It Sounds Like Audi Is Almost Done With The W12 Engine

And the V10's future isn't looking too good either.

Engine downsizing is nothing new and it’s a trend that’s expected to continue. But what about the Volkswagen’s Group W12 which, needless to say, isn’t exactly fuel efficient. Nor are its V10s, for that matter. Speaking to Car and Driver, Audi R&D boss Peter Mertens admitted that “We will not have the 12-cylinder forever. There are customers who really want the 12-cylinder and they are happy with it and are going to get it. But this is going to be the last installation (in the 2019 Audi A8).”

So clearly the W12 isn’t going anywhere just yet, especially since it’s also utilized in Bentleys, where the twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter produces 585 hp. However, Audi does not offer the W12 in any other model aside from the A8, and even there it sells in fairly limited numbers, so once it’s gone its absence will barely be felt. Audi also offers a V10 engine, the 5.2-liter unit found in the R8 V10 Plus. Car and Driver also believes that engine will be the shown the door shortly as well. Audi believes future customers will be more inclined to opt for the upcoming twin-turbocharged V6 that will power the R8. It’ll not only be plenty powerful, but also more fuel efficient and cheaper as well.

But wait!? Isn’t this the same naturally aspirated V10 found in the Lamborghini Huracan? Yes, and it’ll be interesting to see Lamborghini’s future plans, though the V10 is expected to stick around in some form, just not in Audis. Mertens reiterated, however, that Audi is still totally committed to performance cars. They’ll simply be offered with smaller engines and, eventually, electrically powered.