#AudiR18

Audi will be bringing a new LMP1 race car to the track for the 2014 season and though it still sports the R18 e-tron quattro name, the technology is completely new.

It appears that the Audi R8 e-tron wasn’t the only car on the production chopping block for the German automaker; the Scorpion supercar project has also been given the axe.

Audi is looking to continue its dominance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, running a 3:22.349 lap time today and taking the top spot in qualifying for this year’s endurance race.

Audi’s success in Le Mans racing is no easy task to maintain, but staying at the forefront of technology to keep its race cars safe certainly helps keep it in the winner’s circle.

Audi is working on a new hypercar that will act as the brand’s halo sports car, and some new details on the project are starting to trickle out.

Taking both design and mechanical inspiration from its R18 race cars (above), Audi is currently evaluating a new R10 model to slot in above the next-generation R8 sports car.

Playing catch up to some of its biggest rivals, Audi may be planning a supercar that could be on the road by 2017. 

With the 24 Hours of Le Mans coming up, an announcement is expected to come stating new regulations for the 2014 season.

A new advantage will be granted to Audi’s drivers next month in the 24 Hours of Le Mans: a rear-view mirror. It wasn’t possible to see behind the R18 race car until now, thanks to a tiny rear-mounted camera.

A few weeks ago, a trailer for Audi‘s Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts documentary was unleashed onto the Internet packed with plenty of high-speed action at arguably the world’s most famous race. Now you can grab your favorite Apple device and download the film for free on iTunes.

Audi used the Spa 6 Hours to debut its newest race cars, the R18 Ultra and the R18 e-tron quattro, delivering a thrilling premiere with highly successful results.

It almost makes sense for automakers and design firms to develop products together given all the effort that goes into making a car, at least that’s what it seems  Mercedes-Benz this thinking.

It unveiled a furniture line earlier this week and now German automaker Audi has teamed up with Clemens Weisshaar and Reed Kram on its “R18 Ultra Chair.”

It’s been three years since Audi’s first Truth in 24 aired to document the team’s 2008 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A sequel is now in the works, which will be a film on Audi’s 2011 Le Mans victory.

Allan McNish’s chances of a third overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans were over in the first hour of the race, after a spectacular crash destroyed his car and looked to have perhaps ended his driving days forever. Miraculously, however, McNish managed to walk away from the incident seemingly unharmed. The same goes for bystanders who avoided the flying shrapnel of the Audi R18 race car as it slammed into the tire wall after clipping a Ferrari on the Dunlop Curves.

Watch the video after the jump:

On their Twitter and Facebook pages, you’ll be able to get real-time video and telemetry of the race as it happens, so fans can feel closer to the action, even if they weren’t able to travel to France in time for this weekend’s race. Fans can tune into www.twitter.com/Audi__Sport and www.facebook.com/AudiSport to get all the action. Plus the free “Audi Sport” iPhone app will offer a live ticker.