Audi completes A to B efficiency challenge, A3 TDI gets 71.3 mpg (U.S.)
The north-south trans-European Audi efficiency challenge ended late this week and the 120 customers and journalists covered 4,200 km demonstrating how thrifty these cars can be. As expected, the A3 Sportback 1.6 TDI came out on top of the heap with an average over the full distance of 71.3 mpg (U.S.).
By the time the fleet of 20 cars and SUVs arrived in Italy, the A4 2.0 TDIe had covered the distance at an average of 53.5 mpg, excellent for a mid-sized sedan. However, Audi brought along more than just the usual high-mileage specials. The high performance TT-RS achieved 31.8 mpg. The Q7 TDI clean diesel equipped with the same after-treatment system as the U.S.-spec version averaged 29.4 mpg, similar to what we achieved a year ago on the U.S. mileage marathon. The biggest surprise was the 500 hp Q7 V12 TDI which got 24.8 mpg!
Gallery: Audi Efficiency Marathon A to B
[Source: Audi]
PRESS RELEASE:
Ingolstadt, 2009-10-02 Audi Efficiency Challenge A to B at the finish line - efficiency in the entire model range
- New Audi A3 1.6 TDI impresses with fuel consumption of around three litres
- High performance models make their case with outstanding consumption figures
- Long-distance trip through Europe under everyday conditions with 120 participants
The Audi Efficiency Challenge A to B has crossed the finish line. After nine days and approximately 4,200 kilometres through Europe from north to south, the consumption figures bear testament to the outstanding efficiency of the entire Audi range. The brand's new "paragon of efficiency" is the Audi A3 1.6 TDI. With an average best-of-day figure of only 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres, it stayed considerably below the already excellent nominal consumption of 3.8 litres, equating to CO2 emissions of 99 g/km. "The outstanding consumption figures achieved on the Efficiency Challenge demonstrate that efficiency is a standard feature in every Audi", commented Axel Strotbek, Member of the Board of Management of
AUDI AG for Finance and Organisation, speaking from the finish line in Bée. "The Audi Efficiency Challenge is clear proof of our Vorsprung durch Technik," said Michael Dick, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Technical Development.
The Audi Efficiency Challenge drove with 20 cars from five model ranges on the proverbial trip from A to B that, in fact, went from Å on the Norwegian Lofoten Islands to Bée in northern Italy. A total of 120 brand customers and international journalists took part in the tour.
Of each participating Audi model, there were two technically identical vehicles on the grid. Teams of two drove against each other to achieve the best daily fuel consumption.
With a mix of country roads, motorways and city traffic, the participants made the efficiency drive under everyday traffic conditions in nine one-day legs through eight European countries, delivering along the way powerful proof of the excellent efficiency of the entire Audi range. "The outstanding consumption figures achieved on the Efficiency Challenge demonstrate that efficiency is a standard feature in every Audi. Because a vehicle focused specifically on optimum use of energy is the basis for efficient driving," commented Axel Strotbek, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Finance and Organisation, speaking from the finish line in Bée. "But they also show that the driver has a huge impact on efficient driving."
With the Efficiency Challenge, Audi clearly demonstrated its leading role in TDI technology. Alongside the new Audi A3 1.6 TDI, the Audi A4 2.0 TDI e also turned in an excellent average of 4.4 litres. The Audi TT TDI underscored its position as the most efficient sports car in its segment with an average consumption of 5.0 litres. And even the top model in the TDI range, the 368 kW (500 hp) Audi Q7 V12 TDI came in with an average result of 9.5 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres.
Efficiency and driving pleasure go hand-in-hand
The drivelines with petrol direct injection also proved themselves to be exceptionally efficient. The Audi A5 Sportback 2.0 TFSI achieved an average of just 5.3 litres on its journey from Norway to Italy. The 245 KW (333 hp) Audi S4 shone with a best-of-day average of 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres, and the Audi TT RS demonstrated with an average consumption of 7.4 litres that efficiency and driving pleasure go hand-in-hand at Audi.
"The Audi Efficiency Challenge is clear proof of our Vorsprung durch Technik," said Michael Dick, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Technical Development. "The results demonstrate the success of the efficiency technologies that we use in all our model lines."
