2022 Audi RS 3 to feature latest iteration of iconic 5-cylinder power plant

The hype surrounding the upcoming 2022 Audi RS 3 grows stronger as the German automotive brand announces that the performance-oriented compact car will come with the latest version of the company’s iconic five-cylinder mill under the hood.

To the uninitiated, Audi’s five-cylinder engine presents unparallel performance and an iconic sound thanks to the uneven number of cylinder configuration and the particular “1-2-4-5-3” firing order which makes it a pleasure to see and hear both on the track and on the road.

It achieved cult status and has become a fundamental pillar of the emotional Audi Sport brand. Development began in the early 1970s when Audi engineers were challenged to develop a new source of engine power that could increase performance over a four-cylinder while maintaining efficiency.

The first five-cylinder Audi engine would power the 1976 Audi 100 (C2) with a 2.1-liter five-cylinder engine with 136 horsepower.

The engine has achieved countless victories in motorsports as well as the “International Engine of the Year Award” nine times in a row since 2010 from an international jury of automotive journalists.

Other accolades of Audi’s five-cylinder mill include World Rally Championship (WRC) wins as well as IMSA GTO and SCCA Trans Am series victories.

The latest 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine to be offered in the 2022 RS 3 will be the highest horsepower performance of any series-production Audi five-cylinder model.

“This impressive level of power output equates to 160.4 horsepower per liter, which endorsed the new RS 3 to set the lap record for compact cars on the heralded Nürburgring Nordschleife with a time of seven minutes 40.748 seconds in June 2021 — matching the original Bugatti Veyron 16.4 lap in 2005 of seven minutes 40 seconds, exhibiting just 123.4 horsepower per liter at the time,” said Audi in a press release.

Audi’s latest iteration of its five-cylinder powerplant expands the power range from 394 horsepower to 401 horsepower, and increases the maximum torque from 478Nm to 500Nm. As a result, the newest five-banger offers a dramatically steeper performance curve where maximum power is reached earlier and maintained longer than its predecessor.

Zooming from standstill to 60mph is now at 3.6 seconds from 3.9 and peak speed is now at 180mph, the highest top track speed of any Audi RS five-cylinder model — ever.

According to Audi, the final version of the internal combustion engine is the best it can possibly be, incorporating new technological advancements to improve efficiency and performance, as the market transitions to the next era of motor development with electrification. On that note, the five-cylinder engine in the all-new RS 3 has been optimized in several different ways when compared to the predecessor model.

Photos from Audi

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