Two months after checking out the A5 DTM concept, Audi has whipped out the production model at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Codenamed the “R17,” the A5 DTM replaced the old A4 DTM and is scheduled for homologation on March 1, 2012. Until then, engineers will be busy putting it to some extreme testing.
The A5 DTM is 5.01 meters long, 1.95 meters wide, and 1.15 meters low, and is completely made in carbon fiber. It is powered by a V8 engine mated to six-speed transmission, now pneumatically operated using paddle shifters in the steering wheel. The shifting events are more precise compared with conventional manual gearshifts and allow the mileage of the unit to be quadrupled to up to 24,000 kilometers. The whole setup delivers a total of 460 HP. The race car has also received a safety fuel tank with a capacity of 120 liters integrated with the carbon fiber cell of the Audi A5 DTM that allows the current distance of a DTM race to be covered without a refueling stop.
“In the past, Audi has had very innovative solutions particularly in the area of aerodynamics in the DTM,” says Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Engineering at Audi Sport. “Since these areas have been subjected to severe restrictions good detailed solutions will now be crucial to achieving advantages over the competition.”
gallery: 2012 Audi A5 DTM concept
