The new engine has a single Garrett (Honeywell Turbo Technologies) TR30R VGT turbocharger, as opposed to the twin TR30R configuration of both the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP and the previous Audi R15 TDI.

These changes included Xtrac sequential electrically activated 6-speed racing gearbox with gearbox housing made of new carbon-fiber composite with titanium inserts, carbon clutch, changes to the carbon-fiber composite aluminum honeycomb monocoque built by Dallara,[7][8] Single Garrett (Honeywell Turbo Technologies) turbocharger with boost pressure limited to 280 kPa absolute,[9] Bosch MS24 engine management, 1 x 45.8 mm diameter air restrictor, OZ magnesium forged wheels, Michelin Radial 360/710R18 front and 370/710R18 rear tires.

[10] The R18 e-tron quattro is a hybrid version of the R18 ultra, with a 500 kJ flywheel accumulator system designed by Williams Hybrid Power, two 74 kW; 100 hp (101 PS) Bosch Motor Generator Units driving the front wheels with water-cooled integrated power electronics, providing the car with four wheel drive (quattro), and a smaller 58-litre fuel tank.

The modes manage engine mapping, short bursts accelerating from corners, quattro four wheel drive, wet weather, etc.

Audi later opted not to race with the second Energy Retrieval System, which is known as a Motor Generator Unit-Heat [MGU-H] in Formula One, because it did not result in the performance gain engineers had hoped for and was therefore considered an unnecessary risk to take.

[12] The aerodynamics have been heavily revised in accordance with the new rules: the width is reduced by 10 cm, the height is increased by 20 mm and there are a new set of front wings.

[13][14][15][16] On 29 November 2015, Audi Sport debuted the redesigned R18 that the team planned to race in the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship season.

They finished first at Silverstone; however, an irregularity concerning the underbody of the winning car resulted in post-race disqualification; Audi decided not to dispute this decision.

[24][25] Both the Ultra and e-tron Quattro made their racing débuts at the 2012 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps as part of a four-car Audi entry in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Entering Le Mans, with victories at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps, Audi had a 20-point advantage over Toyota, winning races off of sheer pace.

Dominant runs in practice and qualifying would place the Le Mans-winning #2 crew on pole position ahead of its sister car the #1, which followed behind three tenths off the pace.

[citation needed] Audi would evolve the R18 e-tron quattro into an entirely new and different looking car from its revised 2013 predecessor to adapt to the changes that the new LMP1 regulations (for hybrids) presented.

Weather would soon take its toll on a particular part of the track (turn 11) and the drivers in the second hour, and pit strategy played an important role in who would come out of the rain unaffected.

In addition, the Audi #2 finished too low; and did not earn enough points, giving Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi in the #8 Toyota TS040 Hybrid the drivers' championship title in the penultimate round of the season.

[30][36] The finale of the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship would be at the famous Brazilian circuit Autódromo José Carlos Pace for the 6 Hours of São Paulo.

With the increased megajoule output, the electrical hybrid machine in the front axle produced 203 kW (272 bhp), which recovers energy during braking.

With fifteen minutes to go in the race, the leading #7 Audi received a timed stop and go penalty, right after heading into the pits the previous lap.

[46] As the sun began to set over the track in the seventh hour, the #9 was able to pass the #17 Porsche on raw pace after a pit stop, and the #7 followed in third.

As the race was nearing the end of the fourth hour, the #7 was overtaken by one of the rival Porsches and its sister car, the #8, after trying to gamble unsuccessfully on slicks.

Consequently, they clashed, however, the Audi #7 was able to stay the course and not lose too much time, gaining a position to second place while the Porsche fell behind to the end of the field.

[68] With plans to reclaim the manufacturers' title which Audi have not won since 2013, a brand new car, dubbed by the simple name of 'Audi R18' was fully revealed in its final competition design in March 2016.

The high torsional stiffness of the chassis build has been built around the drive shaft for the hybrid system, with new mounting points for the front wishbone suspension.

The MGU (motor generated unit) at the front axle will gather kinetic energy through the rotation of the wheels until braking and disperse to help the car accelerate.

The foundation of the V6 TDI engine still revolves around the variable geometry turbocharger, with a 120-degree cylinder bank angle, and torque output of 850 Newton meters, in use since 2011, but now consumes 32.4 percent less fuel in 2016 in contrast to 2011.

Audi's technology of Matrix LED headlights and LaserLight was carried over and revised for 2016, and rearward vision is displayed through an AMOLED monitor connected to a rearview camera.

Defending champions Porsche brought a new version of the 919 Hybrid, redesigned to be lighter to counter the regulation of electrical power and fuel capacity.

Coming of the rather flat 2015 season that saw the defending champs uncompetitive to the likes of their German rivals, Toyota came with a brand new model, the TS050 Hybrid, which most notable change was the implementation of a smaller 2.4 liter, twin-turbocharged V6 engine.

In qualifying, the fastest times of the drivers assigned to a given car are averaged to form the starting grid order for every FIA WEC class.

Through the fourth to the end of the fifth hour, the #7 would defend its lead against the Porsche, maintaining good pace, even with a safety car period that brought them nose-to-tail.

With the retirement of the #8 car during the event and the exclusion of the #7 with the failure to comply to regulations, Audi would receive one point (from winning pole position) for Silverstone and would sit last in the manufacturer standings below Porsche and Toyota.