AutoblogGreen

Racing as such is never a "green" activity. Because the engines spend most of their time near rated power levels, the fuel mass consumed by the diesel-engined cars on the LeMans circuit is almost identical to that of their gasoline-powered rivals. Most of the time gain comes from the fact that fuel tank capacity is limited by volume, so the fact that diesel has 10% higher density than gasoline means less time lost to pit stops for refueling.

Rule changes this year are supposed to even the playing field, but with both Audi and Peugeot keen to burnish diesel's credentials as anything-but-slowpoke, it seems likely that diesels will continue to compete for top honors in that racing series.

And that, indeed, is the whole point. By extending the commercial appeal of diesel technology to the fuel-guzzling sports car segment, manufacturers are contributing to CO2 reductions. That's because unlike real race cars, street-legal sports cars spend a lot of time in part load, where diesels really are a lot more efficient than spark ignition engines.

I would not be surprised to see Audi offering a diesel option for the TT or R8 before long. Peugeot doesn't yet have anything in that segment yet, though.

Reply