(Motorsport-Total.com/Motor1) – Mercedes recently bid farewell to the V12 in Europe – and now rival Audi is also preparing the end of an iconic powertrain. In Ingolstadt, production of the inline five-cylinder for European markets is set to phase out by mid-2027. Similar to the twelve-cylinder from Stuttgart, however, the five-cylinder will live on outside of Europe.
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In a statement to Motor1, A3 series spokesperson Julia Winkler confirmed that the RS3 is not disappearing completely. Although the premium brand has to pull the plug on the 2.5-liter TFSI in Europe due to the upcoming Euro 7 emissions regulations, the high-performance compact is to continue being offered in non-European markets beyond the middle of next year.
The Audi RS 3 may already have one foot in the grave, but for European buyers, there is still a decent window of time to order the model before it disappears for good. While adapting the engine to the stricter requirements would be technically possible, Audi does not want to make the unit Euro 7-compliant – the expected effort would, according to assessments, not be in proportion to the economic benefit. Following the discontinuation of the RS Q3, RS Q3 Sportback, TT RS Coupé, and TT RS Roadster, the RS 3 Sportback and Sedan are the last models still using this engine.
The brand’s five-cylinder history dates back half a century – to the Audi 100 of 1976. As unfortunate as it is: under the increasingly strict regulations in Europe, this is the way of things. Another recent cut in the premium segment is BMW’s V8: the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter had to have its performance reined in for the M5 and XM to comply with Euro 7.
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Photo gallery: Audi five-cylinder in the RS 3
Volume manufacturers are also not spared from stricter regulations. Mazda already cut the 2.0-liter for the MX-5 a few years ago, while Honda completely phased out the Civic Type R “in accordance with European legislation.” With Euro 7 on the horizon and the EU requirement to reduce fleet emissions by 90 percent compared to 2021 levels by 2035, the situation is likely to escalate further.
In a commentary last year, I lamented the creeping disappearance of driver-focused cars and pointed out that other EU regulations have already brought down several models. For instance, the Porsche Cayman and Boxster bid farewell to the European market in mid-2024 because they did not meet new cybersecurity requirements. In the mainstream segment, the Toyota GR 86 and Subaru BRZ were hit as well.
Audi five-cylinder joys:
50 years of Audi five-cylinder: From the Ur-quattro to the RS 3
Audi GT50 Concept: There is no more beautiful way to honor the five-cylinder
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