7 of the most important powertrains in Audi’s history

During the development process, it was decided that traditional four-cylinder engines were not upmarket enough, so engineers were torn between developing either an inline five-cylinder engine or a straight six. In the end, the five-cylinder powerplant was chosen because it not only took up less space but it was also lighter, which helped with weight distribution.

In the 100, there were three versions of the 2.1-litre five-cylinder unit available, developing 115PS, 136PS or 170PS. However, the engine would go on to much greater acclaim when in 1980 a 200PS version appeared in the Audi quattro coupé, one of the world’s first high-performance four-wheel drive cars.

The car would be on sale for 11 years. Undoubtedly, the way it revolutionised the World Rally Championship played a huge part in its success – millions of people watched as flame-spitting quattros decimated the field to the soundtrack of that unique five-pot exhaust note.

EA113 1.8-litre turbo

In the 1990s, Audi was one of the car makers that cottoned on early to the benefits of turbocharging smaller-capacity engines. One of its first was the 20-valve 1.8-litre four-cylinder unit that was developed under the EA113 type name.

Its sheer breadth of abilities is unsurpassed, because it has appeared in a vast range of Audi models, starting with the A3 hatchback, and heading up through the A4 and A6 executive cars, and even the über-stylish TT. It truly was an engine that felt at home anywhere, which is why it was also fitted to cars competing in the Formula Palmer Audi racing series that ran from 1998 until 2010, as well as the FIA Formula Two Championship that ran from 2009-2012.

4.2-litre V8

When Audi decides to build a performance car, it doesn’t do it by half. So, when it wanted a hot S4 variant of its A4 saloon, estate and convertible in 2003, it went for the no-holds-barred option of developing a new 4.2-litre V8 engine.

This new engine produced 344PS, and gave the S4 the pace to worry dedicated sports cars.

But Audi didn’t stop there. When the whole A4 range was revised in 2006, Audi revealed a new RS4 model, which had the V8 turned up to 11. In the RS4 it produced 420PS, and had a redline of 8000rpm.

This award-winning engine also powered Audi’s first supercar, the R8, when it was launched.

5.2-litre V10

As the old saying goes, there ain’t no replacement for displacement. Audi took it to heart when developing the third-generation Audi S6, so came up with a 5.2-litre V10 engine, which built on the already impressive foundations of the 4.2 V8 seen in the S4 model. It produced 435PS and a howling soundtrack. And that’s what made it a natural fit for the second variant of the Audi R8, which was launched in 2009. This model featured a power output of 525PS, giving the car a 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 196mph.

This model also continued Audi’s Vorsprung Durch Technik ethos by being the world’s first car to be fitted with LED headlights.

e-tron

Talk about current thinking. e-tron is the designation Audi has given its range of fully electric powertrains. And much like the supremely versatile 1.8-litre turbo mentioned earlier, the e-tron powertrain is impressively broad in its talents. As such, there are a number of motor and battery-size options available across Audi’s range – with e-tron models including the Q4 e-tron, Q6 e-tron, A6 e-tron and e-tron GT – which means that there is now a fully electric Audi to suit most buyers’ wants and needs.

As it happens, electric motoring suits Audi quite nicely too, with the e-tron platform neatly blending the excitement of punchy torque, with the relaxation and refinement of smooth, almost-silent driving. Plus there’s the added bonus of potentially lowering your running costs that come from being able to recharge at home.

Speaking of charging, Audi has taken care to make that effortless too. At home, you can ‘fill up’ your Audi’s battery overnight for added convenience, while out on the road, a lofty maximum charging speed means some models can be juiced up from 10-80% in as little as 21 minutes[2] at an ultra-rapid public charger.

e-hybrid

Plug-in hybrid cars have been a useful bridge between self-charging hybrid and fully electric vehicles for some years now, but Audi’s e-hybrid powertrains represent a substantial evolution of the established PHEV formula by significantly boosting the all-electric range.

For example, a fully electric range of up to 67-73 miles (WLTP) in the Q3 SUV e-hybrid[1] means that, for the average driver, there could be more than enough battery power for a few days of pure electric motoring. So you get the benefit of smooth, silent and responsive electric power, with the familiarity of an efficient, cutting-edge petrol engine for longer trips.

As you might expect, there are other clever bits of Audi innovation sprinkled throughout. Some models benefit from an enhanced quattro set-up, with the punchy response of the electric motor increasing the effectiveness of Audi’s legendary all-wheel-drive system. And, on many models, the e-hybrid powertrain is in constant communication with the sat-nav system, allowing it to work out which is the best drive option for any particular stage of your journey – the perfect demonstration of Vorsprung Durch Technik.