Efficiency comes as standard
The average of the best-of-day figures prove that efficiency comes as standard in every Audi.
A3 Sportback 1.6 TDI: 3.3 l S3 Sportback: 7.2 l
A4 2.0 TDI e: 4.4 l S4: 7.9 l
A5 Sportback 2.0 TFSI: 5.3 l A5 Sportback 3.2 FSI quattro: 7.8 l
Q7 3.0 TDI clean diesel quattro: 8.0 l Q7 V12 TDI: 9.5 l
TT 2.0 TDI: 5.0 l TT RS: 7.4 l
Travelling under everyday traffic conditions
The term "driving from A to B" represents everyday mobility – the sheer diversity of individual transportation that we all take for granted, and for which the automobile has become the indispensable basis. Audi took this literally – with the Efficiency Challenge A to B. The tour began in northern Europe, in the Norwegian town of Å on the Lofoten Islands and wound its way through Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland to northern Italy – to Bée at Lago Maggiore.
The tour was divided into three waves of three days each – the first went from Å to Trondheim in Norway, the second to the German capital of Berlin, with the third ending in the ultimate destination, the village of Bée overlooking Lago Maggiore. Along its way, the tour had a diverse range of roads and scenery on offer – ranging from the coast roads of Norway to the autobahns of Germany. Impressive cities like Oslo, Copenhagen and Prague were also en route, as were the High Alps – not always ideal conditions for efficient driving, but a reflection of everyday reality.
Leading role in efficiency
When it comes to efficiency, Audi holds the leading role among the premium manufacturers – right now, 32 models emit less than 140 grams of CO2 per kilometre. The latest version of the Audi A3 1.6 TDI, with only 99 grams of CO2 per kilometre, celebrated its world premiere on the "A to B", and succeeded in demonstrating its efficiency under real-life traffic conditions. The A4 2.0 TDI e with its 100 kW (136 hp) 2.0 TDI emits only 119 grams of CO2 per kilometre. An important factor in this impressive performance is Audi's modular efficiency platform, which brings together a broad portfolio of highly effective technologies. Audi is implementing these new solutions, such as the recuperation of electrical energy, in a variety of ways across its entire model range.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
paulwesterberg 12:56PM (10/03/2009)
Yawn, more hypermiling stunts on a highway - best case scenario for diesel. Wake me up when they manage decent mileage on a standard test(EPA) that includes city driving.
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Laurens 7:24AM (10/04/2009)
And the point you're making is...
I know my car has a poorer mileage in certain conditions. So I avoid these. Must admit, cycling is easier in my country, with it's climate and available facilities:-)
Steve 12:32PM (10/05/2009)
More than a year a ago a 520d ran a mixed highway (moderate to heavy traffic on the highway too) and city driving against a Prius, and made better MPG. Diesels have ALWAYS had the edge on over-hyped, under performing 'hybrids'; it's just that Toyota loving eco-wackjobs here in the states are too obstinate and too emotionally invested in hybrids to ever acknowledge reality.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/23/bmw-520d-beats-prius-in-gas-mileage/
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A diesel gets 70 mpg to the best performing hybrid's 45 mpg, and all you can come up with is desperate excuses about it being 'highway miles'.
1) European highways are small and often congested, so 'highway miles' in Europe involves a lot of stop and go.
2) Even if it is all highway miles, 70 mpg ISN'T EVEN CLOSE to the Prius's pathetic 45 mpg.
You have to wake yourself up to reality, buddy. If you (like most of the people here) are too blind and uneducated to see that hybrids have always been an underperforming marketing gimmick, no one else can fix your ignorance for you.
paulwesterberg 2:07PM (10/05/2009)
@Steve - I complained that this was a non-standard test with mostly highway miles, and then you go and site another non-standard test with mostly highway miles. I have been to Europe, and their highways are not clogged to the point where traffic is as slow as urban streets.
Diesels perform better at constant highway speeds because regen and stop/start is not a factor. But most people do most of their driving in urban environments which is where the prius will provide better mileage and contribute less air pollution.
