Audi has unveiled an all new R18 for its 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans and FIA World Endurance Championship assaults.

Audi Sport has fundamentally re-designed the Audi R18 for the 2016 season with the car now featuring a modified hybrid system with lithium-ion batteries for energy storage, plus an efficiency-optimized TDI engine.

“With our new Audi R18, we’re setting a clear signal: Audi continues to put the pedal to the metal in motorsport, deliberately relying on TDI – the world’s most successful automotive efficiency technology – at Le Mans,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.

Audi and its sister brand Porsche have also decided to both run just two cars at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2016 – scaling back from their three-car efforts from this year.

On the driver front, Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler return aboard the No.7 machine while Loic Duval, Lucas Di Grassi and Oliver Jarvis will drive the No.8 Audi.

“We’re proud about being able to again represent the Audi brand in 2016 with such an extensive commitment in motorsport,” says Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.

“The new Audi R18 marks a major step that we’re expecting a lot of at Le Mans and in the WEC.”