Audi Excellence: Unveiling The 10 Best Engines In Their Illustrious History

Aug 22, 2023

With massive successes on the road, track, and rally, it's no surprise that Audi has some awesome engines in its arsenal.

Audi is a brand recognizable to almost anyone, whether you're a car enthusiast or not, thanks to decades of success producing high-quality luxury commuter cars for the masses. To most then, the types of engines associated with the brand would mostly be 2.0-liter diesels or sub 200 horsepower petrol engines – as this is what hides under the hood of most Audis produced.

Despite most of its cars being fairly ordinary though, Audi built their brand and reputation by promoting their capabilities through motorsport – such as their immense Group B rally success in the '80s. As a result, Audi has always been synonymous with performance cars also, which has inevitably led to some truly legendary engines gracing the hoods of their flagship models.

Manufacturer

Audi

Years

1984 - 1991

Configuration

Inline-5 Turbo

Displacement

2.1 - 2.2-Liter

Power

217 - 600 horsepower

Torque

210 - 435 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Noteworthy Applications

Audi S1 Pikes Peak, RS2 & Quattro

Let's start off by visiting the engine that helped lead Audi to rallying success in the 1980s, which is this 2.1-liter turbocharged inline-5. Initially developed for the 1984 Audi Sport Quattro, which was a homologation special design so that Audi could compete in the Group B rallying class, this engine was not only ferocious for its day, but it also had a sublime exhaust note and was incredibly tuneable too.

This can be demonstrated by the raw performance of the Pikes Peak Audi S1 Quattros – fire-breathing monsters that developed north of 600 horsepower and were kitted with the most flamboyant aero to hold them wind up the mountain pass as quickly as possible.

This engine also went on to power the UR Quattro and eventually the Audi RS2 in a 2.2-liter format, the latter of which started the craze for fast wagons, and could even beat a McLaren F1 to 30 mph, thanks to the low down power and incredible all-wheel drive system.

Related: 10 Reasons Why Every Gearhead Should Drive An Audi Quattro

Manufacturer

Audi

Years

2001 - Present

Configuration

W12

Displacement

6.0-Liter

Power

420 horsepower

Torque

405 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Noteworthy Applications

Audi A8

This next engine flies a little more under the radar than the above inline-5, mainly because it's not a screaming fire-breather, and you won't find it housed under the hood of a wide-arched rally car either. No, this W12 is the last word in refinement and luxury until you get to the likes of Rolls-Royce and Maybach (at two or three times the price), as it offers endless performance in Audi's flagship sedan – the A8.

It's rare we see an engine of any size in the 'W' configuration, with V12s being much more common - but we are glad Audi opted to put the work in to develop this engine, as it is possibly one of the smoothest and most refined engines available in the luxury car segment, and really showcases what can be achieved by world-class manufacturers like Audi.

Audi did make plans to build the W12 and mid-mount it within a bare-aluminum supercar called the Avus – although plans never took off sadly; could they have challenged the mighty McLaren F1 30 years ago if they had gone through with the project?

Manufacturer

Audi

Years

1999 - 2001

Configuration

V6

Displacement

2.7-Liter

Power

380 horsepower

Torque

324 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Noteworthy Applications

Audi B5 RS4

Let's get back onboard with some more performance-orientated models and particularly a sector that Audi regularly excels at – the wagon, or 'Avant' as they dub it. The Avant in question is the B5 RS4, which was the first RS model to follow on from the RS2, and made home to a wonderful 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine.

Not only was this engine incredibly tuneable, leading to some fabulous high-sleeper builds, but it was also perfectly useable in everyday situations, which meant the RS4 could be used day in and day out without stress. No wonder then, that these RS-Avants become super popular as the years rolled by with the later RS4 and RS6s - " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">as they could genuinely out-perform Porsche 911s, but also take the whole family abroad with a fortnights worth of luggage in the boot.

