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11 Mar 2003, 19:48 (Ref:533123)
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#1 | |
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Racer
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 285
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Audi UK, isn't that was the Bentley is for?
In 1999, Audi of course ran the R8R under Team Joest, and the R8C under Audi UK. In 2001, with a new design and some green paint, the Bentley/Audi was battling Team Joest's R8.
OK, so now in the year 2003, Bentley are the sole "offical" factory entry from VW, and they are from the UK, but another entry for Sebring and Le Mans is...Audi UK? Seems somewhat odd. Not a bad thing, more cars are always good, but I felt that the Bentley was basically a second chance for the R8C and Audi UK, but apparently they feel the need to fund an R8. |
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11 Mar 2003, 20:08 (Ref:533138)
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#2 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 334
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The Bentley is the factory effort from VW. While the brand is still considered British, it technically isn't. Audi UK doesn't have a role with the Bentley program from what i understand, but they did buy an R8 and some very quick drivers. We'll see how they do against the green cars and the other, more experienced Audi teams.
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__________________
"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer." - Thoreau
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11 Mar 2003, 23:26 (Ref:533346)
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#3 | |
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Racer
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 378
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The people now who end up running the Bentley Speed 8 program from my understanding was basically the same group that made the R8C back in 1999...just now under a different banner...
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12 Mar 2003, 01:13 (Ref:533414)
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#4 | |||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,366
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Quote:
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12 Mar 2003, 02:13 (Ref:533436)
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#5 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 334
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I think you're right too. What is the name of that company anyway? I read it not too long ago when they moved the whole operation under one roof, but now it's totally left me.
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__________________
"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer." - Thoreau
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12 Mar 2003, 02:21 (Ref:533437)
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#6 | |
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Racer
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 378
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RTL or something?
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12 Mar 2003, 06:14 (Ref:533520)
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#7 | ||
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Ten-Tenths Hall of Fame
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 9,482
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Sorry to say that I found the R8C nicer than the last Bentley
 And it seems that Audi wants to come back in 2004 with a brand new car (a roofed one)... as we said before, could be just a 'window' for Bentley in 2003... |
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12 Mar 2003, 06:28 (Ref:533523)
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#8 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 521
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VW owns the Bugatti name too now, so the new effort in 2004 might come back as that..or as VW itself
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__________________
I specialize in the history of small displacement sports racers from France and Italy, circa 1930-1960.
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12 Mar 2003, 07:43 (Ref:533556)
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#9 | |||
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Racer
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 133
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Quote:
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12 Mar 2003, 09:35 (Ref:533610)
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#10 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,707
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Racing Technoligy Norfolk, Norfolk kicks arse, all the best things are from here, RTN, Van Demon...erm.....Norwich City FC.....erm.....help...
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__________________
"If there's anything more important than my ego around, I want it caught and shot now" Douglas Adams. 1952-2001
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12 Mar 2003, 10:54 (Ref:533666)
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#11 | |
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Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,744
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err...don't forget alan partridge
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__________________
I want you to drive flat out
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12 Mar 2003, 13:14 (Ref:533763)
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#12 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 769
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I believe the Audi UK team is effectively being run and funded by the British importer, very much like the Audi Japan entry at LM last year. And although most of the bodywork was nicked from the R8C, the chassis was different - it was originally intended for a W12 engine! They had to rework it to fit the Audi V8, which is why they never used the quick-change gearbox design.
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__________________
The Romans didn't build an empire by having meetings... They did it by killing all who opposed them.
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13 Mar 2003, 01:34 (Ref:534568)
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#13 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 204
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RTN built all the Bentleys. Richard Lloyd and his Apex Motorsports ran the Bentley in 2001 and 2002, managed by John Wykham. Wykham manages the program this year too, but Lloyd is not as involved. The team this year has got a lot of the factory Joest/Audi mechanics and engineers from last year.
This year, Audi UK has Mike Earle's Arena Motorsports running their R8. This is the same team that ran Stephan Johansson's Gulf car back in 2001. So for reference, Audi UK has nothing to do with the Bentley. Bentley hired Audi UK man Richard Lloyd to use his Apex Motorsports team to run their car in 2001 and 2002, but Bentley paid for that, not Audi UK. Also, the Bentley was designed by Peter Elleray, who was *not* involved with the R8C. Southgate designed the R8C. Totally different cars. Not one common part, except for the motors.  Hope this clears a few things up. The only thing I'm unclear about is how much Lloyd and his Apex team are involved with this year's Bentley. The press release said he was a "consultant" for Team Bentley this year. It looks as though since Joest is no longer the factory development team for the Audi, all those extra resources Joest has had over the last few years (mechanics, engineers and money) were moved over the Bentley team for this year. Last edited by C_g; 13 Mar 2003 at 01:40. |
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