As the carbon monoxide alarm lights flash, Jürgen Koenigstedt watches the tortuous display with a grin. The chief of Audi V-8 and V-10 development, he's responsible for the incredible 8700-rpm 5.2-liter mill employed in the R8. This V-8 is also his handiwork, and it eclipses that 10-cylinder in both power (560 hp) and torque (516 lb-ft).
It’s an unassuming square hunk of aluminum, this V-8, with the turbos and air-to-water intercoolers tucked neatly in the vee and hidden beneath a heat-shielded cover. Two black intake pipes snake out from there, each hugging the front of the engine and making tight, 90-degree turns to the cylinder heads. The compactness of this setup minimizes lag and improves throttle response.
It’s also slightly undersquare and direct-injected, boasting 17.4 psi max boost and a 10.1:1 compression ratio. Oh, and the engine can run in 2.0-liter V-4 mode, using active engine and transmission mounts to eliminate unwanted vibrations. Resulting fuel economy is 19/26 mpg city/highway, meaning it doesn’t incur a gas guzzler tax.
Audi essentially skipped the first wave of the SUV craze, more than a decade ago, but it did concede a bit to their popularity with the original 2001-2006 Allroad—essentially an A6 Avant wagon with slightly higher ride height and a touch of rugged trim.
The automaker has kept to the same formula with the current Allroad, introduced last year, but this time the Allroad is a bit tidier—and based on the Audi A4. In form, and in function, it's still a station wagon (or sport wagon as the marketing folks might want you to hear). And while it does offer some of the talents of a comparably sized utility vehicle, it carries forward with more carlike performance and a lower, sportier look than Audi's own excellent Q5 crossover.
It’s an unassuming square hunk of aluminum, this V-8, with the turbos and air-to-water intercoolers tucked neatly in the vee and hidden beneath a heat-shielded cover. Two black intake pipes snake out from there, each hugging the front of the engine and making tight, 90-degree turns to the cylinder heads. The compactness of this setup minimizes lag and improves throttle response.
It’s also slightly undersquare and direct-injected, boasting 17.4 psi max boost and a 10.1:1 compression ratio. Oh, and the engine can run in 2.0-liter V-4 mode, using active engine and transmission mounts to eliminate unwanted vibrations. Resulting fuel economy is 19/26 mpg city/highway, meaning it doesn’t incur a gas guzzler tax.
Audi essentially skipped the first wave of the SUV craze, more than a decade ago, but it did concede a bit to their popularity with the original 2001-2006 Allroad—essentially an A6 Avant wagon with slightly higher ride height and a touch of rugged trim.
The automaker has kept to the same formula with the current Allroad, introduced last year, but this time the Allroad is a bit tidier—and based on the Audi A4. In form, and in function, it's still a station wagon (or sport wagon as the marketing folks might want you to hear). And while it does offer some of the talents of a comparably sized utility vehicle, it carries forward with more carlike performance and a lower, sportier look than Audi's own excellent Q5 crossover.
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