The idea of a diesel-electric hybrid supercar has long lingered with Audi, back in the days when Wolfgang Durheimer led the R&D department in 2012. If produced, this hybrid supercar will sit on top the R8 in Audi’s performance lineup, where it will be featuring technology used by Audi in their successful R18 e-tron Quattro Le Mans prototype.
Unfortunately, the project pretty much went quiet when Durheimer was dismissed from his post a year later, where he was reassigned to the role of CEO of Bentley and Bugatti. But now, the hybrid supercar talk is slowly re-emerging as Sweden’s Auto Motor and Sport has got word that the supercar mentioned here has been given the green light.
Dubbed as the R10, it is said that a prototype of this hybrid supercar have already been developed and test-driven by senior management. According to the report, the key of getting the green light to this project is that Audi will have to share the technology with other Volkswagen Group brands like Bentley and Lamborghini.
However, this project will be featuring some changes from the original concept. Instead of being diesel-propelled, the new design will feature a petrol powered engine. The six-cylinder unit as found in the R18 LMP1 will also be shoved aside to make way for a new 6.0-liter V10 engine. The engine will pack an array of new tech like cylinder deactivation, direct fuel and turbocharging, bringing the output to the range of 800-horsepower. Coupling that with an electric drivetrain, an output of almost 1,000-horsepower could just be in the reach
