“Tremendous power, great sound.
This is five-cylinder architecture at its best”
Nikos Kounitis, 4Wheels
Press Play to watch the video
Image:- LEFT: Mr Michael Ganz (Head of Drivetrain Development, quattro) and RIGHT: Mr Armin Pelzer (Head of Base Engine Design and Analysis, Audi AG)
Once again this class was an exciting
battle between two state-of-the-art
engines. But this year it was the five-cylinder
Audi turbo in the TT RS that
emerged victorious over the 2009
winner, the Mercedes 2.1-litre, four-cylinder
diesel.
The 2.5-litre Audi unit is one of the
most characterful on the market,
with a soundtrack reminiscent of the
quattro’s 1980s rally heyday. Indeed,
so distinctive is the noise, that in the
UK, Audi commissioned a music track
composed entirely from sounds
made by the 340bhp engine!
But there’s more to this sonorous
motor than pure nostalgia. For a start
it’s very flexible, with a flat torque
curve delivering the 450Nm peak all
the way from 1,600rpm to beyond
5,000rpm. It also features directinjection
to help the TT RS, whether
in coupe or roadster form, deliver
impressive economy alongside its
scintillating performance: 9.2
l/100km (30.7mpg) on the combined
cycle from a car that will accelerate
from standstill to 100km/h in a mere
4.7 seconds and tops out at a
governed 250km/h top level.
For customers who want even
more performance, quattro GmbH
will electronically raise the permitted
maximum to 280km/h, while
pushing the Sport button to open a
flap in the left exhaust tailpipe allows
the evocative soundtrack to be heard
in its full glory.
The five can also be mated with
Audi’s new seven-speed S tronic dualclutch
transmission. It enables the
driver to choose between two
automatic modes, or shift manually
using the selector lever or shift
paddles on the steering wheel.
A launch control function offers nigh-on
perfect acceleration from a
standing start, with maximum turbo
power and minimal wheelspin.
It’s a package that had the jury
swooning. “Taking an old blueprint
and renewing it so convincingly is
very exciting,” said judge Matt Davis,
while Yves Maroselli concluded:
“Torque, power, a beautiful sound –
this engine has it all.”
Results
points
1. Audi 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo (Audi TT RS)
