Audi’s five-cylinder engine, production of which was previously believed to be coming to an end later this year, may have received an unexpected lifeline. One that could see the legendary inline-five continue to be sold across several markets, including the United States, and which, according to Audi’s big bosses, would still maximize the “emotional driving experience” synonymous with the RS3 hot hatch. Audi Open To “Every Possibility” To Save Famous Inline-Five AudiAudi Sport CEO Rolf Michl explains that a hybrid version of the turbocharged EA855 five-cylinder is being considered in a bid to circumvent restrictive Euro 7 emissions regulations, according to a report from Autocar. The regs are set for November, and Audi's EA855 engine falls afoul. Interestingly, this contrasts a previous report from last month, which stated that the five-cylinder would be discontinued altogether.“We are absolutely aware of the DNA of a five-cylinder engine and we are open to every possibility.”-Audi Sport CEO Rolf Michl via AutocarTentative plans to re-engineer the five-cylinder engine, a variant of which has been used to power the legendary likes of Audi’s rally-bred Sport Quattro, RS variants of the A3 and TT coupe, and even some select Volkswagens over the last 50 years, would be costly, however. Given that the EA855 five-cylinder currently powers only Audi’s brand-new RS3, the celebratory Competition Limited special edition, and sister brand Cupra’s Formentor VZ5, this is an expense at which Audi’s board is believed to have balked. Hybridization Could Be The Key To Success AudiMating the five-cylinder with an electric motor, however, could be a cost-effective alternative. Audi, after all, uses a similar setup in select PHEV versions of the A3 Sportback, the A5/A6, and the Q5, among others, albeit with a four-cylinder engine instead of the inline-five. While Michl did not confirm that such a plan was already in motion, the Audi Sport boss did state that the German brand was “open to every possibility” to keep its hallmark engine in the game:“The thoughts [on potential hybridization] will continue at our end. I can tell you we are still thinking in different technological possibilities… At the end of the day, the most important thing is the maximum amount of emotional driving experience for the compact segment.”-Audi Sport CEO Rolf Michl via AutocarInterestingly, should a hybridized five-cylinder come to naught, Autocar’s report states that the EA855 will still be available in select markets where less stringent regulations apply. The most notable being the US, where the third generation, turbo inline-five-engined RS3 has been on sale since last Spring. Don’t Expect A Boost In Sales Though… AudiIt should perhaps be noted, of course, that EA855-powered models remain a characterful addition to, rather than pivotal for, Audi’s global sales. In the US last year, for example, the Audi Q5 SUV and its turbocharged four-cylinder was comfortably the German brand’s bestseller with 46,215 sales across the year. By comparison, just 8,315 examples of the A3 were shifted during the same period. Admittedly, 700 more examples of the compact A3 were sold in Q4 2025 than Audi managed during the same quarter in 2024, in an unexpected resurgence for the German brand's sedan fleet.Ironically then, as Audi works to preserve the “DNA” of its most storied engine behind closed doors, it's a shame that many Audi customers, in US showrooms at least, probably won't even notice.Source: Autocar / Audi
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