Pete
Lyons' fantastic Can-Am Cars in Detail:
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November/December 2013
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All news content copyright Michael J. Fuller, unless
otherwise noted |
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| >>2013 Le Mans Test & 24 Coverage<< |
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12.27.13
>>A housekeeping note. Over the past few months I've been pretty bad about updating the Resume Board.
This morning I've gone through my email and have added all the new
requests. However, while pretty confident I have all listed, if
not, please contact me if you aren't seeing your resume/updated resume. |
|
 12.24.13
>>But it is always surprising what comes out of the woodwork...and while Porsche has adamantly denied the existence of the LMP1 2000, apparently in 2003 the German magazine Sport Auto
ran this image of the LMP1 2000's rear end. I've held on to it
for a couple of years now (thankyou Markus Eberhardt) and only stumbled
back across it.
The stressed V10 bolts to a bespoke cast
metallic gearbox/bellhousing/oil tank. The rear suspension hangs
off, and mounts to, the gearbox. Pushrod to bellcrank operated
spring damper. Pretty status-quo for the era, but don't forget
we're talking 13+ years ago... |
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 12.22.13
>>It still suprises me that after all these years Porsche has never released images of their still-born LMP1 from back in 2000. I mean it's been 13 years already. So
whenever shots like these roll in, I'm happier than hell to post them.
The ultimate source for the shots are a forum located here. |
 These
are the first clear images of the car's rear end. The most
interesting items are the structures that form the outer diffuser
walls. The reverse undercut forms a sharp horizontal edge that
was probably useful in shedding off a beneficial vortice that could
interact with the rest of the underfloor. |
|
 12.18.13 *updated 12.22.13
>>Another
spy shot came down the pipe and it gives us an additional angle of that
front wing vortex generator. It certainly appears to extend below
the reference plane, doesn't it (to the regulations! Not sure if
that's even legal...)? It could be an optical illusion given the
image height and angle, also considering the chamferred floors.
Regardless of where it actually ends in Z, how much of an influence on the overall underfloor
performance could a device like this have?
Further
inspection of the regulations reveals Article 3.5.4 which plainly
states, "All parts of bodywork visible from the underside must be
situated more than 10 mm above the reference surface." However...reading
further, the ACO has defined volumes around the front wheels, 400 mm
either side of the wheel center line in length, 300 mm tall (measured
from the bottom of the reference plane), and 500 mm wide (with the
inner face of the width being at least 450 mm within the car's
centerline) that are described as "free." The exact wording is,
"In order to permit wheel and suspension part movements (suspension
travel and steering) and the passage of brake scoops, the volume around
the front wheels is free."
So, what defines free?
Could a turning vane be incorporated into the front brake duct
assembly, or even mounted in the vicinity but within the defined box,
and projected downwards to the reference plane? Our best guess is
yes...but it sure looks like it goes below the reference plane, doesn't
it?
|
 And
a shot from tonight's rollout, again emphasizing the vortex generator's
apparent depth relative to the bottom of the car. Note the other
vortex generating devices; the outer splitter foot and the diveplanes.
Final note, Ulrich's foot (1). |
|
 12.14.13
>>Following
up on their release of the single front shot on December 8 (below) and the
release of spy shots on Autosport.com on December 11, Audi have
released a further series of images as well as a high resolution video.
So suddenly there's a ton of imagery to have a poke and prod.
Looking
down on the new 2014 R18 it can now be confirmed how much slimmer the
nose is (1). Presumably the narrow design is driven by the desire to enhance airflow to the front wing.
We can also have a better look at the
revised-for-2014 mandatory front Big Honking Holes (2). 2014
regulations
mandate that the trailing edge of the hole aligns with the wheel center
line thus they are slid further forward on the fender than previously.
The rears (3) aren't affected in the same manner and instead must
be positioned centered on the rear wheel centerline as last year.
The rear brake ducts are still found in the elongated leading edge of the rear fenders (4)
The
cascading/shutter elements are back on the nose with no less than four
(5, 6, 7, 8) elements either side of the car centerline, allowing
the car's front wing, which is situated underneath these elements,
better air flow.
The engine exhausts are located either side of
the car centerline (9) and the rear wing has reverted to the 2014-legal
extruded section (10). |
 In
side elevation, courtesy of the studio video Audi released, a couple of
items become apparent. We get a better view of the front
diveplanes/flow conditioners (1) with their flat entry and raised
trailing edge. Also, there is a new wheel well extraction vent in
the trailing edge of the front pontoon fender (2). Note the
cutout in the inner face of the vent (3); this is in direct
reflection of the mandatory driver visibility template for 2014.
