Audi’s RS division has yet to build a diesel-powered production car, but the RS 5 TDI Concept proves that diesel RS cars aren’t too far away. The technology study is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 TDI biturbo engine boosted by an electrically driven turbocharger to 380hp (385PS) and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque.
According to Audi, this new development makes the diesel engine sportier and more efficient. “Our latest innovation is the electric turbocharger, which further improves not just sprint times and pulling power, but also efficiency,” explains Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi Board Member for Technical Development.
With the red-line at 5,500 rpm and the monumental 750 Nm of torque available from 1,250 to 2,000 rpm, the Audi RS 5 TDI concept sprints from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4 seconds, 0.6 seconds quicker than the gasoline-powered RS 5 Coupe. The 200 km/h (124 mph) mark is reached in less than 16 seconds, and top speed is 280 km/h (174 mph).
These are remarkable performances considering that the average fuel consumption of the RS 5 TDI study is less than 5.3 l/100 km (44.4 US mpg), while CO2 emissions are under 140 grams per kilometer).
There are other advantages too: the electric turbocharger provides for considerable power when starting off. An electric motor replaces the turbine wheel and accelerates the compressor wheel to over 70,000 rpm in a few hundredths of a second. The exhaust turbochargers also provide as much as 2.4 bar of relative boost pressure.
Furthermore, recuperation is the primary source of the drive energy for the electric turbocharger. To transmit this energy, the RS 5 TDI concept uses a separate 48-volt electrical system that is connected to the conventional 12-volt electrical system via a DC/DC converter. The energy is stored in a compact lithium-ion battery, with the advantage of 48-volt electrical systems being that they enable the transmission of larger amounts of energy.
By Dan Mihalascu
PHOTO GALLERY
