larryV

What are the chances that Audi will simply make a V8 version of the engine design below and call it a day?

I'd say pretty good. A supercharger is more logical than twin turbos for weight savings and compactness. Anything more and we'd have another piggie.

Like this except two more cylinders. 440-460hp or so. I'd approve.
<img src="http://gallery.audiworld.com/albums/album431/D_S4_L_001.jpg">

John Stahmann

According to a few sources the RS series will retain a high-rev NA motor and not grow in displacement.

Also, a reliable source has seen an RS5 mule here in the US running a 4.2L V8.

450-470 hp 4.2L V8...

Reggie

That's what I have been reading too.

VerrÜckt

There's a twin turbo 4.2 in the works, I don't know what platform it will end up in.

Audi S5 TC

Eventually, all force fed petroleum engines throughout VAG will be supercharged. This includes the 2L I4 and 4L and 4.2L V8s.

The supercharged petroleum V8 will have 4.2L of displacement in the C7 RS 6 and RS 7 and D4 S8 and 4L of displacement in the C7 S6 and S7 and D4 A8/A8L.

Twin turbochargers will eventually be reserved for diesel engines (all of which will be twin turbocharged only) while petroleum engines will be regularly aspirated and supercharged. This is the trend for all of VAG (including Porsche) and not just Audi.

Jet Jockey/A4 Pilot

That Porsche will drop turbos for supercharging.

Heck Formula 1 teams are talking or are showing interest in going back to turbo motors.

VerrÜckt

between the bores).

I wouldn't bet on VAG products abandoning turbocharging completely though. :-)

Audi S5 TC

in the C7 RS 6 and RS 7, D4 S8 and (which, admittedly, I did, in fact, neglect to mention yesterday), the next generation R8 (and possibly the next generation Gallardo).

For the other Audi models (which would be the C7 S6 and S7, D4 A8/A8L and next generation Q7), the displacement of the supercharged petroleum and twin turbocharged diesel V8s will definitely be 4L and not 4.2L.

Of course, I never said that VAG was doing away with twin turbochargers completely. I only said that VAG was doing away with twin turbochargers completely for all of petroleum engines. VAG will, in fact, still be using twin turbochargers for all of their diesel engines (all of which will be nothing other than twin turbocharged; no regular aspiration, no single turbocharger, no supercharger, etcetera).

However, VAG will be doing away with single turbochargers (again, NOT twin turbochargers for the diesels) completely for all of their petroleum and diesel engines.

ESFO

What's wrong with supercharging?

Audi S5 TC

For force fed petroleum engines, superchargers are the only way to go (more hp, not much less-if at all torque, equal fuel economy and equal emissions compared to single and twin turbochargers).

However, for diesel engines (which should never be regularly aspirated, IMO), twin turbochargers are the only way to go (more torque, much, much more hp, higher redline and the same as or better fuel economy with lower emissions than a single turbocharger; only a bit less hp but much, much more torque, higher redline, much, much better fuel economy and much, much lower emissions than a supercharger).

However, turbochargers and especially twin turbochargers are much, much easier to modify for output gains than superchargers (which are very difficult to modify for output gains). Plus, turbochargers have somewhat larger output gains (with twin turbochargers having much larger output gains) than superchargers when modified for output gains.

The flip side of the coin is that superchargers require much less associated hardware, plumbing, cooling, etcetera than turbochargers and twin turbochargers, making superchargers much less nose heavy and much less heavy all around than turbochargers and twin turbochargers.