Audi R8 V12 TDI Production Model Development Halted

Audi R8 V12 TDI Concept

High production costs cited

By Michael Gauthier
May 7, 2009 3:10 PM
Filed Under: Audi, Diesel, German, Production, Rumours

After nearly a year of internal debate, Audi has officially decided not to produce the highly acclaimed R8 V12 TDI concept.

According to AutoExpress who spoke with a "high level" Audi official, the cost of modifying the R8 to accommodate the massive 6.0-liter V12 TDI engine was simply too high for them to recoup through the limited sales this model would have produced. The issue was further complicated by the fact that diesel sales in the US are nothing short of dismal, making the V12 TDI a hard sell considering that the US accounts for nearly a third of all R8's sold.

When it first appeared at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the R8 V12 TDI concept stunned onlookers with its aggressive styling and insane performance. Powered by the aforementioned 6.0-liter V12 TDI engine, the concept boasted 500 horsepower and 1000 Nm of torque which allowed it to run from 0 - 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds before hitting a top speed in excess of 300 km/h (186.4 mph).

Source: autoexpress.co.uk

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Tags: Audi R8, Audi R8 V12 TDI

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Comments

Prince_Ash

May 7, 2009 3:42 PM

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! -sigh- :( its not fair

Renegade

May 7, 2009 3:48 PM

Nice, diesels can go die.

Kepe

May 7, 2009 4:15 PM

Umm, could you tell us, in your great wisdom, why should diesels "go die"?

N20_Purge

May 7, 2009 6:04 PM

Some like the Polo bluemotion and Ibiza Ecomotive are good since they are really efficent. But I don't see the point of big engined diesels. they are noisy, expensive to build and run too.

So overall, I think the big engined diesels (like this one) should die, since they are useless. Just buy petrol cars, or a hybrid/very efficient diesel if you must.

madness

May 7, 2009 9:03 PM

not only wud it be more economical than the v10 (but still crap economy) but it would have sooooo much torque! imagine overtaking somebody with 1000Nm of torque... :O

Edited by user on May 7, 2009 at 9:03 PM

sub39h

May 7, 2009 10:38 PM

you can't forget that this is a very special diesel. it's the most powerful production engine on the market, with 1000 Nm of torque. you really can't argue with that. the 6.0 BiTurbo AMG engine makes 1000 Nm, and it's a PETROL engine.

the fact of the matter is the age of the diesel sports car is upon us. i think Audi have made a mistake with this one. Americans need to learn that the way forward is diesel, not hybrid. the minute they wake up to this realisation, the world will be a much better place for everyone.

madness

May 7, 2009 11:51 PM

haha yeah, and AMG can only manage a 5speed cos of the torque, which is limited... If only somebody could design a high torque gearbox...

HolySteel

May 7, 2009 7:38 PM

Yes I can "imagine overtaking somebody with 1000Nm of torque". Driving with your mom (100kg/220lbs) in the back, while she is sitting on a plank which is 1m/3.3ft long. This generates exactly 1000Nm of torque, and tells us nothing about the car's acceleration capabilities as well :)

I am also happy that they cancelled it, I don't think diesel engines belong into sportscars, as they only make unpleasant noises and power builds up in a strange way. It's bad enough they use the smelly stuff for most commercial vehicles and small cars.

lucifa

May 8, 2009 11:01 AM

It's pointless because if you're a multimillionaire who's going to buy a V12 mid-engined supercar, you don't have problems with poor fuel economy...

super_car_muscle_man

May 9, 2009 3:22 PM

@renegade: you have quite successfully, in one comment, proved that your a kid with little knowledge making pointless stupid comments.

@lucifa: are being serious? you think people are going to buy this car for fuel economy? its an amazing diesel engine with rediculous power. its faster than the other V10 R8 and would leave it standing once its above 30mph. thats why people would buy it.

MAB

May 7, 2009 4:57 PM

The fun ones are dropping like flies. Bummer. Although, I had been hoping they were going to do away with that snow shovel of a front bumper before release...

