances, they precipitated appreciable harm and necessitated time-consuming wheel modifications on multiple event. New fastening parts for the uprights enable higher clearance in order that the stones are thrown out extra simply. On the identical time, Audi Sport is utilizing extra sturdy rims any more. Stronger sidewalls additionally make the brand new technology of tires, from the management tire provider BF Goodrich, much less susceptible.

Consolation: higher sealing for greater focus

Audi depends on significantly skilled, well-coordinated and high-performing drivers and co-drivers. To make their strenuous work simpler, the engineers optimized the acoustic shielding, in addition to sealing the cockpit. A modified entrance bonnet now higher repels swirled mud and water, which permits the windshield to stay cleaner.

Efficiency: concepts in lots of areas

From the chassis to the software program, from the physique to the electrical drivetrain: The engineers checked out numerous features to make the Audi RS Q e-tron much more aggressive throughout the framework of the laws. Working with the shock absorbers and is derived helped the staff to seek out a good higher set-up. To get even nearer to the minimal weight of two,100 kilograms, whereas the burden of the brand new, extra sturdy tires will increase, numerous parts have been optimized when it comes to weight. This is applicable to the rear bonnet, in addition to the smaller brake calipers, but additionally to the footrest for the co-driver. The laws additionally barely shift the steadiness between Audi’s T1U mannequin and the opponents within the T1 class when it comes to power-to-weight ratio: The 263 kW of most output from the electrical motors at the beginning of the 2023 season (together with the effectivity coefficient) became a worth of 271 kW in the course of the Dakar Rally, following a change within the laws. As of January 2024, the determine will rise to 286 kW. On the identical time, the laws elevate the burden of the opponents’ T1 fashions by 10 to 2,010 kilograms.

Upkeep instances: shorter work, higher outcome

In its seek for enhancements, the Audi Sport growth staff additionally examined the day by day upkeep work throughout rally occasions. Due to many sensible concepts on this element space, fairly a number of steps have now been simplified. For instance, modified bolted connections, improved device holders, optimized filling cap gadgets for working fluids, new locking options for physique elements and bolted as a substitute of glued connections all contribute to less complicated and sooner servicing.

“Our engineering staff has improved the RS Q e-tron even additional with many inventive options,” says Rolf Michl, Head of Motorsport. “Drivers and co-drivers, in addition to the entire mechanics and engineers, profit from the imaginative concepts. We really feel that we’re ready for the Dakar Rally in the very best method.” Because the center of the yr, Audi has successively included the modifications and began testing them, thus making certain the incorporation of all of the improvements in time for the 2024 Dakar Rally.

SOURCE: Audi