Audi Produces Best-Ever 5-Cylinder Engine
On the cusp of what could be the extinction of the internal combustion engine, we are seeing some of the most powerful small or quirky engines ever created by manufacturers. It started with Koenigsegg’s introduction of the 600hp 3-cylinder engine, and, what perhaps seems somehow even odder, Audi is giving its newest rendition of the Audi RS 3’s surprisingly capable 5-cylinder engine.
Audi Sustainability and Movement to Electric Vehicles
It seems that any brand that isn’t currently investing in the newest generation of electric vehicles might consider themselves doomed and soon forgotten by time — and Audi, an engineering and technological titan in the automotive industry, has been working hard to stay ahead of the competition. Of course, there are some obstacles to tackle that other new electric brands don’t have to have.
Tesla, for example, and Lucid, are paving the way for themselves as new companies with their eyes toward the future, but historical brands like Audi have a history and heritage that must continue forward with them into every new endeavor — and that includes the major change that is the transition to electric motors.
Peak Performance in the Last Act
Within the past few years many manufacturers, Audi included, have announced the intended end of production of internal combustion engine cars, but the beloved German brand isn’t going down without some pizzaz. Enter: the most powerful production-level 5-cylinder engine that could, potentially, ever grace the market, which will become available in the 2022 Audi RS 3.
Aimed toward improving performance and efficiency, the newest generation of this engine is the best yet, and it outperforms previous models by leaps.
- Increased output to 401 horsepower
- Increased maximum torque to 369 ft-lb at 3,500 RPMs
- Steeper performance curve where power arrives earlier and maintained longer earlier and maintained longer
- Top-speed increase to 180 mph
Audi’s Legendary 5-Cylinder
Along with its more popular feat of engineering, Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system, the 5-cylinder engineer is far from new technology for the brand. In the early 1970s, engineers were tasked with a challenge that would require a rather unique solution: producing an new power house that was smaller than the space-consuming 6-cylinder engines but could out-performance already-established 4-cylinder engines. With some ingenuity, the Audi 5-cylinder engine was born.
This legend in the brand’s heritage made it’s official debut in the 1976 Audi 100 (C2) as a 136 hp-toting 2.1-liter 5-cylinder engine. After decades of adaptation, the newest rendition is promised to be the best yet.
“The Audi five-cylinder engine will forever remain a fundamental pillar for enthusiasts and collectors alike – celebrating the victory, performance, and expansive history for the Audi brand”
Audi USA
Since 2010, the 2.5-liter TFSI 5-cylinder engine has been voted “Engine of the Year” nine consecutive times — and you can still get it in the brand’s newest model line up this year.
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