A new 2-litre petrol engine will be debuted in the Audi A4 later this year, promising the economy of a small engine with the power of a larger one.
The 187bhp, four-cylinder petrol unit, spreads its 320 Nm of torque across a wide power band reaching from 1,450 to 4,400 rpm.
Audi says this will make the new engine more flexible, with strong and constantly available power whenever it is needed.
The German manufacturer also said fuel efficiency has been improved, with more than 56mpg possible according to the NEDC fuel economy test.
Middling power output but much higher claimed MPG
These figures put the new engine between the A4’s current 1.8-litre and 2-litre units that offer 167bhp and 221bhp respectively.
However, a fuel efficiency of 56mpg is higher than either engine can promise – currently 39.2mpg and 46.3mpg – although not as high as the current 2-litre TDI option.
No emissions figures have been released yet but we think they should be less than the 166g/km of CO2 that the current 2-litre engine produces, meaning it could be a more realistic option for a fleet driver.
More efficient engine thanks to economy-focussed fettling
This improvement has been achieved thanks to a raft of engineering changes including a shorter intake time and higher boost on the intake side. The engine also warms up quicker and uses low-friction oil.
Dr. Stefan Knirsch, head of engine development at Audi, described the approach as “rightsizing”, rather than the current trend of downsizing large engines and utilising turbo technology; something the Audi line-up already does.
He added: “The new engine enjoys the consumption benefits of a downsizing engine in partial load operation, while at higher loads it has the advantages of a large-displacement engine. The result is optimal efficiency and performance characteristics across the entire engine speed range.”
Although appearing first in the A4, Audi said the new unit would be rolled out into other models afterwards.
