Audi axes its iconic five-cylinder engine after 50 years

Audi has confirmed it will discontinue its turbocharged 2.5-litre inline five-cylinder engine from its European lineup by mid-2027, amid tightening emissions laws.

According to Automotive News, the German automaker will drop the engine as it does not comply with upcoming Euro 7 emissions regulations, which come into effect in Europe from late 2026.

Codenamed ‘EA855’, the 2480cc engine is currently offered in Australia in the high-performance Audi RS3 hatch and sedan, in which it produces 294kW of power and 500Nm of torque. Combined with standard quattro all-wheel drive, this enables a 0–100km/h sprint of 3.8 seconds in both body styles.

When production of the existing RS3 ends in mid-2027, the five-cylinder – currently hand-made in Győr, Hungary – will go with it.

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While it powers the current RS3, the EA855 was also used in the RS Q3 small SUV and Audi TT RS sports car in Australia until 2024.

The five-cylinder will also be offered here later this year in the upcoming limited-edition Cupra Formentor VZ5, in which it produces 287kW and 480Nm, for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.2 seconds.

It’s also rumoured to make a celebratory appearance in the Volkswagen Golf R for the 2027 model year, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Golf R nameplate.

Australian emissions regulations are not aligned with Europe’s, with the Euro 7 standard not yet scheduled for introduction locally.

Less stringent Euro 6d standards only came into effect here for newly introduced models in December 2025, and will apply to all new vehicles on sale from July 2028.

This could see the five-cylinder RS3 remain in Australian showrooms until as late as mid-2028, provided Audi has sufficient supply.

Audi Australia and Cupra Australia have been contacted for comment on how long the five-cylinder is expected to remain available locally.

Audi’s global sales boss and board member Marco Schubert told CarExpert last month the brand has a “technology agnostic” approach and will offer a variety of powertrains, having pulled back on its previous commitment to sell only electric vehicles (EVs).

The comments came after Audi recommitted to producing internal combustion engines well into the 2030s, with no official end date for petrol and diesel engines.

While Audi’s first five-cylinder was introduced in the 1976 Audi 100 sedan, the iconic Ur-Quattro made the brand synonymous with the odd number of cylinders.

Going on to dominate world rallying, the original Quattro coupe was launched in 1980 and initially used a 2.1-litre turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine with quattro all-wheel drive.

Audi’s latest RS model – the 2026 RS5 Sportback and Avant – made its local debut at the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne last month.

It’s the first RS model to be powered by a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain, with a 470kW/870Nm 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol-electric system delivering significantly more power than the previous non-hybrid V6 versions, which produced 331kW and 600Nm.

Importantly, the RS5 PHEV meets Euro 7 regulations and, based on preliminary European specifications from Audi, its 86g/km CO2 output is low enough to avoid penalties under Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) until 2028.

The RS5 is a rival for the BMW M3 sedan and Touring, which will be replaced by both electric versions – powered by four motors producing more than 746kW – and petrol-electric hybrid versions due to be unveiled in 2026.

In Europe, BMW has also revised the V8-based powertrain in its plug-in hybrid M5 sedan and Touring, increasing its electric motor output to maintain a total of 535kW while meeting Euro 7 requirements. MORE: Explore the Audi RS3 showroom