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      01-06-2012, 12:17 PM   #84
mkoesel
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Quote:
Originally Posted by manuelf View Post
OK - regarding the NA I5 it makes obviously sense for VAG to switch to a FI I4. This is general downsizing...
But for the FI I5? What will Audi tell its customers of an TT-RS+ when they switch to the successor? Will FI-technology in 3-4 years be that sophisticated to pump out 380hp+ from a 2.2/2.3 liter I4 without being laggy/bad responsive as hell?
As far as I know, there are no current or announced products that use the I5 TFSI with any more than 340hp. Could that change? Sure, but I would not necessarily count on it. Yes, it can handle more power with a tune. And so can a lot of other engines. That doesn't mean they reach production.

My guess is that keeping the I5 architecture around merely for high performance applications is not the most cost effective solution. After all, it essentially redundant given the high-output 3.0 TFSI V6 in the S4 - an engine that beneifts from being shared in other forms across a wide variety of Audi products, including non-specialized performance models that sell in high volume. The I5 may offer a slight weight advantage, and may also have packaging advantages for some applications. But these features may not be enough to justify its continued existence.

Quote:
OK - if there is room for changed bore/stroke like you expect... then we would end up at something like 155hp/l - this is a value I can trust in ....
Nevertheless it is technically a huge effort/challenge for the M to develop such an engine which will obviously be compared with the current N54 3 liter Bi-Turbo, which produces the same power with ease...
Do they expect such high sales volume for the M2, that this development pays back?
I don't think the new M I4 will cost any more than any other M engine, nor any more than the competitors engine. They may even be able to bump it up to 2.5L (I don't know that for sure, I'd have to look more closely at the block and bore size of the current N20), thereby giving up nothing to Audi even if they do decide to stick with the I5.
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