Other racing series

Natural gas in the Longdistance Cup


Models Racing Special
Rallye Pikes Peak TransAm IMSA Talladega DTM STW DTM2000 LeMans Others
French Touringcars Natural gas A4 Type44Q SCCA ITB Coupes Type44 in Finland Type44 in the USA Belcar C4 extreme

A very interesting project is the natural gas powered A4 quattro that is used by the Team Abt in the Longdistance Cup at the Nuerburgring Nordschleife. Right from the start, this car was quick. In its first 24 hours outing it was stopped leading by a technical defect. In the following 4 hours race it was only 7 seconds behind the unbeatable Viper. So you have to count the natural gas A4 to the circle of top contenders.
Abt has long experience in converting cars to natural gas. The official cars of his hometown Kempten have had this conversion and use this environment friendly fuel. Abt offers some of his tuned cars with natural gas engines, too. In the Longdistance Cup there is a special class for vehicles with alternative fuels. Its rules allowed Abt to use an old Audi A4 quattro, replace the 2.0litre normally aspirated engine with the 1.8 Turbo engine, enlarged to 2.0 litres. The conversion to natural gas was a standard procedure vor the Abts. The compression ratio could be increased and the electronic was adjusted to the new fuel.
The thermic balance of the engine is uncritical: The gas flows into the cylinder and expands and thereby cools the engine. Now, the engine provides 300 healthy PS at 8000rpm. 500 would be possible without a worse milage due to the better thermic efficiency with more gas. But the sequential 6gears gearbox can only cope with 300Nm. Now the engine has 270Nm (at 5000rpm) to have a little clearance for the long races.
The fuel consumption is relatively high: The Abts have to visit the pits every 8 laps, while the gasoline powered cars can stay out 12 laps and the diesels nearly only have to visit the pits to change drivers. But the Abt Audi A4 has the advantage of a very short refueling time. Of three tanks one carries 68litres and two 85liters. This volume is the volume when filled without pressure. They can handle up to 600bar. Due to safety rules they are only allowed 200bar. That of course spoils the amount of natural gas that can be carried but due to the full-contact races on the Nordschleife it seems understandable. But you have to consider that natural gas is not more explosive than gasoline. Many safety measures have been taken to make sure that the natural gas won't leak uncontrolled in case of an accident. Despite the massive safety tanks the weight is more or less acceptable with 1100kg.
(1) (1)
(1)

Check out their (German) homepage: Team Thyssengas Abt


Models Racing Special
Rallye Pikes Peak TransAm IMSA Talladega DTM STW DTM2000 LeMans Others
French Touringcars Natural gas A4 Type44Q SCCA ITB Coupes Type44 in Finland Type44 in the USA Belcar C4 extreme

(1) mot, issue 13 of June 10th, 2000; scanned by me
Copyright 2000, 2001 Jens
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