Audi RS8 V10 Caught Fire During Testing on Nürburgring
04-10-07, 09:42 AM
#1
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Audi RS8 V10 Caught Fire During Testing on Nürburgring
With just hours to go on the last test day, the worst thing happened to the Audi test team working on the prototype for the V-10 version of Audi's R8 supercar.
Just coming into the Brünnchen part of the Nürburgring, this million euro Audi RS8 prototype caught fire and burned up. There's not much left of this super-fast super car with a V-10 engine. The only thing revealing that it was the RS8 are the wheels and the mid-engine layout. Just the roll bar survived the fire, leaving a skeleton of remains.
The fire was probably started by an oil or gasoline leak. But most important, the driver didn't get hurt, according to our information.
Audi still is planning the 500-hp, V-10 version of the R8 for a 2009 model year launch.
Just coming into the Brünnchen part of the Nürburgring, this million euro Audi RS8 prototype caught fire and burned up. There's not much left of this super-fast super car with a V-10 engine. The only thing revealing that it was the RS8 are the wheels and the mid-engine layout. Just the roll bar survived the fire, leaving a skeleton of remains.
The fire was probably started by an oil or gasoline leak. But most important, the driver didn't get hurt, according to our information.
Audi still is planning the 500-hp, V-10 version of the R8 for a 2009 model year launch.
04-10-07, 09:55 AM
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Not good, even if this is prototype testing. Reminds me of the fire problems that the Mercedes SLR had in testing (and to some extent problems which the production model has too).
04-10-07, 09:59 AM
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That's why you test. 
04-10-07, 10:04 AM
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It's not often that entire prototypes catch fire.
And this is just a rough personal theory, but seeing as this is mid-engine, it requires substantial cooling. In particular because it's a V10, not just a V8. My guess is that maybe there is not enough cooling for the engine.
And this is just a rough personal theory, but seeing as this is mid-engine, it requires substantial cooling. In particular because it's a V10, not just a V8. My guess is that maybe there is not enough cooling for the engine.
04-10-07, 11:16 AM
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04-10-07, 12:29 PM
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Also 600hp seems dumb. Audi is already competing against it's biggest shareholder with the R8/911 war, why would it compete against itself in a new Murcielago/RS8 war?
Last edited by Mwmorph; 04-10-07 at 12:32 PM.
