Audi Sport has officially unveiled the first picture of the 2014 Audi R18 e-tron quattro, the car that will compete in 2014 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. According to Audi, the updated R18 e-tron quattro meets the technical regulation applicable for next year and it was designed for maximum efficiency.

"We’ve reached a crucial stage in this project," explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "After building the first prototype, testing on various race tracks is now taking center-stage. The tests are mainly focused on achieving high mileage, coordinating the highly complex hybrid drive systems and working out an efficiency optimized total package that has never before been as complex as this one."

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Starting today, the next-generation Audi R18 e-tron quattro is being tested on the race track where all new Le Mans prototypes of the Audi brand have had to prove their worth: at Sebring.

Audi has won the manufacturers’ and drivers’ classifications in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) for the second time in succession and the Le Mans 24 Hours for the twelfth time this year. Before the end of December, Audi will present the next generation of its hybrid sports car and announce further details.

Source: Audi