I guess it goes without saying that the US will be denied this powerplant.

I'm sure this thing will yield better mpg than the non-turbo 2.0 in my Golf. That's not really saying much, but still. Why not plunk this in the Rabbit, too?

Interesting engine.

What's up with the 5k rpm limit? It's weird that a gasoline engine doesn't make as many hp as it does ft-lb of torque. It would make sense if it's a diesel, so I think I answered my own question.

You think they could squeeze a little more oomph out of that thing. Maybe I'm a little jaded but a turbo motor should make at least 100hp/L! Albeit, this is a pretty cool motor.

I see no benefit to the low rev, low-for-a-turbo power engine in a $27K vehicle. 0-62 times of 9.6 seconds don't set my heart atwitter.

Audi needs to learn that just because they can do something is no reason for them to actually do it.

low poer & low rev limit = plus MPG, right?

CAFE cruiser

For some reason i can't see this coming stateside.

@goatrope: you do know that in Europe they actually sell these cars with less than 200hp, right? I'm sure this engine isn't coming to the US, but as a new base engine for the A3 lineup it'll serve its purpose well.

What I don't understand is why we don't get this engine in the Jetta and Rabbit instead of the anemic 5-cylinder powerplant we have now.

I never realized this, but according to Wikipedia's article on gasoline direct injection: "...engine power is governed by modulating fuel injection with unthrottled air intake, like a diesel engine; as opposed to restricting intake airflow, like a conventional gas internal combustion engine."

@Mike Beversluis: Depends on how the engine is designed. For example, Greenpeace sponsored a Twingo based concept car years ago where the gas engine was tuned for normal engine speeds, rather than peak output at high and often unused engine speeds. Basically, diesel like characteristics without diesel emissions, which suit many people better than a gas engine where they rarely use its full potential.

@AdamSonar:

Thats right, direct injection is preferrable because it enables more precise metering of fuel at exactly the correct moment to prevent detonation.

This enables much highger compression ratios, more efficient combustion and you end up with more output too.

It also enables for easier tuning for more power. With direct injection, octane requirements can be reduced while retaining power. This is a big reason why you can easily 'tune' another 50 hp out of many modern diesel pickups.

Direct injection is the future.

@AdamSonar: thanks for the link to the Twingo project.
Thats probably the most common sense solution to a greener car, but nobody wants to implement it.

We also don't get the 3-door A3.

Also, the new Scion Dx makes 128 hp....

@Mike Beversluis: The press release doesn't say it has a 5,000rpm rev limit, just that it makes peak power at 5,000rpm.

It makes more torque than horsepower because of the way it's designed, but it's not a diesel.

In addition to which, I'm not sure why this is news. The 1.4TFSI has already been available on the European Golf for like a year.

@Retiree: AFAIK, no. As a practical example, my mk. V GTi gets better fuel economy now that I've upped the power via chipping it. If the engine has to work really hard to accelerate the vehicle, it will be less efficient than a more powerful, less stressed engine.

@jonnylieberman: And it's too damn bad. I've always hated the lines of four door hatches. Makes 'em look like tiny mini-vans. I prefer the pocket-rocket look...

This engi

Sorry about the screwy multiple posts... This engine, as I was saying, has been available in the EU for some time with the VW Golf (Rabbit) GT.

@Mike Beverslius: The peak torque from 1500 to 5000 rpm is a result of how VW programmed the turbo, such that the boost is adjusted at various rpms to give a flat torque (and to a lesser extent, power) curves.

Simply reprogramming the turbo boost settings can give more traditional torque and power curves, that peak higher at higher rpm's. I'd bet buying a 500$ aftermarket chip will allow you to get, say, 160 hp and 170-180 ft-lbs torque with the same octane gas. Cool!

I chipped my 2.0 TFSI and get approx 250hp and 250 ft-lbs on 89 octane, and the peak is around 5500-6000rpm (i have not dyno'd).

While I do pine for a 3-door A3, that would be better served with the 2.0 TFSI. I would really like to see this new engine brought over in the body of a Polo GTI.

@CMDRFIRE
This is not the engine in the Golf GT... It's the new "base TSI" engine, that has been available in the Golf for a few months. (as a replacement for the 1.6 FSI) Rated at 5.9 l/100km (40 mpg US) with the 6-speed manual or 7-speed DSG there.

Good engine, but economy buyers in the U.S. will not be willing to pony up for premium fuel, the fuel grade cited in the PR.

"Economy" and turbo don't seem to compute in the states, at least not since the Fuego infested our shores.