truecarlover
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Audi producing a new turbo - and it's NOT the RS6
This is an article by Fourtitude with Wolfgang Hoffman - who is the Director of Product Planning for Audi of America. The whole article is a good read but I want to focus on the particular issue of the new turbocharged engine Audi is set to release. In my opinion it will be something akin to the 2.7T they had in the previous generation A6 and S4. Personally I think that is a great idea. If you read the whole article you will notice that he would not confirm there is an RS6 (though we pretty much know that from all of the spyshots) yet he would confirm that new turbo engines are coming. He also said new performance engines would be coming for the A6. Knowing that these people are masters at interviewing it makes sense that he was not talking out of both sides of his mouth.
Here are some excerpts of what he said:

What you will see in the future is probably a little more concentration on the A6 and making that an even more successful car. It outsold, on a worldwide basis, the E-class and the 5-series in 2006. So, the question is, why don't we achieve that here? We ask this question to ourselves all the time. Obviously, pricing is an issue and so on. It is also an awareness issue. We are going to work on that.

We work now on the packaging structure. We work on the appearance. The new model year will look completely revamped. We will do something very nice for the model year. We will make the car look much sportier.

I think that is also really important to focus on, because the C segment… what we call it,.. the A6, is really important for your overall image. These are the opinion leaders. These are the people, the drivers, the shapers, the makers in a society. People look at them. What is he driving? It is really important for us to be there and have a much better share. I would be pleased if my ratio to the competition on the A6 was much closer to where it is on the A4, where we are much, much stronger.

That has to be the goal. We have to increase our market share in the segment and we have the car and the performance. We are going to introduce nice performance engines here in the U. S. and I think we have a good package to compete against our European friends and give them a run for their money. I think that is the direction where Audi has to go, because that then opens up the opportunity to draw more people in from the smaller segments.

He says later:

Fourtitude: Turbos have always been a big part of Audi's heritage - today, pretty much relegated to the 2.0T. You see BMW with a turbo mid-range, similar to offerings you have had in the past. Do turbos fit on the top end now, or is that more of something left to other technologies like FSI, valvelift, etc.

Hoffmann: We haven't announced anything about that. But to answer shortly, yes. I think you will see something really exciting in the future with a turbo. Definitely.

Fourtitude: Will it be in the realistic realm, perhaps the B5 S4 or in the exotic realm like what the RS6 was in the past?

Hoffmann: It will be in a more of a high volume segment. You will see something nice in the near future. That is all I can say at the moment.
Read Article



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RupertRupert - 5/17/2007 10:33:10 AMView My AgentSpace
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"The A6 outsold on a worldwide basis the E-class and the 5-series in 2006."
Did not know that. Go Audi.


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LexusNumberOne4everLexusNumberOne4ever - 5/17/2007 10:42:37 AM
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How old is this article anyway?
I think they are referring to S3's turbo motor.


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AlexTxAlexTx - 5/17/2007 11:39:17 AM
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Article is only 2 weeks old.
As Ventura said, I am betting on the 2.5TFSI 5 cylinder (Turbocharged AND Supercharged) to go in production. Question is....which model??


VenturaVentura - 5/17/2007 11:25:15 AM
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At the present time they have the 2.0 TFSI with 200,220 and 265 Hp, they will launch (and probably the guys is speaking about this one) the 1.8 TFSI with a power output of 170 Hp but in a recent interview that i read the responsable for the A5 project said that the performance of this engine will be superior of what we now know about this class!! There is also the 1.4 TSI that could well equip the A3, it has a nice array of figures, 122, 140, 170 Hp at the present time 210HP in prototypes as Scirocco and Tiguan and 230HP in Golf Cup figures!! There's also a very old RUMOUR speaks about a 2.5TFSI with a power output of 350 HP!!!


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S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 5/17/2007 2:44:51 PMView My AgentSpace
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The 2.5T would most likely see the light of day in the TT RS. Imagine... Audi gets 350hp out of a 2.5 liter turbo five, while Volvo gets 215! LOL!


S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 5/17/2007 2:46:34 PMView My AgentSpace
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I've been hoping for this for a few years- they need a better engine for the A6. The 3.2, while capable, is completely average in this class. They need a more powerful standard six- but besides that, should bring back so mething like the 2.7T. I loved my A6 2.7T, but the '05 A6 4.2 (current-gen) I drove was disappointing. That's what really led me to the S4, because somehow, it fits the engine so much better...

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NeverfollowNeverfollow - 5/17/2007 3:25:19 PM
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I believe the engine he speaks of will be a V6 gas TFSI engine for use in the A4, A5, A6 and possibly the Q7. Don't look for it right away but maybe in 2009. This would lend some much needed performance to the A4 and A6 models which are currently suffering sales losses to the BMW 335 coupe and sedan and soon to be released 535.

This does kind of undermine the 328/A4 3.2, 335/S4 and M3/RS4 comparisons. Does this mean we will not have a 2.0T in the all new A4? Or does it mean the 4.2V8 will be replaced by a twin turbo V6 leaving the RS4/5/6 as the only V8s in the line up?

Kind of makes you wonder.

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truecarlovertruecarlover - 5/17/2007 7:25:19 PM
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It's hard to speculate - but I think like S4 it will be something like the old 2.7T. He said their will be "performance engines" introduced for the A6 and then later states that they will announce a turbo soon. The engine will be above the 2.0T currently in use on the A4 because the interviewer specifically asked him if a turbo will come in above that engine - to which he responded in a positive manner. So we shall see. Notice also the question was about competing with BMW's new turbos - and again earlier he specifically talked about upping the performance of the A6 - so that is my personal guess.

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MunichRobMunichRob - 5/18/2007 5:47:19 AMView My AgentSpace
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What sets the A6 back is the fact that it's just not sporty enough (with exception of the S6). It's handling is no where near that of a 5-series & is more on par with an E-class. The car needs to shed some weight, size up it's engine, & tighten up the suspension.

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S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 5/19/2007 11:07:00 AMView My AgentSpace
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I agree. I was disappointed with the A6 when I drove it (it was new in 2004), and I'm glad that led me to the S4. Who would want a boring A6 when you can have a fast convertible? Heheh.

But, considering how good to drive I've heard the S6 is, and how nimble the A8 and A4 are, I wouldn't be surprised if the next A6 was a major improvement.
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