Audi shines spotlight on four new diesels
LOS ANGELES — Times have certainly changed. In years gone by, an automaker’s meanest, most expensive sports car was its default “halo car.” Audi has changed things up at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. Instead of unveiling its refreshed 2014 R8 super sports car, Audi had a slate of new diesel models in the spotlight.
Adding some irony to the diesel focus was the fact that until a couple years ago, consumers were unable to buy diesel-powered vehicles in California due to strict emission controls. For the 2012 model year, Audi only had two diesel offerings available, the A3 hatchback and Q7 SUV. Since 2009, these two models have accounted for a savings of about 240,000 barrels of oil in the U.S.
Joining the TDI ranks will be the Audi A6, A7 and A8 sedans as well as the Q5 SUV.
All four vehicles, in addition to the current Q7 TDI, will be fitted with a new generation 3.0-litre V-6 turbocharged diesel engine. While the displacement remains the same, the all-new engine weighs roughly 18 kilograms less than the earlier 3.0L TDI engine. Horsepower has been boosted by 15 horsepower to 240 hp, while torque remains at 406 pound-feet. All five of the vehicles fitted with the new engine will feature an eight-speed automatic transmission.
According to Audi’s figures, the TDI engines will boost fuel economy by at least 30 per cent and reduce carbon emissions by a similar amount (compared to gasoline-fuelled models). Astonishingly, the dieselpowered A8 is rated at 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 6.53 L/100 km on the highway for a combined figure of 8.4 L/100 km. Zero to 100 kilometres an hour comes up in 6.4 seconds, a respectable number by any standard.
The arrival of these TDI alternatives is welcome yet puzzling news. After so many years of hardly any dieselpowered vehicles being sold in North America, why has Audi opened the floodgates on these long-anticipated models? The answer is twofold. In the past, manufacturers had complained about the poor quality of diesel fuel in North America. That changed in 2006 when low- sulphur fuels were mandated by the Canadian government and the levels of paraffin in the fuel was also reduced. A higher paraffin level allows diesel to freeze at warmer temperatures. This by itself did not open the floodgates, as none of the cars revealed at the show will arrive until the 2014 model year.
The deciding factor was the European Union’s new euro 6 agreement, which raised emission standards closer to those of California and Canada, which are still more stringent. This way, cars can be produced to one standard and marketed globally. Indeed, an engineer at the auto show confirmed the Audi engines sold on either side of the Atlantic will be identical. Differences in the engine management systems and the catalytic converters used will account for any gaps in emission ratings.
The A8 TDI is expected to go on sale in the first quarter of 2013. The A6, A7 and Q5 will appear in dealer showrooms in the autumn of next year. No firm date was given for availability of the new engine in the Q7, but assume it will match the A8 deliveries. Pricing has yet to be confirmed for any of the models.