Audi Changed the Paradigm and is Now Gone

This is the Statt Mann Baby. Time to Scatt a little bit.

A special chapter in motor racing history closed this weekend in Bahrain. Audi left the World Endurance Championship with a one-two victory in its last race, the Six Hours of Bahrain, Audi’s 107th WEC win.

It could be argued that Audi wrote its own book on top-of-the-line Le Mans prototypes. Audi unveiled its R10 prototype in December of 2005 then won its first two races at the 2006 12 Hours of Sebring and the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans.

It continued winning with the R15 and, now the R18 all-wheel drive, diesel powered monster that’s the epitome of Audi technology.

But, alas, the worldwide Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal hit Audi hard. VW owns Audi and once the fifteen billion dollar settlement was announced, Audi said it was pulling out of the WEC to concentrate on Formula E.

Personally I like the call. Audi is looking to bring electric power to more of its road cars. Formula E is the place to develop that technology.

But we can thank Audi for showing us a commitment to excellence and changing the way we think about diesel power.

Maybe they’ll also do that for electric power now.

Peace.