There is no race on earth more important to car manufacturers than the 24 hours of Le Mans. The race is broadcast in some 60 countries and the winner gets cast as the sexiest thing on wheels for millions of car-buying fans around the globe.
On Saturday, Volkswagen AG's VOW.XE -1.25% Audi, the world's second best-selling luxury auto brand, will defend its Le Mans crown against a new campaign by Toyota Motor Corp., the Japanese auto maker that is increasing its offerings of performance vehicles and rebuilding its reputation after recent recalls.
(Audi's R18 runs ahead of Toyota during a Le Mans practice lap on Wednesday. Saturday's race will give a hybrid racer a serious shot at winning.)
For the first time, hybrid racers have a serious shot at winning. Audi and Toyota will debut machines with both electric and combustion power—the racing cars of tomorrow. Others showcasing cars and engines in the race include General Motors Co., GM -0.32% Nissan Motor Co. 7201.TO -0.67% and Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd.
Audi has won Le Mans 10 times in the last 12 years, more than any auto maker except Porsche Automobil Holding PAH3.XE -0.93% SE. For many fans, however, Audi is being overshadowed by the arrival of this new Toyota team and its hair-raising speed.
"They don't go racing for entertainment," said Allan McNish, a Le Mans champion driver who formerly competed with Toyota in Formula One. "They are coming to Le Mans to win. This is a very serious effort."
While neither company discloses its racing budget, the cost of fielding a team at Le Mans is high. But from its early days, Le Mans has served as one of the sports car industry's greatest marketing tools.
"The technologies proven on the race track give credibility to our brand and products," said Audi spokesman Mark Dahncke.
"The exposure is huge," agreed Rob Leupen, a director of Toyota racing. "We want to be the first to win with a hybrid. This is our target."
Toyota's Le Mans campaign also offers an opportunity to put its marketing challenges behind it. Starting in 2009, Toyota was hit with a series of recalls after complaints of unintended acceleration and quality problems. The company recalled over 9 million cars since that time. A 10-month study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ruled out any flaw in its electronic throttle controls.
In terms of global exposure, Le Mans' estimated 300 million household audience ranks with the Indy 500 and the Monte Carlo Grand Prix as one of the most watched races. Since it features closed-wheel prototype sports cars, it has the most relevance of those three to the showroom customer. The race is run on closed-off public roads with top speeds over 200 mph, flat out for 24 hours.
"It is the ultimate endurance test," said David Hobbs, a commentator who raced at Le Mans 20 times. "It is a huge test of man and machine."
Toyota isn't new to Le Mans. The company fielded a team in 1998-1999. It spent a lot of money and failed to win.
"It is the trophy missing from their cabinet," said Mr. McNish.
Japan, meanwhile, is the only historically major car-producing nation that hasn't owned a Le Mans dynasty. All others—Germany, Italy, Britain, France, and the U.S.—have racked up victories, garnering huge prestige. A Japanese brand has only won outright once: Mazda Motor Corp. 7261.TO +1.01% in 1991.
The story of Toyota at this year's race stretches back to early 2011. The company toyed with the idea, but plans were pushed back by the March 2011 tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan. The company gave the green light last September offering its team just months to develop its hybrid racing technology and build the cars. Some of the world's most skilled drivers tested the machines for thousands of miles. At the same time, Audi was building its own Le Mans hybrid. Both capture energy during braking: Audi using a flywheel and Toyota using supercapacitors to transfer energy to an electric motor that powers the front wheels.
Toyota will field two hybrids. Audi has entered two turbodiesels, plus two hybrids. In trial, Audi has proved faster—but only by a heartbeat. The top five cars in the first official practice (three Audis, two Toyotas) lapped the twisty 8.5 mile circuit in less than three minutes and 29 seconds—and all within a single second of each other.
In the end, to win, everything must go right. "The manufacturers that go to Le Mans test, develop, and X-ray everything," said Davy Jones, the last American driver to win, in 1996.
"Everything is the best that money can buy. But it isn't to say that you have a faulty hose or a joint fixture," he said. "To win Le Mans, you need lady luck on your side." |
