Audi A4 2.0 TDI - 906 miles from Paris to Madrid on single tank

omarrana submitted on 03/17/2008 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 3:28 PM
from: www.egmcartech.com

[43] user comments | category: Misc News

Tags: Audi

Audi

Last month Audi invited a team of 12 journalists to race from Paris to Madrid in an Audi A4 2.0 TDI. To win the race, the journalists had to average the best fuel-economy while avoiding filling up their tank during the trip.

The winners, Nicholas Demberville and Richard Tallet averaged a fuel-economy of 53mpg with their A4 which is powered by a 2.0 TDI 4-cylinder common-rail diesel engine producing 143-hp. Completing the 782 mile trip, the two managed to extract a total of... Read Article

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theoptimisticpessimist - 3/17/2008 4:45:18 PM

+5 Boost

Cool

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supermoto - 3/17/2008 4:48:44 PM

+12 Boost

Bye-bye gas-electric hybrids and Toyota Motor Co. Hello future.

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EnnNorak - 3/17/2008 8:10:27 PM

+5 Boost

I'll second that supermoto, I'm sure Toyota loyalists will claim they get the same range with a Prius or whatever. What they don't realize is that if you are travelling in mountain roads, you need torque to get you up the hills and here is where a diesel really delivers while a hybrid is left to lug its heavy battery pack up the hill.

Bmw8ter - 3/17/2008 6:19:04 PM

0 Boost

Could you be any more unoriginal with your constant attacks on so-called "Lexus fanboys", you keep talking about? If you need attention that much, here....you can have your mom's teet back. Comment on the d*mn article already, rather than sitting there hoping for some kind of ToyLex boy reaction to your ignorant comments. G**!!!!

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Htay7500 - 3/17/2008 5:15:57 PM

+4 Boost

speechless. now what will it be a legacy diesel or this? if it comes in a stick and is avail in the US then where do I sign?

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investor27 - 3/17/2008 5:25:30 PM

+5 Boost

Lexus/Toyota fanboys will be speechless. They know that diesel cars has a lot more torque than hybrids, and handle exponentially better the hybrids as well.

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djrickp - 3/17/2008 5:45:06 PM

+1 Boost

I wonder if that is imperial miles since it is Europe.

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EnnNorak - 3/17/2008 8:13:33 PM

+3 Boost

Europe is metric, as is Canada and most of the world. The metric system is far superior to the English measurement system.

Bmw8ter - 3/17/2008 9:47:08 PM

+2 Boost

The metric system is superior only to the ones familiar with using it. It's really no more different than someone using the English system of measurement. Let's not forget, the English system existed long before the metric system. As far as superiority is concerned, it's all subjective.

huu76 - 3/17/2008 5:56:24 PM

-6 Boost

No, I've got lots to say.
Is this UK or US mpg? This article seemed to avoid going beyond vague.
Did they drive through any cities in between? Nobody discounts diesels avantages on the highway, not even me. Tell them to drive through some cities during rush hour (and try limiting the amount of oil their fuel of choice can use, then it'll be a different story).

The VW Jetta's claimed 1000km per tank in their ads, so nothing new here.

They tinkdered with the A4, but what they did, nobody will say.
Tinker with the Prius and you can do twice as good.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to/3374271.html
Sounds more like a publicity stunt to sell more diesels to clueless Europeans.

Nope. This just proves that Europeans still get wood over burning dinosaurs when the rest of the planet has moved onto harnessing the power of the sun.

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Heyhuub - 3/18/2008 3:35:14 AM

+3 Boost

Sounds like you haven't ever driven a diesel before, so your opinion is invalid.

What are you doing on this site btw? If all you can do is talk about is how great the Prius is then you aren't a car enthousiast.

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 3/18/2008 8:04:17 AM

+3 Boost

Huu76

Let me See if i can open your eyes finally

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/used_car_reviews/article3552994.ece

In the UK a 520d beat a Prius in a 500+ mile Fuel Economy Race 50% City & 50% Highway Driving.

READ IT AND WEEP

5-Series is Larger,More Luxurious and Driver never turned off the AC, Prius Tiny, Uncomfortable and Driver had AC turned off to try and improve Economy.

520d still Won.

huu76 - 3/17/2008 5:57:44 PM

-4 Boost

From my article.
"Steve Lapp, a professor from Ontario, says the moment has nearly arrived. "I've actually gotten over 100 mpg on some trips in my 2001 Toyota Prius," he says. The secret? He mounted solar panels on the car's roof to keep the batteries charged when the sun is shining. If Lapp, a backyard big thinker, can get triple-digit mileage occasionally, why can't the world's carmakers hit the mark on every drive?"

The Toyota A-bat apparnetly has solar panels on it.

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carnuts - 3/18/2008 5:12:21 AM

+4 Boost

Dido

Same goes for your worthless LS600h, FALSE mileage claims.

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1970toyotamarc - 3/17/2008 7:03:42 PM

-2 Boost

How come when a hybrid driver does something like this, it is just a publicity stunt, but here it is testament to a diesel being superior? And I want to know how much smog formed behind this car as it chugged along those European highways.

