This Triple-Charged Audi RS5 Is A Dieselhead's Ultimate Ride

Not content with dominating the Le Mans diesel scene, Audi is now bringing ‘dirty’ performance to the road in the shape of this new oil-burning RS5 concept, which could go on sale next year. Audi is showing off a new 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel engine, which will power the facelifted A6 and A7, by chucking this potent ‘e-booster’ version into a late-stage RS5 prototype.

It’s a clever bit of kit. As is the case with many modern twin-turbo set-ups, it attempts to do away with turbo lag by making use of two turbos - a larger one which takes longer to spin up for extra boost at higher revs, and a smaller turbo which spins up quickly to provide low-end oomph. In this 380bhp ‘e-booster’ version, Audi has gone one step further.

Engineers have fitted what is essentially an electronic supercharger, which ensures that the smaller turbo is spinning even at very low revs. It is connected to the engine’s intercooler on one side and induction system on the other, and forces air into the induction system.

This is particularly useful on windy roads, where the ‘e-booster’ keeps the turbo spinning even under braking, ensuring that the whopping 553lb ft of torque is available from just 1250rpm. Brake hard for a mountain pass hairpin, and you’ll have everything available for you to blast out the other side at the squeeze of a throttle.

Unsurprisingly, given that it’s a diesel, this is not an engine to wring out redline revs from. You’ve hit peak torque by 1250rpm and peak power by 4200rpm, which comes around quickly given all the weight that’s been shed. The block is 192kg lighter, while the crankshaft, conrods and pistons have all been on a diet, shedding 20kg between them. 0-62mph is taken care of in under four seconds - with so few revs to play with and such brutal acceleration, the eight-speed automatic gearbox will be kept busy.

The really interesting thing about all this, though, is its potential application in an R8. Imagine even bigger turbos, a more aggressive supercharger, face-melting torque and (relatively) few fuel stops. A very interesting prospect indeed.