Isaac Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Leftlane If you were surprised when Audi launched its 2010 S4 with a six-cylinder motor rather than another V8, you better be sitting down to read this. According to engineering director Michael Dick, the 2014 Audi S4 will have a turbocharged four-cylinder engine under its hood — and so will the next S5. How is it possible for a four-banger to deliver the level of performance worthy of an “S” badge? The answer has as much to do with the rest of the car as it does with the motor. Mr. Dick told Car and Driver the new S5, for example, will be 880 pounds lighter than the existing model. He said Audi will increase its use of structural aluminum and magnesium to achieve this goal. The 2012 A6 will also make use of lighter materials, he said. Dick went on to say the S5 prototypes currently being tested weigh around 3,000 lbs, with all the same safety features as the current car. Performance is said to be improved as well — the cars are reportedly able to lap Germany’s Nurburgring race track eight seconds faster than the current S5. The 2014 S4 and S5 prototypes currently being tested look identical to today’s models, but the production cars will get a freshened look with cues from the forthcoming A7, which is based on the Audi Sportback Concept. In the interim, the 2011 S5 is expected to lose its V8 in favor of the same V6 that’s in the new S4. With Mercedes eliminating most of its V12 offerings and BMW increasingly turning to smaller engines with turbochargers, it’s clear German automakers are moving away from high-displacement high-horsepower motors. Does this mean the “horsepower wars” are officially over? We certainly thinks so. Enter the “efficiency wars.” Smaller engines with turbos seems to be the norm. Hooray for direct injection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2007DBR9 Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 It really begs the question - why not? They aren't muscle cars, so why not use a 4 banger? If it works, and it works well, then I don't care what they use. I drove a Golf TSI recently, and I thought it was fantastic. Only a 1.4, but still better than most of the larger engine varients out there. I think they will change their mind pretty soon though. They always do. Might be diesels - The Mercedes AMG division has talked about using diesel power in newer models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GermanImport Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 sounds good... let's see if it lasts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tadashi Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 In the end it's customer demand that decides. Right now, especially the German companies consider small engines because they have to get their CO2 output down to EU mandated levels. But in the end, if the customers don't buy performance cars with small engines, the engines are going to get bigger again. I don't mind small engines, since they have the advantage of low weight. So, if the manufacturers can get these engines do work like larger displacement ones, I don't mind benefitting from the smaller engines' advantages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elite_Deforce Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 (edited) Yeah, this was last month this happened, surprised Leftlane is only hearing about it now. It will be a good change, but it will probably make it even more unreliable. P.S. I was just glossing over the numbers for J.D. Power dependability study for '08, and Audi sure ain't up there. Land Rover was at the bottom of the list as usual. Lexus at the top... as usual. I was surprised to see VW and Volvo so damn low! The industry average is a bit off if you ask me, with the exclusion of Lexus, there would have been a few more that wouldn't have made the cut. http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/rele...aspx?ID=2008115 Edited March 16, 2009 by Elite_Deforce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Posted March 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 How strange. Mercury, Cadillac, Buick, Lincoln and Ford are all above average. Is it me but are the #1 complaints weird? 1. Excessive wind noise 2. Noisy brakes 3. Vehicle pulling to the left or right 4. Issues with the instrument panel/dashboard 5. Excessive window fogging Excessive window fogging and wind noise? How is that reliability? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GermanImport Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 How strange. Mercury, Cadillac, Buick, Lincoln and Ford are all above average. Is it me but are the #1 complaints weird? Excessive window fogging and wind noise? How is that reliability? in my opinion, and i've worked on a lot of these cars, owned a couple of them within my family, they all suck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2007DBR9 Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Yeah, this was last month this happened, surprised Leftlane is only hearing about it now. I thought the high performance models (the S and RS ones) were made in Germany, ie made properly? What is the new RS6 and S5 like for reliability? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elite_Deforce Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 How strange. Mercury, Cadillac, Buick, Lincoln and Ford are all above average. Is it me but are the #1 complaints weird? Excessive window fogging and wind noise? How is that reliability? 1. Makes sense 2. Not really reliability, more a major issue. I thought the high performance models (the S and RS ones) were made in Germany, ie made properly? What is the new RS6 and S5 like for reliability? Even the one's made in Germany are garbage here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GermanImport Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 1. Makes sense 2. Not really reliability, more a major issue. Even the one's made in Germany are garbage here. of course you'd say that! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elite_Deforce Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 of course you'd say that! lol there is no denying the truth. Was in a friend's Q7 the other day, the electronics were so messed, the doors wouldn't open from the inside, had to roll down the windows and open from outside. lmao Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GermanImport Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 there is no denying the truth. Was in a friend's Q7 the other day, the electronics were so messed, the doors wouldn't open from the inside, had to roll down the windows and open from outside. lmao well yeah it's a Q7!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2007DBR9 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 there is no denying the truth. Was in a friend's Q7 the other day, the electronics were so messed, the doors wouldn't open from the inside, had to roll down the windows and open from outside. lmao Wtf?? Really? Haha gutted for him My mate who runs the Audi garage up here has never come acrosss anything like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GermanImport Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Wtf?? Really? Haha gutted for him My mate who runs the Audi garage up here has never come acrosss anything like that lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elite_Deforce Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Wtf?? Really? Haha gutted for him My mate who runs the Audi garage up here has never come acrosss anything like that That is unbelievably unbelievable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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