Boyprodigy1 1:13PM (10/03/2009)
Great... Now make it a hybrid. I want to see a diesel hybrid or ER-EV. Even if it is expensive/impractical, its an area to be explored that seems to be being ignored right now.
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Tim 2:09PM (10/03/2009)
Cool!
Will the EPA and the other alphabet soup central planning agencies allow these to be sold in the USSA?
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DasBoese 9:24PM (10/03/2009)
You barf out essay-sized rants about "evil crony corporatism" in the Auto industry, yet you seem to be "cool" with Audi. Very interesting.
Tim 8:38AM (10/04/2009)
No, I'm "cool" with high mileage diesels which we can't get here in the USSA due to the Progressive-Corporatist's regulatory strangle hold on the "free" market.
Society is held hostage by Progressive-Corporatists NOT Free Market Capitalists. This is demonstrated by Gov’t bailouts, loans & Corporate welfare.
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporatism )
When Corporatism & Progressive Gov’t Central Planning fails, IDOTS like Michael Moore blame the heavily regulated (Free) Market Capitalists.
DasBoese 12:11PM (10/04/2009)
So you're alright with "Gov’t bailouts, loans & Corporate welfare" just as long as it happens somewhere else and goes into building something you want.
Figures.
Tim 12:48PM (10/04/2009)
DasBoese,
No, I'm cool with high mileage diesels and the free market competing for customers WITHOUT Gov’t bailouts, loans & Corporate welfare which tilt the playing field to favor those who have gained political connections via campaign contributions (bribery) and high priced lobbyists (special interest groups).
Remember: When gov't takes from taxpayers and gives to companies even when the banks won't because there is not sufficient collateral or a sound business plan, then the market is NOT free and "too big to fail" allows politicians & companies to gamble with Taxpayer's Money. And why not when Corporatists feel that they can’t lose?
The Gov't/Corporate partnership is NOT Capitalism, It's CORPORATISM! Back in the 1920s Europe, this partnership was called Fascism. (tomato/tomoto)
Progressivism/Corporatism + the Fed's money supply & interest rate manipulation causes the boom/bust business cycles that harm economies, diminish production and squeezes the middle class.
Today's economic pain is a DIRECT result of Progressive Corporatism, Gov’t Central Planning and the Fed’s Fiat Currency.
I would LOVE to buy a high mileage diesel, but the US Gov’t (EPA) put so many restrictions on them that the high price of complying is not justified. That’s why most manufacturers do NOT make them available in the USSA when they DO produce them for Europe.
why not the LS2LS7? 1:40PM (10/04/2009)
The restrictions are simply that Diesels must meet the same emissions standards as the most polluting gas cars for sale today. If the cars meet that bar, they can be sold. It would be silly to put in emissions controls and then say Diesels don't have to meet them. If the environment could tolerate higher levels of emissions than the current emissions standards allow, instead of allowing some cars to exceed them, we should just relax them for all cars.
As to why these cars aren't brought here, it's largely because fuel costs much more in Europe. Adding $1500-$2000 to the price of a car in the US to put a more complex Diesel engine in there is a tough sell when you only say $300 per year in fueling costs doing so! In Europe fueling costs can be double what they are in the US, so the payback on the higher-mpg vehicle is much quicker.
wxman 11:44AM (10/05/2009)
>The restrictions are simply that Diesels must meet the same emissions standards as the most polluting gas cars for sale today. If the cars meet that bar, they can be sold. It would be silly to put in emissions controls and then say Diesels don't have to meet them....<
That’s true, but your premise assumes that the U.S. emission standards are ideal with respect to minimizing environmental impact. They’re not. They’re not only not ideal, they have the potential to be counter-productive in many areas that are currently in non-attainment with the ozone “National Ambient Air Quality Standard” (NAAQS) limits (ozone is the primary constituent of “smog”). This is based on MANY studies of the “weekend ozone effect”. Mandating relatively higher reductions in NOx emissions than NMHC (hydrocarbon) emissions is totally contrary to the latest science. By the way, EPA itself acknowledges a “NOx disbenefit” in which lower ambient NOx levels (@ constant ambient levels of all other pollutants) may result in significantly higher ambient ozone levels in some locations (i.e., ambient ozone levels have a NEGATIVE correlation with ambient NOx levels in areas that are “VOC limited” with respect to ozone formation - all large metro areas in the U.S. studied thus far have been shown to be "VOC limited").
