Photo: Audi
It might be racing on sand instead of dirt, and it might be electric and tall. Nevertheless, the Audi RS Q e-tron looks like it's going to continue a legacy of rally dominance.
Last week while things were getting cooler in the USA, Audi was in the deserts of Morocco testing. They brought their all-electric RS Q e-tron and tortured it over the course of multiple days.
Shockingly it sounds like this off-road monster is nearly ready for its date at Dakar. According to Audi, it was tested on dune mountains, dried-out river beds, gravel roads, and high-speed tracks. More importantly, it performed day after day just as it will need to in real competition.
During testing in Morocco, the Audi team drove the car more than 1,500 miles (2,500km). Some of those miles even saw the car driven with its cooling air intakes deliberately taped off to simulate high temperatures. Of course, that distance is nowhere near the nearly 5,000 miles of the actual Dakar race coming up in just a few weeks.
Still, the team is optimistic about the car and its chances. Head of Test Engineering, Arnau Niubo, was quoted as saying.
“The entire team is focusing its energy on continuing the development under the toughest conditions... It was impressive how important findings flowed back to Neuburg from Morocco at a daily pace.
As a result, our three rally cars currently under construction for the Dakar Rally will have the latest technical status. At the same time, logistical preparations are in full swing,” he continued.
Those findings included some instances where the car was slowed or stopped altogether. Tire damage due to rocks caused multiple delays. A leaky driveshaft sleeve, a bent suspension wishbone, and other components all contributed to slowdowns as well.
We anxiously await the finished race car and its intrepid journey beginning in December at the Dakar Rally. We'll have all the action covered here at the time.
Shockingly it sounds like this off-road monster is nearly ready for its date at Dakar. According to Audi, it was tested on dune mountains, dried-out river beds, gravel roads, and high-speed tracks. More importantly, it performed day after day just as it will need to in real competition.
During testing in Morocco, the Audi team drove the car more than 1,500 miles (2,500km). Some of those miles even saw the car driven with its cooling air intakes deliberately taped off to simulate high temperatures. Of course, that distance is nowhere near the nearly 5,000 miles of the actual Dakar race coming up in just a few weeks.
Still, the team is optimistic about the car and its chances. Head of Test Engineering, Arnau Niubo, was quoted as saying.
“The entire team is focusing its energy on continuing the development under the toughest conditions... It was impressive how important findings flowed back to Neuburg from Morocco at a daily pace.
As a result, our three rally cars currently under construction for the Dakar Rally will have the latest technical status. At the same time, logistical preparations are in full swing,” he continued.
Those findings included some instances where the car was slowed or stopped altogether. Tire damage due to rocks caused multiple delays. A leaky driveshaft sleeve, a bent suspension wishbone, and other components all contributed to slowdowns as well.
We anxiously await the finished race car and its intrepid journey beginning in December at the Dakar Rally. We'll have all the action covered here at the time.
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