GS69

Audi: We are Not a Green Company

Audi took the risky step of replacing the V-8 engine in its sporty S5 range with a new supercharged V-6 earlier this year. Sure the six-cylinder mill is lighter and more fuel-efficient but what about the prestige of a V-8, not to mention the smoothness and aural delight? Audi believes its customers, current and future, will favor a smaller engine and will see this trend of downsizing carry over for its next-generation models.

However, don’t for a second think Audi is looking to be labeled as an enviro-focused company. Speaking with Autocar, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler explained that while his company will focus on making its vehicles as efficient as possible, it won’t make this the primary design goal as BMW has done with its new EfficientDynamics branding.

"We will stick to our Vorsprung Durch Technik philosophy, not have a catch-all marketing claim such as EfficientDynamics," said Stadler. "We're convinced in Vorsprung Durch Technik, we're a dynamic, sporty brand but not necessarily positioned as a green brand. That will come about as a matter of course.”

This can be seen directly with the introduction of the new supercharged V-6 engine in the S5. The new mill is almost 20% more fuel-efficient than the previous V-8 yet it offers similar performance numbers and more tractable grunt.

The G Man

Efficiency and performance just dont go hand in hand. If BMW want to a efficient car company, they should stop making those M models and all those V8s.

ffpowerLN

iTrader: (1)

Dear Audi,

Personally I really don't care about what kind of company you are because from where I am coming from...

1. Your A4 is overpriced comparing to the similar-equipped competitors

2. Your S4, although is very good looking, is overpriced comparing to 335i

3. Your cars all look the same

4. Your cars' interiors all look the same

5. Your flagship looks like a stretched entry-level sedan

6. Your "redesigned" flagship looks just like the previous generation except with the new LED lighting

7. Your interior is no longer class leading, others have caught up

8. Quattro is the only got going for you

Yours truly,

ffpowerLN

IS-SV

Audi CEO is just spewing more words.

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

I am not a fan of this green nonsense. It is good to see Audi take this stand & not declaring that they are a "green company." They have impliented some fuel saving measures such as forced induction. Indeed, efficiency & performance can go hand in hand. With the upcoming 2016 Cafe standards, expect more "green measures" from Audi.

MR_F1

Actually, they do.

IS-SV

Agreed, examples of efficiency and performance advancements including DI, aerodynamics, DOHC, high compression ratios, tuned dual exhaust systems, 6/7/8 speed trannys, etc....

The G Man

Dashocker, wow we agree on something at last I always say to my boss, just tell me the way it is up front, it is better than putting up a smoke screen. Audi has a lot of ***** to come right out and say, we are not a green company, we are a luxury performance car company. That us really what BMW is as well, both companies will try to improve fuel efficiency but by no mean is it their top priority.

Kaydee

I think the downfall of German automakers won't be because of their cars or competition from the Orient, but rather from their really retarded press releases...seriously, just shut the F up and keep making cars, nobody wants to give a rat's ***.

LexFather

Funny, they are arguably greenier than Benz, BMW, Lexus since the MAJORITY of cars sold are FWD and I-4 or diesels. or did they forget that?

No probably want to fool Americans some more into thinking all they offer is RS cars.

Not sure why green is a bad thing or trying to blend performance and better efficiency. HELL FERRARI HAS STATED THEY ARE DOING SO. Ferrari has stated they are going lighter and with more efficiency so people can see a supercar can also be responsible.
I guess Ferrari is also stupid according to Audi?

I think it makes for better cars.

WAIT A MINUTE? What about Porsche's own 911, which they own? This car has 340hp and can get 30 MPG on the highway. The new 3.8 is a marvel with direct injection and being a completely new engine. It combines more power with less emissions and more efficiency.





http://www.automobilemag.com/green/r...gin/index.html

Then Audi what is this doing here?


Sorry but pretty simple minded. They can and do. Look at a couple of the examples above. Hell lets look at Audi's new S4. AUDI has publically BRAGGED on it getting near equal power to the old V-8 with 30% gains in efficiency. Did they FORGET THEIR OWN CAR!?!?!

Read above, wrong again.

lol



What funny is in motorsport, races have been won based on fuel efficiency. I guess "green" haters forget that?

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

You have succombed to the "we make them you take them" pysche.

(Cj)

Tier 2 Acura's SH-AWD system is better than Quattro. So good that Audi copied it for the next gen Quattro systems (the new one can be found on the $50K S4 but you can get SH-AWD on a $33K Acura...).

SLegacy99

I beg to differ. The GSh is a fine example. The new S4 is faster and gets 8 MPG more on the highway with a 3.0L TSFI V6 as compared to the outgoing 4.2L V8. Turns out there is a replacement for displacement.

The G Man

I disagree, I actually like the way the Germans release their future plans for their company as oppose to the secretive approach of the Japanese companies.

The GSh and the S4 was design with performance as their top priority.

IS-SV

btw, wtf (is this):

"We will stick to our Vorsprung Durch Technik philosophy"