By Jeff Glucker
There’s something awesome about an odd cylinder count. Yes, I still believe eight is the perfect amount. But five cylinders deliver delightful fun. Case in point? The 2025 Audi RS 3, which features a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder mill under the hood. That means this thing is basically a half-size Lamborghini sedan, right?
That mighty powertrain doles out a tick over 400 horsepower. The power is metered out via the quattro all-wheel-drive system, which here benefits from the inclusion of a delight rear diff designed to move torque around as needed. In fact, this car has a sort of drift mode you can activate with a few button presses. Prefer to go in a straight line as quickly as possible? The RS 3 is well-suited to that, too. Audi says it will rip from 0-60 mph in the low three-second range.
The five-cylinder, however, is an engine with not a lot of applications. In fact, word is that the RS 3 is ready to bow out by 2027. At least in this form. There’s some good news, though, as the rumor mill also states that the five-cylinder will then find a home under the hood of the next Golf R.
This powertrain in a hatchback body? Yes, please!
Kamil Kaluski
Eight cylinders is an acceptable amount, but it still falls short of the “perfect” amount. From a practical standpoint, 12 cylinders arranged (at any angle between cylinder banks) into a V shape is about as perfect a combination as one might expect for a passenger vehicle that can be affordable to someone making less than a 7-figure salary, though if someone gave me a V48 I probably won’t complain.