Audi’s prepared for higher MPG needs

Audi might fast become the luxury brand fuel economy leader. Michael Dick, Audi AG”s member of the board of management for technical development, points to a history of technology leadership including direct-injection turbodiesels back in 1989 and the A2 1.2TDI being the first 5-door to reach 3-liters of fuel per 100kms or 78MPG in 1999.

“I think we are positioned very well” for any increased focus on fuel-efficiency in the U.S., Dick told AutoObserver. “Our history is to make highly efficient cars.”

Audi & VW have also been using smaller four-cylinders with direction injection and turbochargers to supplant larger, less fuel economic motors long before GM or Ford had made a public push for that path for upcoming cars. 

The German automaker’s roadmap to 2012′ includes other areas including improved aerodynamics, less friction and less rolling resistance. While Audi may have trouble bringing smaller, more fuel efficient cars to the US profitably, reducing the weight of their cars might put them on a path to achieving greater fuel economy while keep the size of the cars the same.

Future Audi cars will likely be less weighty then the cars they replace. Audi’s already got a few tricks up its sleeve for the A4 and A5 in Europe. After you build that factory in North America, how about sharing some love on this side of the ocean, guys? Like giving us the A1.

 

Source: Auto Observer

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Chris Chin

Chris Chin is the Editor-In-Chief of egmCarTech and is a regular contributor to Automobile Magazine.

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