Filed under: Coupes, Sports/GTs, Audi
Makes sense: Audi S5 to replace V8 with supercharged V6
Click above for high-res gallery of the Audi S5
If you didn't see this coming, we recommend a trip to the optometrist. Audi is about to swap the V8 engine in the S5 with the same supercharged V6 going into the new S4 sedan. Inside Line is reporting that the dulcet-but-dated 4.2L V8 is on the way out. The new 329-hp supercharged V6 engine will take its place. Call it the S-engine-elect.
With nearly the same power and much better fuel efficiency, the lighter V6 will be the cure for what ails the current S5. While its styling is superb, its powerband and porkiness have been criticized. Fans of the 4.2L V8 should know, however, that the engine might still live on, perhaps in twin-turbo form, replacing the V10 in the next-gen Audi S6 and S8. That V10 could also get the twin-turbo treatment and wind powering the upcoming R8-based R10. Got that? Good.
The base R8 will probably get that same updated V8, while the supercharged V6 might also work its way into the all-but-confirmed R4 engine bay. While that covers most of the R and S models, know too that Audi has big plans for its RS models as well, hoping to make them lighter and more powerful in its quest for Porsche blood. We're dizzy with anticipation.
Gallery: Live shots of Audi A5 and S5
[Source: Inside Line]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
BrianFL 4:06PM (11/18/2008)
Sorry I like V8s better. V6s will never offer the same type of feeling that a V8 will.
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Quattroporte 4:37PM (11/18/2008)
Get used to it or get a blender.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsmxQ1P0xs0
Jeff 6:26PM (11/18/2008)
If you had driven the current S5, you probably wouldn't miss the V8. It's sad that both Audi and MB decided to replace awesome FI engines with V8s that weren't even their best showing. I'm glad that Audi is revisiting FI for the next iteration. Now if only MB would bring back their FI V6...
JF 4:06PM (11/18/2008)
How much lighter or fuel efficient is the blown v6 over the v8? Are there any figures out yet for this engine? Because everybody always assumes that less displacement = lighter and that's not always the case.
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HeyHuub 4:11PM (11/18/2008)
The new S4 is 10kg lighter than the old V8 S4, dispite being allot bigger.
For comparison, the new A4 3.2 quattro is 40kg heavier than the old A4 3.2 quattro.
zamafir 4:15PM (11/18/2008)
Reading linked articles is fun.
It's 30% more efficient, which is pretty significant, and will be faster (as we've already seen reported for the V8->V6T move in the S4).
JF 4:49PM (11/18/2008)
HeyHuub,
I'd be interested to see actual engine weights, but you make good points.
zamafir,
Thanks for being an @$$. I didn't have time to read the linked article too.
Ligor 5:05PM (11/18/2008)
@ zamafir
I still think they could have achieved the same in the V8 if they had decided to refine it and include some more fuel saving technology
or maybe get 20% better and another 50HP
John D 5:19PM (11/18/2008)
Oh great JF, well how wonderful that you didn't have time to read the linked article, yet you still found plenty of time to post an uneducated comment asking other people to do the research for you
JF 7:03PM (11/18/2008)
John D,
Autoblog saves my account info in my browser, therefore it literally doesn't take much time at all to post, but it would've taken longer to read the linked article, time I didn't have at the time earlier. Plus, AB could've put those figures in their article so that I could've seen them as I was scrolling down.
So I think you're really just going to have to get over it.
Jeremy B 4:12PM (11/18/2008)
BrianFL, you said a mouthfull. Though it wont be long when other automakers follow suit. That would be a sad day indeed.
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HeyHuub 4:12PM (11/18/2008)
Pity they're dropping the V8. Atleast they're keeping it in the RS models.
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cs 4:14PM (11/18/2008)
This is a great opportunity to create some interesting side badges, now the the V8 badge on the fender's no longer viable. Side vents? S badge?
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UltraP 4:26PM (11/18/2008)
Executive meeting: "How can we get another black dot for engine reliability in Consumer Reports?"
"VW V6 + supercharger, ja! Shnell!"
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Cameron 7:58PM (11/18/2008)
Zing!
Jeff Fields 8:37PM (11/19/2008)
Wow that's a statement back from 1981...
You do know that Audi consistently places very well in reliability reports. In fact not only are they the only manufacturer still in the green as far as car sales every month (besides Mini), they are doing very well.
BTW - the V6 is ALL Audi, has nothing to do with any VW engine ever made - ever!
noz 4:30PM (11/18/2008)
The dumbshts at Audi need to tweak their cars instead of tweaking their engines. Perhaps if they took a lesson or two from companies like Honda who can actually make what approaches an efficient vehicle, they may be able to pull it off.
With the current stupid German mentality of make everything weigh a tonne and compensate it with a stupidly oversized engine, it's no wonder German cars feel like fat pigs with big legs.
Dull, dry, and inefficient. That's what they have become.
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HeyHuub 4:34PM (11/18/2008)
Yeah like the Honda Legend is heavier than a V6 Audi A6. Or how the Accord weighs the same as an A4 2.0 TFSI. Or how the Civic type R is sower than it's predeccesor... real efficient.
AntBee 4:38PM (11/18/2008)
I'll take one of those German fat pigs, big legs and all, any day of the week!
Val 5:31PM (11/18/2008)
I really hope for your own sake that you are not american, coz that would make you the biggest hypocrite in the world... And Honda has NOTHING on the 3.0TDI A5, in terms of efficiency, power and style...