Audi will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the five-cylinder engine in 2026. This engine was first introduced in 1976 and it is deeply rooted in Audi DNA, shaping the “Vorsprung dutch Technik”.
In 1976, the first five-cylinder engine powered the Audi 100 (C2) which was based on the EA 827 engine concept. The five-cylinder engine delivered 100kW with increased power and efficiency. The Audi 100 5E was rolled out in March 1977.
In 1978, Audi launched their first diesel version with two litres and 51kW. A year later, the five-cylinder gasoline engine with turbocharging made its appearance on the market. It featured 125kW and 265Nm of torque, powering the Audi 200 5T.
The original Audi quattro in 1980 featured the five-cylinder gasoline engine. This included turbocharging, intercooling, and permanent all-wheel drive. Additionally, it had a power output of 147kW. With this car, Audi took home the World Rally Championship title in 1982. The following year, Audi introduced the Sport quattro which was powered by a four-valve, five-cylinder light-alloy engine with 225 kW, the most powerful car used on public roads.
In 1989, Audi unveiled the Audi 100 TDI at the International Motor Show. This featured a direct-injection five-cylinder turbo diesel with a fully electronic engine management system. Audi continued to fine-tune their range of five-cylinder engines and brought out the Avant RS2 with 232 kW in 1994.
Thirty years after the first debut of the five-cylinder engine, Audi introduced the Audi TT RS, powered by 250 kW and featured turbocharging and gasoline direct injection. Audi has continuously developed the five-cylinder engine with the Audi RS 3 featuring a modified version of the 2.5 TFSI, allowing it to reach 0 to 100km in 3.8 seconds.
The five-cylinder engine offers a distinctive sound with the odd number of cylinders and unique firing sequence of 1-2-4-5-3. The 2.5 TFSI created an unusual rhythm and sound with the geometry of the exhaust contributing to the unique sound.
As part of the testing for the vehicles, engine tests are also carried out in different countries with different climate conditions, such as hot and cold weather. This is to ensure that maximum performance is achieved in all conditions. The five-cylinder engine is built by hand at the Győr plant in Hungary. The 2.5 TFSI is created by unique specialists at 21 stations before leaving the factory. Once the engine has been tried and tested, reaching all guidelines, it is then transported to Ingolstadt where it is then fitted onto the top-of-the-line A3 model.
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