BTW, I averaged 59 mpg in my Prius on pacific coast highway yesterday.

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Kiriller - 3/17/2008 8:52:37 PM

+4 Boost

haha prius, biggest waste of money on cheeze. u smog hating, san francisco cheeze driving hippie, get out lol. how are u are car enthusiast if you drive a prius?

1970toyotamarc - 3/18/2008 10:20:20 AM

-1 Boost

Thats so original. If i had a dime for every person on this site who claimed i am no enthusiast because i drive a Prius.... It would be laughable if it wasnt so pathetic. Really, is that the best you can do?

And yes, we in SF (new temporary home due to a business transfer) and LA (permanent home) do appreciate a car that not only gets 59mpg, but also does so without emitting a trail of smog forming exhaust in its wake. Call us CRAZY!!!

EL34 - 3/17/2008 8:22:22 PM

+7 Boost

Audi is destroying ToyLex one road trip at a time :-D

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ThierryHenry14 - 3/17/2008 9:02:43 PM

+5 Boost

Why are the Toyota fanboys out with such vengence? Relax guys, praise the Audi. Its not like since Audi is good, toyota must be bad. They are both good. Get a life guys...

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1970toyotamarc - 3/18/2008 10:49:06 AM

+1 Boost

Well this Toyota fan will go on record as saying that what the Audi achieved in mpg is outstanding. But it was the third post that started the Toyota hating that required a reasonable response.

The Euro fanboys on this site are so afraid of the success of hybrids, that they cannot just be thrilled for a mfr doing well (Audi's mpg here), while also taking a critical view of the information (the problems that still exist with diesels, this being a very controlled environment for a test not unlike hybrid hypermiling), without using the post as a chance to bash Toyota. It is really pathetic.

ThierryHenry14 - 3/18/2008 10:28:48 PM

+1 Boost

I absolutely agree... I think that there are lots of fanboys who are immature and use this as an opportunity to bash non-german marques. I think people should praise the article for the article's sake and not bash other marques not mentioned in the thread.

KZ258 - 3/17/2008 11:35:49 PM

+2 Boost

crazy achievement(i mean this in a very good/impressive way)

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DasAuto - 3/18/2008 2:14:54 AM

+3 Boost

My brother's jetta 2.0TDI averages 800-900km on a tank in city driving. So it is possible.

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Ventura - 3/18/2008 4:39:53 AM

+1 Boost

In my golf i usually make 950km(+/-600miles) per tank but this is with a lot of small trips that i do during day, my record was 1170km (+/- 725miles)untill the fuel light went on but it is also possible to empty a tank in just 600km!!

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NiraliSherni - 3/18/2008 6:31:26 AM

+1 Boost

This is very impressive. I suppose no company can afford to ignore the fact that fuel efficiency is getting more and more important a factor seeing the way oil prices are shooting up. And i am sure this wont do their image any harm as a very good PR stunt as well.
-http://www.zapworld.com

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hybridfarce - 3/18/2008 8:44:36 AM

+2 Boost

CO2 emissions are very respectable for this size of car. For reference:

Prius 104 g/km
Mini D (diesel) 104
Audi A4 2.0 TDI 142
BMW 330d ~200
BMW 330i ~250

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Rupert - 3/18/2008 6:04:46 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

A 330d is more like 160 - the 3 series is the greenest in its class.

Dutchman - 3/18/2008 10:00:38 AM

+3 Boost

Nobody ever mentions where all those toxic batteries end up at 100,000 miles when they need replacement. How very green of the Prius drivers to overlook that aspect of ownership. By the way how long is a diesel engine good for? 200K-300K miles? The RX300H and the other Lexus (luxury export United States only) cars get 25% less MPG then what is advertised on the window sticker....shame shame.

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hybridfarce - 3/18/2008 10:17:04 AM

+1 Boost

A car, or any device, has a total environmental impact composed of its birth (manufacture), life (normal use), and death (recycling/landfill). MPG and CO2 are specs often quoted for the life of the product, while the impact during birth (and death) is often left out of the “green” equation, making hybrids/electrics appear greener than they really are. I’ve read that the average car produces 25% of its total lifetime CO2 in the birth phase (i.e., before you drive 1 mile).

1970toyotamarc - 3/18/2008 10:42:07 AM

0 Boost

Wow Dutchman, how many erroneous facts can you cram in one short post. That has to be a per line record.

"Nobody ever mentions where all those toxic batteries end up at 100,000 miles when they need replacement"
No batteries have needed replacing from wearing out in any hybrid yet, they are all expected to last the life of the car and are fully recyclable when they do expire. And the whole of a car is pretty toxic, not just a small battery.

"how long is a diesel engine good for?"
That logic is laughably outdated. Modern gasoline engines are as durable as any modern diesels. Thanks to the strict quality controls out of Japan, I can expect my Prius to last well beyond any Audi or VW. All auto enthusiasts of any brand can thank Japan for forcing their favorites to step up their quality game.

