2017 Audi A4 Comes Without 2.0-Litre Diesel In The U.S.

Audi of America has decided to scrap the optional 2-litre diesel engine for the redesigned 2017 A4 sedan. Gee, we wonder why…

Volkswagen’s subsidiaries are suffering the aftermath of the German company’s freak-diesel scandal, although Audi of America President Scott Keogh told Autonews that the decision was made in the last six months, reflecting the lower-demand for diesel-engine variants.

According to the Audi official, “pulling the plug” on diesel variants was not the result of VW’s ongoing negotiations with U.S. regulators about its 2.0-litre engines. “The marketplace speaks, we listen to the marketplace, and the marketplace told us, ‘Go with SUVs,’” Keogh said.

Nevertheless, Audi’s 2.0-litre mills are manufactured by Volkswagen, and the latter currently has an embargo on selling new diesel models in the U.S, especially after the company’s proposed fix regarding these powerplants was rejected by federal regulators.

So, until Volkswagen will receive the certification from EPA that its engines comply to U.S. emission regulations, sales will remain on hold. Still, Keogh maintains that even so, the A4 won’t probably make itself available in a diesel variant:

“We will get the cars certified and we would have brought [the A4 diesel] if there was enough demand. Every decision is a blend of a lot of things but I think the predominant thing is there was not significant market demand for the TDI sedans we had in the marketplace, A3, A6, A7 A8.”

According to Audi, In the first six months of last year, diesel models accounted for roughly 6 to 8 percent of Audi’s A6, A7 and A8 sedans.

Audi is currently in discussions with Environmental Protection Agency regarding its 3.0-litre V6, used in its larger sedans and crossovers.