The decision comes not from technical limitations but from strategic considerations. Audi says it could update the engine to meet the upcoming Euro 7 emissions regulations. Still, the company has chosen not to pursue that path due to limited market demand and cost concerns.
Audi’s five-cylinder turbo, currently only available in the RS3, has already been phased out of models like the TT RS and RS Q3, both of which are no longer in production. The RS3, now the final model powered by the 2.5 TFSI, is expected to continue for about two more years until its discontinuation. Once production ends, it will close the chapter on a powertrain that has powered everything from rally icons to modern performance sedans.
Not a Technical Barrier, but a Strategic Decision
Despite increasingly strict emissions standards, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner confirmed the engine’s retirement is not due to regulatory impossibilities. Speaking to Drive magazine at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich, Döllner said that modifying the 2.5 TFSI to comply with Euro 7 would not be “difficult” from an engineering standpoint. However, the investment required to bring it up to standard is not considered justifiable by the company.
According to Döllner, the question is one of “scale and overall market demand.” The RS3 Sportback and RS3 Sedan simply do not sell in sufficient volumes to make the necessary updates viable. Euro 7 regulations will take effect for existing vehicles in November 2027, and by that point, Audi plans to have phased the engine out entirely.
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Limited Future Even Outside Europe
Audi’s decision also extends beyond the European Union. Although the company could technically continue to offer the five-cylinder engine in markets not impacted by Euro 7, it appears the financial rationale doesn’t hold up there either. The automaker has evidently run the numbers and determined that continued production isn’t feasible anywhere.
During the Munich event, when Motor1 asked whether upcoming models like the Concept C might feature internal combustion engines, Audi responded with a firm no. The production version of this new sports car, slated for 2027, will be exclusively electric. The brand also reportedly considered equipping a more accessible R8 variant with the inline-five, possibly even including rear-wheel drive and a manual gearbox. That concept never advanced past early planning stages.
Farewell Plans and Final Applications
Before it disappears, the five-cylinder will get a proper send-off. Audi is preparing a more powerful version of the RS3, though the company has not confirmed details. As reported by Motor1, there are also rumors that Volkswagen may use the engine for a final performance-oriented Golf variant, giving the 2.5 TFSI one last spotlight within the combustion era of the VW Group.
This would not be unprecedented. Cupra previously offered the Formentor VZ5 with the same engine, and the five-cylinder has long been a favorite among enthusiasts for its unique sound and delivery. Its lineage dates back to 1976 with the Audi 100 (C2), making it one of the most storied engines in the brand’s history.
As of now, Audi has not clarified whether the RS3’s eventual replacement will carry a four-cylinder engine or shift entirely to electric power. In recent years, the company has said it would not produce four-cylinder RS models, but with the ninth-generation Golf moving to a fully electric platform, the direction remains unclear.
