Future Audi RSs: No Diesels, Plenty of DSGs
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During the Paris show I had a chance to sit down briefly with Wolfgang Hatz, head of powertrain development at Audi and Stephan Reil, quattro Gmbh's technology development boss. With a freshly minted 2010 S4 just meters away on the show stand, and no RS models available in the U.S. in 2009, I asked about the future of the high-performance powertrains at Audi.
Considering the Audi R10 TDI diesel's impressive racing record, I asked whether diesel might figure into a future Audi RS model. After all, AMG has sold diesel models in Europe and Audi tantalized us with the screaming V12 TDI in an R8 concept at the 2008 Detroit show. Mr. Hatz reiterated that transmission and packaging problems ultimately killed the idea of an RS8 TDI variant, but pointed out that putting that engine in the (European) Q7 makes that a Q7 RS in everything but name. It is a quattro Gmbh product, but the company is loathe to apply the RS designation to any tall, heavy SUV. He admitted, however, that the 500-hp, 738-lb-ft V-12 monster DOES indeed fit in the Lamborghini Estoque's engine bay, and Lambo literature hinted at the possibility of diesel power. But as for the normal range of RS products, the diesel engine's characteristics don't fit very well with those of the target Audi buyer. This could change, though, and if demand is strong for the forthcoming TT TDI (again in Europe only), maybe something will change.
What about hybridizing an ultra-high performance car? Too much weight, says Mr. Hatz, referring to traditional battery-electric hybrids. But what about non-traditional hybrids that might weigh in a bit lighter -- like the flywheel kinetic-energy-recovery system some Formula 1 teams are feverishly readying for the 2009 racing season? Surely the racing tie-in would make this type of hybrid ideal for RS duty. Hatz and Reil are unconvinced that a flywheel could be A) upsized to provide meaningful acceleration in a coupe or sedan weighing three times as much as an F1 racer and B) packaged safely and conveniently in the engine compartment.
In the transmission department, both engineers assured me that twin-clutch (DSG) gearboxes will be the transmission of the future, though traditional sticks may also be offered for a while. CVTs might enjoy some efficiency advantages, but DSG can handle much higher torque and customers prefer paddle shifting and listening to the engine revs rise and fall as they accelerate up through gears. So expect to see seven-speed DSG boxes in most RS vehicles, using dry clutches in lighter, lower-toque applications and wet clutches in heavier, higher-torque vehicles.
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