Dan Strong's column

The hottest TDI ever

Auto Express's Motoring Editor Dan Strong looks at the impact of Audi's new diesel flagship.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Dan Strong

08th April 2008

Audi's R8 V12 diesel couldn’t have looked any hotter. Parked in Miami’s baking sun, its Ferrari red paintwork and tinted glass ensured the two-seater easily matched its billing as one million dollars’ worth of hi-tech prototype. To add to the drama, its keepers had hired a heavily armed Florida State Trooper, just to keep an eye on things.

Test drives like this make motoring journalism one of the world’s greatest jobs... On top of which, our US location couldn’t be any more spectacular. Skyscrapers tower in the background, and the team responsible for the car stands round looking unusually relaxed as I am shown the driver’s seat and told to hit the road.

So, a quick spin around the block and 15 minutes later it’s all smiles. I have brought the R8 back in one piece, we all agree it’s got potential and shake hands… The PR man confides that although production has yet to be confirmed, serious enquiries about sales are being made by collectors and Audi fans alike, while other members of his team smile knowingly at inevitable questions about possible launch dates.

And why not? After all, the R8 V12 TDI has made history – even as a prototype. It’s not only the world’s first diesel-engined supercar, it’s also likely to be one of the fastest, most exclusive machines Audi will ever build. Or is it?

Later that evening, the man in charge of the VW Group’s engine development team hints in an interview that the firm is also close to announcing details of another R8 – powered by an evolution of the twin-turbo V10 from the RS6. It’s this car that is destined to Audi’s real performance flagship. Reading between the lines, the introduction of the diesel is as much about publicity as anything else – and the fact that Audi is about the only maker in the world that could really pull off such a model.

Further to this, there may be some even more interesting ideas behind the launch of a V12 diesel in a car like the R8. Audi, and more importantly parent firm VW, has committed to making its powerplants work harder than ever before.

Single engines now have to suit a range of applications, not propel a single car. Take the twin-turbo V10 as an example. As well as the RS6, it has been fitted to the Lamborghini LP560-4. And its use in the R8 will only be the beginning.

What will happen to the V12 diesel? Already slated to feature in a flagship Q7, it offers a huge amount of power, plus impressive refinement. But more importantly, it’s fitted to an R8, and in racing form it’s also been used to win Le Mans.

So, which VW Group companies would like to get hold of a super-sporty V12 that has both racing pedigree and the credibility associated with being installed in a two-seater supercar?

Step forward Bentley, which is reported to be working flat-out on an ultra-luxurious Arnage replacement. Or maybe we should be looking at Lamborghini. The Italians have discounted the idea of building a 4x4, but not the concept of a four-door car to compete with the likes of the Aston Martin Rapide. Perhaps VW’s new, closer ties with Porsche mean we’ll see the engine in the new Panamera saloon?

Look at the bigger picture, and Audi’s decision to debut its V12 diesel in one of the world’s most desirable sports cars appears to be pretty smart.

Think of it like this. While the R8 V12 is a landmark model, it’s the diesel engine that is the star of the show. In fact, I’d bet this unit is a cornerstone of Audi’s long-term plans for luxury cars. More than that, it’s likely to be at the heart of Volkswagen’s plans – and that includes Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche and possibly Bugatti.

The R8 is impressive and important – but it’s also the V12’s vessel to even greater things.