Audi has introduced an all-new 3.0-liter V6 TDI engine that combines diesel performance with mild‑hybrid technology and an electric compressor. Debuting in the A6 and Q5, the unit delivers faster responsiveness, improved efficiency, and compatibility with HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) fuel.
The 3.0-liter engine produces 295 hp at 3,620 rpm and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) of torque from just 1,500 rpm. Compared with the previous version, its peak boost pressure of 3.6 bar arrives almost a second sooner. The compressor wheel now spins roughly 40% faster as well, reaching 90,000 rpm in only 250 milliseconds.
As a result, acceleration off the line is noticeably sharper, allowing the car to gain roughly an extra car length within the first two and a half seconds.
The mild‑hybrid setup contributes an extra 24 hp and 170 lb‑ft (230 Nm) of torque. With this boost, the A6 Sedan fitted with the V6 diesel accelerates to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h). The heavier Avant version is only a tenth of a second slower.
Although the Q5 weighs the same as the A6 Sedan, it’s actually faster. Both the SUV and its Sportback variant reach 62 mph in five seconds and share the A6’s electronically limited top speed. Audi also notes that the latest V6 diesel offers improved durability and better fuel efficiency.
However, this isn’t a brand‑new engine. Known internally as EA897evo4, it represents the newest iteration of a Volkswagen Group diesel engine first launched in 2010. The unit previously powered some Porsche models before the brand abandoned diesel following the Dieselgate scandal, in which the EA897 was implicated for emissions‑cheating devices.
Audi claims the newest V6 is the cleanest to date, capable of operating on HVO. The renewable fuel can cut CO₂ emissions by as much as 95% compared with standard diesel. HVO has already been pumped into diesel models manufactured at Audi’s Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt facilities in Germany.
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