Audi needs more power

[Psycho Bob <honge@creighton.edu>]

> I completely agree with Car & Driver, that damn Audi needs more power to
> compete with the other Eurocars.
>   the V6 needs 4 valves period, this 12 valve engin design is another example
> of Audi missing the American Market.  The A4 does not suffer the same problem
> because it's lighter, but the A6 needs help.

For some reason -- my own opinion -- Audi's non-turbo'd engine is 
helplessly inefficient in terms of power output. Even the new 5 valve V6 
Audi has on non-American A6 is a mockery of itself (being a high-tech 5 
valve engine, its overall performance is still mediocre).

Some years ago, Cosworth Engineering took out Audi's V6 from 90q and put 
in an engine of their own design into it. The Cosworth V6 was 2.5 liters 
(compared to Audi V6 2.7 liter). Cosworth V6 was 110 pounds lighter, 
smaller than the stock V6 (room for turboing?), and goes from 0 to 60 in 
6.9 seconds (1/4 at estimated at less than 15 sec). Estimated fuel is 34 
mpg at steady 50 (this is not EPA city nor EPA highway).

So I wondered, "How does Audi's engine's performance (torque plays most 
of the role, but the number is harder to come by) in terms of bhp per 
liter?" So I did a quick look-up (as of current 95/96):

bhp/litre	maker
57.7		Audi V6 2.6

61.6		MB V8 5.0
62.1		Audi V6 2.8
62.2		Audi V8 3.7
68.0		MB V6 2.0
68.1		MB V8 4.2
68.2		MB V6 2.2
68.8		MB V6 3.2
68.9		Audi V6 2.8 5-valve
68.9		BMW V6 2.8

70.4		MB V6 2.8
71.2		Audi V8 4.2
71.5		BMW V8 4.0
72.6		BMW V8 3.0
73.9		BMW V6 2.3
76.8		BMW V6 2.5

86.8		Cosworth V6 2.5 (1993)

My! Isn't it interesting? Let's face it, MB V8 5.0 is hoplessly old 
(intro'd in '90 in 500SL). That aside, I must say the Audi V8 4.2 is in 
"world class" (whatever world class means). But Audi's 5-valve just made 
in in par with "other two's" V6 2.8 -- totally dissapointing knowing Audi 
used 5-valve to let its V6 2.8 engine to breathe.

Of course, bhp is not the whole picture for an engine -- torque plays most 
of the picture. But by briefly looking at bhp/litre efficiency, why are 
Audi's more popular engines at the bottom? Oh well.

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