MadMaTTer

May 7, 2009 5:19 PM

what a shame, it would have defintely done very well as many auto enthusiast would have loved to be part of history with the R10 Diesel Race car dominating and the technology being passed onto a street car.

Swifty

May 7, 2009 6:09 PM

it should be produced!

Audi shame on you!!!!

And it looked so sooo good!!!!

TDI should be in R8 because of LeMans winning R10 and R15

catchmyshadow

May 7, 2009 6:29 PM

it was never meant to be a regular series anyway, it was just there to promote the Diesel engines in their standard cars. also, it would have been more expensive than the V10, with less power.

ShinyG

May 7, 2009 7:22 PM

You're right! The problem here is not the fact that is a diesel, they just had better options considering these drawbacks: 1. The engine block, which is made of cast iron, would have been heavier than the Lambo V10 engine, canceling the torque advantage it had over it. 2. The big problem were the turbos. The biturbo V10 they had in the prototype caught fire on the Nring. That's because turbos have a tendency to heat up a lot, and the combination of confined space in the engine compartment and the aluminum spaceframe in the R8 makes it very hard to efficiently use them, no matter which type of engine they used.

kimbo

May 7, 2009 7:53 PM

good news. Diesel should be put only in small, eco-friendly cars.

HEMI426

May 7, 2009 9:30 PM

Audi has become smart

scratchy996

May 7, 2009 10:13 PM

too bad , it would have been something original in the supercars club.

Edited by user on May 7, 2009 at 10:13 PM

madness

May 7, 2009 11:52 PM

This comment was edited at 11:53? but its only 10:53...

Edited by user on May 7, 2009 at 11:52 PM

HUMM3R

May 7, 2009 9:18 PM

its ugly. they've ruined the beautiful car. the front end is ruined

Sedaer

May 8, 2009 9:33 AM

Get this body kit on the R8 petrols is what were saying. P.S. Hummers are ugly not the Audi.

HUMM3R

May 8, 2009 1:38 PM

lol very mature. says it all about your opinion then.

super_car_muscle_man

May 9, 2009 3:27 PM

no mate, sedaer had a point. hummers are ugly compared to an R8.

cbass79

May 8, 2009 5:56 PM

It seems that most guys here are from the US.. So I live in Germany and almost the half of all cars are diesels. Every outside salesman drives a diesel because it´s quiet, very powerful and very efficient. That a diesel is noisy - it´s a tale from the past (GM diesels from the 70´s). Have you ever driven a modern european diesel?

It´s much more quiet than a powerful petrol engine as you can see on youtube if you search for "R10 TDI sound". For US-drivers, the diesel is much better than any asian hybrid: I drive an Seat Ibiza TDI with a 110hp Audi-engine and the consumption is: Highway 50mph - 98 mpg, 75mph - 85mpg, 110mph - 34mpg, 130mph - 23mpg City 40mpg Even if you can believe it, these are true and realistic values..

HUMM3R

May 8, 2009 11:51 PM

sorry i just need not see a reason for the R8 to ever go diesel. i am in new zealand. and to be honest diesel costs the same as petrol when all the taxes are pulled on it. its just the fact that diesel is more economical. and i think people who can afford an R8 can afford the petrol. who on earth buys an R8 for the economy?

super_car_muscle_man

May 9, 2009 3:29 PM

@hummer: no one is buying the r8 tdi for the economy.

HolySteel

May 22, 2009 1:02 PM

The regular R8 almost doesn't have an engine note at all, that is still better than all the unpleasant noises that would be coming out of the exhaust pipes of a TDI version.

Open your ears - diesel engines still smell, rattle and whistle. Even though VAG finally noticed that common rail diesel engines are quieter than Pumpe/Düse.

cbass79

May 9, 2009 4:40 AM

I think the R8 TDI would be a step into the right direction because other cars in the league consume about 18-30 l/100km - the R8 TDI is about 10-12 l/100km. Also it would be unique - why don´t buy the only diesel supersports car in the world.

Maybe the R8 TDI could be a V10 because the actual Lemans race car R15 is a V10...