Audi is absolutely determined to stay at the top of the Le Mans tree where they have been safely positioned themselves for the past decade. You can tell that by the fact that the defending champion is the first to reveal their 2015 LMP1 car, the new Audi R18 e-tron quattro.

As you would expect, the 2015 Audi R18 e-tron quattro is better, faster, and more efficient than the previous year’s contender. It boasts more hybrid energy, fundamentally revised aerodynamics, and lighter weight. These improvements should be enough to guarantee this year’s Le Mans 24 Hour title… unless the rivals come up with something extraordinarily good.

The new Audi R18 e-tron quattro also looks a bit different from the previous version due to a new way of conducting airflow around and through the front end. It features larger air intakes in the front wheel arches which also help reduce the drag, flanked by all-new headlights with Matrix LED technology combined with Audi Laserlight.

Another highlight of the new R18 is a twofold increase in the hybrid energy, from 2 to 4 megajoules per race lap at Le Mans, thanks to a new electric motor with an output of 200 kW (272 hp). The capacity of the energy storage system is increased as well, with the  encapsulated flywheel now capable of storing up to 700 kilojoules of energy.

Add to this a four-liter V6 TDI engine with 410 kW (558 hp) and a dry weight of 870 kilograms, and you won’t be surprised when Audi wins the big race once again this year. In fact, it’d be surprising if they don’t.