Image: Audi
Image: Audi
Image: Audi
The latest and most powerful Mercedes C63 has undeniably shaken the automotive world to the core, opting for half the amount of cylinders from its revered V8 predecessor. No such plans are in the pipeline for four-cylinder Audi RS models though.
Image: Audi
One of Mercedes’s largest rivals is that of Audi and amidst the looming world of electrification and downsizing trends, many may have feared the Stuttgart automaker had kicked off the inevitable end of the ICE and large piston engines.
For the time being, the Ingolstadt neighbours to Mercedes have completely ruled out four-cylinder RS models which means that the five-cylinder, V6 and V8 in the family may stay for a few more years. Constantin Dressler, head of product marketing at Audi Sport, stated: “Of course, we will also electrify our cars. But we won’t do four-cylinder,” in a recent interview.
In saying this, it is worth noting that the outgoing Audi RS5 is severely down on power in comparison to the Stuttgart four-pot. Powered by a 2,9-litre twin-turbocharged V6, the model only puts out 331 kW and 600 N.m. On the other end of the spectrum, the sacrilegious C63 Mercedes managed a whopping 484 kW and 1 020 N.m of combined electric and ICE power and torque.
Image: Audi
While the Mercedes boasts an incredibly intricate system that pairs the 2,0-litre four-cylinder motors with an electric turbocharger and a two-speed electric motor on the rear axle, Audi may be planning their catch up on the yet-to-be-released RS Q5 which may become the first Audi Sport model to boast an electrified powertrain with reports insinuating that the aforementioned V6 may become hybridized.
As can be expected with an RS model, the electric assistance will be more focused on performance gains than efficiency but the bottom line is that no four-cylinder Audi RS models are planned for the time being.
Keyword: No four-cylinder Audi RS models on the horizon, hybrid power instead