Audi takes the RCN Green Challenge at the Nürburgring, beats official fuel rating by 28 percent
If you're a sports car aficionado, you already know what Nürburgring is: one of the world's most famous race tracks that is used both by car fans and auto journalists to test cars while going a little faster than authorities allow on normal streets. Audi, though, is proud of a recent event at the 'ring that had more to do with reducing fuel use than simple speed. Two Audi TTs with 2.0 TFSI engines mated to 6-speed manual gearboxes entered an efficiency contest, with the winner using 1.6 liters one each 20.832 kilometer (12.94 miles) lap. Using figures that more of us can understand, that comes to 7.7 l/100 km, or 30.55 mpg (U.S.) during the race. The goal was to maintain the greatest level of fuel efficiency within a prescribed amount of time, based on the power-to-weight ratio of each vehicle. Then, the resulting figure was compared to the official European city cycle figure, and the winning driving accomplished a 28 percent improvement over the government's numbers. Find a full press release after the jump.
[Source: Audi]
PRESS RELEASE:
Audi wins 2nd heat of "RCN Green Challenge" held at the Nürburgring
* Audi TT 2.0 TFSI takes first and fourth places in efficiency contest
* Needs just 1.6 liters of fuel per lap on the Northern Loop (20.8 km)
* Undercuts NEDC consumption for city by 28 percent
In the second heat of the "RCN Green Challenge" held on the Northern Loop of the Nürburgring, Audi once again proved that performance and efficiency are not mutually exclusive: Two Audi TT 2.0 TFSI models entered the efficiency contest, finishing in 1st and 4th place. In this four-lap competition in Germany's Eifel region, the drivers of the victorious TT Coupé boasted an average fuel consumption of only 1.6 liters per each lap of 20.832 kilometers (12.94 miles). With these results, the winner beat the standard city consumption serving as the benchmark by 28 percent – a feat unmatched by any other participant.
During the contest, the Audi TT achieved an average fuel consumption of 7.7 l/100 km (30.55 US mpg) on the track. The RCN Green Challenge was held for the first time this year with the goal of combining speed, fuel efficiency and driving enjoyment. Car racer Hans-Joachim Stuck sponsored the contest. Audi entered two series-production 200 hp (147 kW) Audi TT 2.0 TFSI models approved for normal street traffic and equipped with six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive.
The efficiency contest was not simply about chasing the fastest lap times. The goal was to maintain the greatest level of fuel efficiency within a prescribed amount of time. The target time was based on the power-to-weight ratio of each vehicle and ranged from 10 to 15 minutes per lap. The drivers were challenged with meeting their target times as precisely as possible. This factor was evaluated along with their average consumption compared to the NEDC figure for the city cycle.
The 2.0 TFSI is available on the Audi A3, S3, A4, A6 as well as on the Audi Q5 and TT in power classes ranging from 125 kW (170 hp) to 195 kW (265 hp). In the highest power class of 200 kW (272 hp), the engine enables an Audi TTS Coupé equipped with the optional S tronic dual-clutch transmission to accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in just 5.2 seconds.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
paulwesterberg 7:22PM (7/07/2009)
A car tuned for highway driving get better mileage when driven fast compared to stop and go city driving.... shocker!
In other news: water is wet, sky is blue, audi gets pants mileage when driven like a normal car.
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BAUMM III 6:56AM (7/08/2009)
7.7L/100kms mean absolutly nothing with "10 to 15 minutes per lap."
Audo made typically a "no news" here
I drove at the Nürburgring with my Lupo 3L 1.2 TDI, and my best time was 11 minutes 40 (with 61 HP! can't remenber the consuption, but about 6L/100).
If 10 minutes a lap is fast, I believe you don't need to brake a single time if you make a lap in 14-15 minutes, neather rev the engine more than 2500, 7.7L in these condition is a LOT!!
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Matt 9:12AM (7/08/2009)
A 10 minute lap is 78 mph AVERAGE. That IS fast, especially when you consider the number of tight turns on the ring that can not be taken at anywhere close to that speed in a street car.
A 15 minute lap is only 51.76 mph average. Not terribly fast, but should be comparable to highway fuel economy.
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Sam 10:58AM (7/08/2009)
of course the lupo could get better mileage, but i think they were measuring power/weight economy +laptimes.
I'll bet i could get better mileage walking the course :-) But then again i wouldn't have much hp would i?
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Sebastien 11:38AM (7/08/2009)
I think the point is they beat the NEDC consumption for city by 28 percent...not necessarily that they achieved 7.7 l/100km
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houston00 9:51AM (11/22/2009)
I think that Audi did an incredible job with this car. Having a fuel efficiency car is important especially since the economy is so rough now.
http://www.xomba.com/rcn_webmail_%E2%80%93_how_use_your_email_and_features
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