U.S. regulators have come up with a set of emission standards (Tier 2/LEV II) that – intentional or not – favor gas engine emission profiles and disfavor diesel engine emission profiles. This only results in much higher upstream hydrocarbon emissions from the evaporation of gasoline in the fuel supply chain (diesel fuel is essentially non-volatile). Hydrocarbon emissions are the primary culprit in high ambient ozone levels, not NOx.
One more point...the first sentence implies that diesels can only achieve the emission standards of the “most polluting” gas cars currently produced. The CARB certification for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz ML350/R350 BlueTEC just misses SULEV; the certified emissions of NMHC is 0.003 grams/mile too high (cert is 0.013 g/mi; SULEV standard is 0.010 g/mi - http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onroad/cert/pcldtmdv/2010/daimler_ldt_a0030380_3d0_u2_diesel.pdf). All other regulated emissions are at or below (well below in some cases) the SULEV limits. So even if you do consider Tier 2/LEV II ideal standards, the MB diesels are within a hair of meeting the “cleanest” category currently available.
Tim 12:00PM (10/05/2009)
wxman is exposing ANOTHER problem when Progressive-Corporatists Centrally plan with redistribution (carrot) and regulation (stick)... unintended consequences and that is the politically chosen fuel in the US (gasoline) causes more air pollution because it is more hydrocarbon-vaporous than diesel.
These unintended consequences are MUCH less severe when the market is free and level. Gov't job is to keep the market free FROM monopoly (not create it) and keep We, the People of the market free to choose.
Again, if our CIA and military had NOT been manipulating the Middle-East for the last 50+ years, there would be NOT resistance (terror) movement coming from that part of the world and fuel prices would have been allowed to naturally rise via supply-demand.
These naturally higher prices would have forced us to seek out alternatives like Renewable, EVs & more efficient cars including clean diesels YEARS ago.
Gov't Progressive-Corporatism, regulation (carrot/stick) and the Fed’s Fiat currency allowing unlimited spending on war IS the problem, NOT the cure!
Sam 3:15PM (10/03/2009)
This is news? I averaged over 68 mpg last month in my 1.9 liter tdi. This was over 4,000 km. The 1.6 would be great though. I'm sure those numbers could be pushed over 90 mpg by real professional hypermilers.
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belgian-beer 8:01AM (10/04/2009)
I live in Europe and i have this engine. ( 1.6 TDI 105 HP )
Average 55mpg in highway at 140km/h ( 87mph?)
Average 60mpg in highway at 120km/h ( 75mph) speed limit in Belgium....
Combined 53mpg City/highway ( in real use ) When i say 53 mpg , it's without compromise. For people who drive and respect speed limit ( 75mph ) , you can return almost 60mpg. In this article, they say 71.3mpg. Almost impossible for me lol ( i have the basic 1.6 tdi).... But they have a 1.6 tdi with bluemotion including start and stop system. With that , it make it possible.
This car is around 10.5 for 0-62mph. It's fast enough for Europe. But it doesn't mean nothing, we don't care about the 0-62mph. ( including Germany)
Here it's the torque the most important. It's not about HP.
Diesel have great torque and it's easy to pass in the highway. I hope you'll get this engine. But for now, try the 2.0 TDI. it's a great engine. You will return around 45mpg.
i don't know about EPA number.... 31/42 it's not good for the Golf 2.0 tdi.....
But it was a test car with almost 0 miles. Maybe it's normal to have these number....
MPG will improve with times. ( Around 10.000 miles, you'll get a decent mpg and better than expected)
Sorry for my poor english ;-)
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Christos Dimou 11:23AM (10/04/2009)
Average mpgs procedures reflect the driving habbits in the US. Considering the restrictions in emissions and the more strict cycles a reduction from an impressive 70+ mpg to something in the range of 45 to 50 mpg is logical.
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