This V6 then really helped place Audi on the map, as a consistent producer of high-quality, high-performance cars that could also be dependable for daily use.

Manufacturer

Audi

Years

2005 - 2011

Configuration

V8

Displacement

4.2-liter

Power

420 horsepower

Torque

317 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Noteworthy Applications

Audi B7 RS4

To carry on where we left off, here is the 4.2-liter V8 engine from the next generation RS4, which for the first time was offered as a sedan and convertible, as well as the expected Avant. This V8 engine was also featured in lower states of tune in various models, and also in the first-generation R8 also – it's the higher-powered variant from the R8 and RS4 that we're focussing on here.

What's incredible about this V8 is that it really doesn't drive like most of its 8-cylinder brothers, as it revs to a mind-blowing 8000 rpm, which provides an insane engine note and encourages you to keep firing through the open-gate manual six-speed transmission. Supercharger kits are popular with them too, pushing power well over 600 horsepower, although even in standard tune this is a lively and encouraging engine – with plenty of low-down grunt.

Related: Here's How Much The 1999 Audi RS4 Is Worth Today

Manufacturer

Audi

Years

2000 - 2005

Configuration

V8

Displacement

3.6-Liter

Power

660 horsepower

Torque

515 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Noteworthy Applications

Audi R8 LMP

It's impossible to talk about the sales success of Audi, without linking it to their simply dominant performance at various endurance races in the early 2000s, particularly the all-important Le Mans 24-hour races – within the years 2000 - 2005, the Audi R8 LMP took victory at Le Mans 4 times, missing out only in 2003.

The engine that sat within the R8 LMP then, was a real masterpiece - this 3.6-liter V8 was twin-turbocharged and helped re-establish Audi as an icon of motorsport in the 21st century, as apart from some success in the British Touring Car Championship, Audi hadn't experienced any real global motorsport successes since their Group B days.

This 660 horsepower highly strung V8 was the weapon needed to topple Porsche at Le Mans, and its strong point was most certainly reliability – out of the 177 race starts that the R8 LMP enjoyed, only 14 ever resulted as a DNF, and not once was down to a failure in the engine department; incredible for an endurance car!

Manufacturer

Audi

Years

2006 - 2009

Configuration

V10

Displacement

5.5-Liter

Power

650 horsepower

Torque

811 lb-ft

Fuel

Diesel

Noteworthy Applications

Audi R10 LMP

Keen to expand further on this endurance racing success, Audi set their sights on a return in 2006 but with an all-new racer, and this time, they really mixed things up a little. The Audi R10 was a unique racer, as it featured a diesel engine, which ended up revolutionizing what a successful Le Mans car would look like.

Once again, Audi absolutely dominated, with a maiden win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2006, and then again for the next 2 years – it was clear that once again the engineers at Audi had produced a simply magical engine for endurance racing.

The improved fuel economy meant drivers had to put much less frequently, and their masses of torque really helped them to put in some astonishing lap times. Team driver Tom Kristensen won so frequently in the R8 and R10 LMP cars, that he has been awarded the nickname 'Mr Le Mans', which just demonstrates how successful these impressive machines were on the track.

Manufacturer

Lamborghini - Audi

Years

2009 - 2023

Configuration

V10

Displacement

5.2-Liter

Power

429 - 620 horsepower

Torque

398 - 428 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Noteworthy Applications

Audi S6, RS6 and R8

​​​​​​​There is another R8 that more gearheads will be familiar with, and this particular model has been the brand's flagship supercar now for 17 years – and perhaps the sweetest feature of the road-going R8 is the mid-mounted, Lamborghini-derived 5.2-liter V10 engine.

This big block will rev all the way to 8,700 rpm, and even further with the limiter modified and removed - in fact, there's a whole host of modifications that will immeasurably improve the performance of this V10 engine, including ferocious twin-turbo setups.

