January 22, 2012
Source: Audi of America
· New safety cell for Audi A5 DTM extremely efficient and safe
· Audi Board Member Michael Dick compares Audi A5 DTM and V8 quattro
· Rahel Frey at the ADAC Motorsport Show in Erfurt
Ingolstadt,
Germany – The new, standardized monocoque for every manufacturer in the DTM has already proven its worth during testing. Homologation of the race car for the DTM season 2012 occurs in a few weeks.
Beginning of a new era: the innovative safety cell in the DTM is the core component of every DTM race car. The new Audi A5 DTM is also designed and built around the new carbon fiber monocoque which is shown for the first time in photos released to the public. “The DTM sets new standards again with this safety cell,” emphasizes Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “The component is extremely strong, assembled very efficiently and, as a consequence, implemented at such a high level for reasonable cost.”
Unusual task: Michael Dick, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at AUDI AG, experienced more than two decades of DTM development at an accelerated pace. At a comparison test the Audi Board Member was invited by Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich to get personally behind the wheel of an Audi V8 quattro from 1991 and an Audi A5 DTM for 2012. His impressions can be read in edition 1/2012 of the Audi magazine ‘Dialoge’. Further information available at: dialoge.audi.com
Appearance in Thüringen: Rahel Frey visits the ADAC Motorsport Show in Erfurt next weekend. The Swiss lady is available for autographs and discussions in the afternoon on January 28. The Schaeffler Audi A4 DTM is also on display in Hall 1 at the Automobilmesse Erfurt. Audi won the DTM last year with the powerful 338 kW (460 hp) racing touring car.
Appearance at Lake Constance: Timo Scheider visits the Motorradwelt Bodensee between January 27 and 29. Fans can meet the Audi factory driver during four autograph sessions (Friday 17:30, Saturday 11:15 and 14:15 and Sunday 11:00 hrs) on the Motorradwelt stand at the exhibition center in Friedrichshafen.
Fabulous result for United Autosports: Ryan Dalziel (GB), Alex Popov (YV) and Enzo Potolicchio (YV) finished in a strong third place in the 12-hour race in Abu Dhabi. In their Audi R8 LMS the trio was less than ten seconds behind the race winning car at the checkered flag after twelve hours and 299 laps.
A word from… Stefan Aicher
As Head of Vehicle Design you are approaching an exciting phase with the Audi A5 DTM: the homologation looms on the horizon. How effective has the innovative safety cell, which is identical for every manufacturer, proven to be so far?
“New standards are set with the cell. The first components were delivered in August, since then each manufacturer has always been delivered another chassis at exactly the same time. We are extremely satisfied after several thousand kilometers of testing.”
What distinctive qualities does the new cell possess?
“The monocoque weighs only 126 kilograms, the roll-cage 32.5 kilos. At the same time the safety standards have increased dramatically. The design is extremely strong when subject to both frontal, longitudinal crashes and also side impacts. The entire sidewall must withstand a force of 360 kN in the side impact test, this equates to around 36 tones. By way of comparison this value was 80 kN with the A4 DTM. With various crash tests, for example frontally or laterally at 54 km/h, the driver’s chest is now exposed to a maximum load of 60g.”
The cell is built in an entirely different way than before. What does this mean for the teams?
“The result is a very efficient interaction from the planning via manufacture to use on the track. You notice the excellent cooperation between the three manufacturers. The responsibilities were distributed among the specific brands, which accelerated the sequential development enormously. The teams will notice the longer service and inspection intervals because the monocoque is designed to have a considerably longer life. This is measurable progress aligned with high cost discipline.”
Coming up next week
28.01. 24 hours Daytona (USA), round 1 GRAND-AM series
     
     
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