The side board gurney (4) now extends the length of the wheelbase.
The  rear wing is now extending back out beyond the bodywork, thus to the max 750 rear overhang, and so no more "Longtail" for now.
So far, the most interesting item I've noted is the flattened
duct (I christen thee: "Platypus Duct," going along with the whole 2014
R18 platypus theme) located just past the driver (6), detail
at right. Presumably its function is to cool the various voodoo
Hybrid bits? Or is it simply the flap (with an intake vent) to
cover the fuel flow meter equipment?
|
 It
is very interesting to note that the trailing edge of the Audi's
cockpit appears to be to the full regulated heights and that Audi has
not taken advantage of legality blisters or steps such as seen on the
Porsche and Dome P2 (and previously seen on the Dome P1 and Toyota).
Recall that the front roll over hoop now has to be 950 mm tall
with the rear 935 mm tall. But the regulations also state
that the front hoop's 950 mm height has to be maintained for 300 mm in the X dimension (front view) and that the rear the 935 mm height must be maintained for 400 mm in X. And this is what
gives the center portion of the cockpit a decidedly
elongated/extruded look (certainly compared to last year's car).
The element of interpretation regards whether or not that X dimension has to be constant and the presumption is that localized legality blisters (or similar device) to the vertical height but separated by the regulated X dimension would be legal, thus allowing the surrounding bodywork to be to a reduced height. The presumed benefit being a slightly tighter cockpit trailing edge and better
airflow to the rear wing. Thus with Audi siding with a very
conservative interpretation makes one wonder if the ACO has nixed the
more liberal (and the one with previous precedent) interpretation. |
 I'm
very fortunate that these spy shots hit my in box anonymously.
Looking at the rear of the Audi we see the exhausts (1) poking
out either side of the car centerline. Interestingly, the entire
trailing edge, with the TE gurney following suit, tucks down (2) as it
moves outboard. And while it could very well be nothing, there
appears to be some segregation of the air flow exiting the engine
(3--note it's on both sides of the car). Note also the thickened
trailing edge (4) of the underfloor, presumably a gurney, or a trailing
edge extension, resides there; a carry over from previous Audi LMPs
(going back to the R15). Finally we have the anonymous exit duct
(5) as was seen on the 2013 R18. We also have bulges in the
engine cover (6, though note the bulge is on both sides) that don't appear in the studio shots. Not to
jump the gun or anything, but the last time I asked about engine cover
bulges the conversation turned to air-hybrid systems (3.16.13 entry)...But
an over night course correction tells me that Audi were running the
2013 exhaust on the narrower 2014 car when the car tested at Sebring
(and that's the reason for the bulge in the engine cover) but that the
2014 exhaust gas recovery system will be (is) on the car and the bulges
will go away. |
 Another
shot of the rear end, not 100% sure what the function of the device
poking out from car centerline is (1), but that it prominently sticks
out past the rear bodywork means I would presume it is the new-for-2014
rear impact structure. The regulations state the rear impact
structure must project a minimum of 575 mm behind the rear wheel
centerline. And with the local bodywork well short of the max 750
mm rear overhang dimension, this would seem to mean the rear crash
structure pokes out beyond it. Presumably the gearbox vent
hose is the orange one to the crash structure's right. |
 It
is interesting how similar the very leading edge of the splitter is to
the 2013 car, even down to the furthest outboard elements. Things
of interest, the turning vane/vortex generator (1) and the slot gap
separator (2, note two others that are visible as well) for the front wing's secondary
flap.
Front brake ducts are still located just inboard the front fenders (3). |
|
 12.8.13
>>Here
we have the first image of the 2014 Audi R18 e-tron quattro released
just this morning. Shot with a 50 mm lens, the image appears
intentionally distorted and makes comparison with other shots, shot
with much longer focal lengths, difficult. So please take that
into consideration.
Besides a few details, not much appears all
too terribly different. The 2014 car's nose is slightly slimmer
and the flow conditioning dive planes are a new iteration, but from
this view the same themes remain (which go all the way back to 2011
let's remember). Nothing can be conclusively said about
dimensions given the distortion, but other than the narrowing of the
cars to 1900 mm for 2014, it shouldn't be expected that much has
changed there either.
|
 2013, Audi e-tron quattro rendering: |
 >>This video also appeared last week, a highlight reel produced by Audi of their 2013 season. A lively discussion was had on the FB page because at the very end of the video they gave us a dick tease showing the 2014 car, albeit very
briefly. About the only thing of note from this grainy image is
that it appears the swan neck trailing edge extension is taller. |
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