Nine straight

When it comes to producing the very best engine in the 2.0 to 2.5-litre category, Audi has no rivals. For the ninth year in a row, the potent 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder engine has taken the top spot in the International Engine of the Year awards.

With 294kW of power, the 2.5 TFSI which is the heart and should of such vehicles as the Audi RS 3 Sedan and RS 3 Sportback, 

It’s tremendous torque of 480Nm available from as low as 1700rpm also impressed the panel of 65 judges, made up of motorsport journalists, who also singled out the distinctive sound of the turbo unit for special mention. This sound is created by neighbouring cylinders firing alternately to more distant cylinders, resulting in a unique rhythm. 

“The five-cylinder has been an icon of our brand for more than 40 years,” says Oliver Hoffmann, Head of Technical Development at Audi Sport GmbH. 

“Two years ago we completely redesigned the 2.5 TFSI and changed the crankcase to an aluminium version.”

The 2.5 TFSI is also the driving force behind the Audi TT RS Coupe and TT RS Roadster, giving them the incredible ability to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 and 3.9 seconds respectively, with the aforementioned RS 3 Sedan and RS 3 Sportback achieving this in 4.1 seconds. The top speed for all four models is 250 km/h as standard, with the option of increasing this to 280 km/h.

The awards for the ‘International Engine of the Year’ have been presented annually since 1999.