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This is it, TopGear.comers - official sketches of the Audi A5 DTM racer that'll be competing in next year's German Touring Car championship. And they've been released suspiciously close to BMW's DTM concept. A spot of thunder theft, perhaps?
It'll carry over the 460bhp V8 engine and six-speed ‘box used in this year's A4 DTM, but the body gets a makeover for 2012 regulations - manufacturers are allowed to use bigger rear wings (hence the big rear wing) but have to pare down other aero kit.
See more pics of the Audi A5 DTM
Underneath, Audi's monkeyed with it to comply with new safety rules that stipulate racers have to withstand a static load four times greater than before. This means it's got a full carbonfibre monocoque, integrated fuel tank, steel roll cage and super-tough flanks made of carbon and two other materials that sound like emergency constipation relief - Zylon and Rohacell.
To make sure the cars are up to scratch, the racers are fired against a wall using what we can only assume is an enormous catapult (massive, unfounded speculation) to check for T-bone crash resilience. The front and rear ends are also smashed up to test their fortitude.
Predictably, and as per BMW's pre-release statement, Audi's saying these sketches ‘merely suggest the looks' although we're more inclined to believe the Ingolstadt firm. Firstly, because it's not gone to the trouble of building a concept, secondly because its racer's getting some of the styling revisions from the re-sculpted A5 coupe.
We'll have to wait till the Frankfurt motor show in September to see the grid-ready version of the Audi A5 DTM, but In the meantime, which one do you like best? And d'you think it'll beat the Beemer?
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
Want to comment on this?
C63-AMG-Black commented on this article
at 05:49 pm on 19 July 2011
the audi, all day, every day. FIRST COMMENT!
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BlueSwift commented on this article
at 06:04 pm on 19 July 2011
A5 DTM definitely looks prettier. But the M3 just looks more BADASS!!! :D
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blue592 commented on this article
at 07:25 pm on 19 July 2011
audi is living on the bmw's account...that's why i stoped to like them.. everything bmw do, they have an "answer". my d*ck answer! they wait to see where bmw is going, so they follow, they know that they can't miss... but no matter DT//M is now a bit different :)
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KartingVerbier commented on this article
at 08:44 pm on 19 July 2011
I wouldn't turn down a go in either of them!!
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coto/hp commented on this article
at 08:56 pm on 19 July 2011
i like the back and the wheels the audi in this scetch is amazing and i would love to see it in a race!!!!
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