While the early V8-powered Audi R8s had performance more closely matched to a very high-end sports car, the introduction of the V10 properly propelled the R8 into genuine supercar territory; also applied to the RS6 of the same era, Audi was keen to show the world that bonkers family-wagons were still very much part of their wheelhouse.

Related: Here's What We'll Miss About The Iconic Audi R8 V10

Manufacturer

Audi

Years

2008 - 2012

Configuration

V12

Displacement

6.0-liter

Power

500 horsepower

Torque

737 lb-ft

Fuel

Diesel

Noteworthy Applications

Audi Q7 V12 TDI

It is possible, however, that with the introduction of a V12 Audi Q7 in 2008, Audi went a little too bonkers. A V12 SUV sounds crazy enough as it is, but when you couple it with the fact that the V12 in question is a 6.0-liter diesel, then all of a sudden it sounds a little bit insane.

Insane or not – Audi went ahead with it, and actually produced the model from 2008 all the way through til 2012, although, of course, they did not make many – the issue being that the V8 diesel was already an incredibly capable and refined car, at almost half the cost. Regardless, we love and admire Audi for having the bottle to create and then sell this mental engine in a luxury SUV; it's a real unicorn car now, and we think will be a must-have classic for collectors of obscure engineering achievements in years to come. It's the only production diesel V12 of all time – and it's likely to stay that way forever.

Manufacturer

Audi

Years

2009 - Present

Configuration

Inline-5 Turbo

Displacement

2.5-Liter

Power

340 - 407 horsepower

Torque

331 - 368 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Noteworthy Applications

Audi TT RS, Audi RS3

​​​​​​​In recent years, Audi has been keen to play on heritage to help promote and sell newer models, particularly high-end stuff, such as Nogaro Blue edition RS6s, which are a throwback to the first sports-wagon RS2 they offered. So, perhaps, this turbocharged inline-5 is a throwback to the 2.1 and 2.2-liter 5-cylinder engines from the Quattros of the 1980s that we discussed first.

Whether it is or it isn't, it's still a totally superb engine that powers some of the most fun-to-drive cars that Audi has produced this century, including the awesome TT-RS models, and the unsuspecting Audi RS3 – a hatchback with enough power and grip to challenge some of the most formidable sports cars on the road.

A uniquely raucous soundtrack, a superb power band, and impressive figures are reason enough to include this engine in our list; it's proof alone that a great engine doesn't have to be huge, just as much power and enjoyment can be had with a small capacity, lower-cylinder engine if it's designed by the best.

Manufacturer

Audi

Years

2012 - Present

Configuration

V8

Displacement

4.0-Liter

Power

420 - 630 horsepower

Torque

406 - 627 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Noteworthy Applications

Audi RS6 Avant

​​​​​​​At the top of the tree however, Audi still produces some big engines which pack an even bigger punch – such as the 63-horsepower 4.0-liter V8, with twin-turbos, that calls the latest RS6 home.

Any engine that can propel a 4,500 lbs wagon to speeds upwards of 200 mph is absolutely deserving of a mention in an article honoring the excellence of Audis engines, it's simply mind-boggling performance, and what's more incredible is that they are massively susceptible to tuning as well - 1,000 horsepower is light work for these V8s.

It's also a smart engine too - with active noise control and active engine mounts, which means when drivers are pounding their RS6 around, occupants will hear and feel minimal disturbing noises or vibrations. What's more, when just cruising, the 4.0-liter V8 will shut down half of its cylinders, increasing fuel economy, proving that excellent engines work for you all the time - not just when you're hammering it. With engines like these, Audi will forever be the crowned king of super-sports wagons, and deservedly so.

Dan Clougher is a UK based classic car dealer who joined the HotCars team in 2023; as a keen writer, he is excited to contribute and add his touch to the HotCars team. Whilst Dan has a genuine love for anything with four wheels, his true passion is for mid-century, european and modern classics. Having never left the showroom floor since finishing school, Dan always has a keen eye on the used car market, and is never too far from an auction floor.