- Five Cylinder Audi Isn’t Dead Yet? Europe May Get a Hybrid Version
- Audi could hybridize the five-cylinder engine to keep it on sale in Europe.
- The 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine does not meet new European emissions regulations.
Audi’s five-cylinder engine dies in Europe. Emissions regulations have made it difficult for the automaker to continue offering it on the continent, but it may have a future there.
In an interview with automatic carAudi Sport boss Rolf Michl told the publication, “We are open to every possibility” of continuing to offer the engine when asked about powertrain hybridization. “I can tell you that we are still thinking about different technological possibilities.”
That likely means Audi is considering converting the 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine to a hybrid. According to automatic carAccording to sources, Audi will need to substantially overhaul its engines to meet new Euro 7 emissions regulations that come into effect later this year.
For the rest of us outside Europe, we don’t need to worry about the five-cylinder engine dying. The automaker plans to continue producing the RS3 and RS3 Sportback, Audi’s final inline-five models, for markets outside Europe.
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Source: Audi
Motor Notes1: New emissions regulations in Europe have been a disaster for certain powertrains, such as Audi’s five-cylinder. It’s great to see the company thinking of a way to keep it that way—we just hope the hybrid system won’t add too much weight and ruin the driving experience.