"RX300H and the other Lexus (luxury export United States only) cars get 25% less MPG then what is advertised on the window"
Where do I start with that one?? First, it's the 400h. Second, your internet-created acronym just smacks of typical fanboyism. It is very naive of anyone to keep trying to rehash that myth about an increasingly international brand. If your beloved Euro brands felt as you do, they would still be churning out the overpriced, underpowered, broke down junk of the 80s. Finally, Lexus is LEGALLY mandated to advertise the mileage estimates of the EPA. They do not make any claims of mileage, nor does any other mfr. But you can log onto EPA's website to see how good people's mileage really is in hybrids. If you compare the mileage on the RX400h (EPA estimate 26 combined, 2007 reported avg 25.4) to the MBZ ML diesel (EPA estimate combined 23, 2007 real world avg 23.5) you will see that in the real world hybrids are coming very close to their estimates, and are still outperforming diesels.

hybridfarce - 3/18/2008 11:21:30 AM

+1 Boost

In support of hybrids/BEVs, I have to say that Toyota has done a great job in supporting their batteries in and out of warranty periods. I haven’t heard of any Prius battery issues, but I know for a fact that Toyota still supports (and has replaced) the batteries in their RAV4-EV.

Hwany - 3/18/2008 10:02:53 AM

+2 Boost

It's funny. Most German fans, including me, praise cars regarding nationality when it outdoes the rest. I gave props to Nissan for making such an engineering masterpiece. I know most ‘fanboys’ still have their doubts about GT-R but most accepted the fact that GT-R outperforms many German cars, including Porsche Turbo.
Now when it comes to German car with high MPG, the other ‘fanboys’ just try to bash down the awesome technology. Not trying to generalize, but from this article, it seems so.
To Audi, PLEASE BRING THE DIESELS ASAP!!! And make your dealerships better already.

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1970toyotamarc - 3/18/2008 10:58:22 AM

0 Boost

There is nothing awesome about diesels getting good mpg. We all know they can do it. It is hardly news. Diesels have proven themselves to get good mpg for years. Now in the last 10 years, thanks in good part to Audi, they have become fast as well. Only now this year are SOME of the diesels also clean enough to meet the new stringent EPA Bin 5 and soon to be Euro V requirements (which there is no indication that this engine meets).

But while waiting for this cleaner, high mpg, high performance combo to FINALLY show up, we have had 10 years of hybrids doing just that, to the consternation of diesel fans everywhere.

But now that the Euro mfrs have finally put together this potentially winning formula, people on this site (notsomuch in the general public) are clamoring for them to come to the US at a time when diesel fuel cost $4 a gallon, compared to $3.28 for gasoline. It just doesnt add up. But to each his own.

Targa - 3/18/2008 12:25:29 PM

+3 Boost

I am not sure where you think that Hybrids have good performance. I can out run a Prius on my daughters bike.

I give Toyota etc credit for what they are doing, but the environmental cost of the batteries + the lack of fun to drive make them unappealing to me.

1970toyotamarc - 3/18/2008 12:29:19 PM

-1 Boost

Fun to drive is relative. I think GS450h drivers probably enjoy their driving experience. And I may not carve up the twisties in my Prius like I did in my MR2 Spyder or MINI Cooper S, but I have fun in my own way.

As for enviornmental cost of batteries, yawn...c'mon that's such a tired argument, with no basis in fact. I'm not going to even (again for the zillionth time) going to try to list all the facts debunking it.

Rupert - 3/18/2008 6:06:51 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

This 2.0 tdi is a brand new engine (even though it's pretty similar to the old 2.0 tdi which features elsewhere in VW group), and meets Euro V.

Agent63 - 3/18/2008 1:56:46 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

Impressive numbers done by the A4. Great mileage and shows how good Diesel is as an alternative to the hybrid technology.

At this day and age I think it's at the point where it's 50/50. People in Europe would choose a diesel and a hybrid is what an American would choose. It's how things are perceived through marketing.

In the end of the day two friends who own a diesel and a hybrid will be laughing cause they have cars with good mpg.

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huu76 - 3/19/2008 12:30:08 AM

0 Boost

I95speeding tickets,
50/50 driving? Really? Did you bother to read the article?
"test had taken us along just over 200 miles of autoroute, about 200 miles of B roads...and 100 miles of urban driving". That sounds more like 20% city driving to me.
Yup, for 4/5ths of the trip, they ensured the Prius was hauling extra baggage on the highway.
I won't even bother mentioning price or pollution.

Regarding interior volume, the Prius has 96.2 cu.ft and the 5 has 99.1 cu.ft. A significant difference, but we'll ignore the Prius was designed to compete in the compact class.
Camry-hybrid is 34mpg US or 6.92L/100km and has 101 cu.ft. A bit bigger, less emissions, better looking.
So you know, 520d is 5.65L/100km and Prius 5.87L/100km. Not a big difference considering the emissions and emphasis on highway driving.

Once again, leave it to the Europeans to rig another test for diesels.

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Dutchman - 3/19/2008 10:21:53 AM

+1 Boost

Wikipedia on Lexus 1970toyotamarc

"Lexus in Australia claim the original name is short for Luxury Export to United States. (LExUS)."

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