Audi AG: 2.0L TFSI Turbocharged DOHC I-4
Ward's Dealer Business, Feb 1, 2010 12:00 PM

It appeared the era of the dynasty had died last year when Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.'s VQ V-6 failed to win a spot on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for the first time in 15 years. The streak had ended.

But the same year, a revised version of Audi AG's 2.0L TFSI turbocharged direct-injection 4-cyl. had been refreshed for the all-new A4 Avant S-line, as well as a slew of other Audi- and Volkswagen-brand luxury and family vehicles.

This wonderfully balanced and fuel-efficient I-4 was beginning one dynasty as another ended: It won its fourth consecutive 10 Best Engines award last year and its fifth this year, driven in the A4 sedan.

With such remarkable turnover on the list, the Audi 2.0L is the seasoned veteran. No other engine this year has notched more than two consecutive honors.

Seat time is all that is necessary to appreciate our infatuation with this engineering marvel. It oozes with practical, yet elegant, technology, including the optimized variable turbocharger that debuted last year, along with Audi's new valvelift system.

And the engine retains its lower-friction internals, twin balance shafts, variable-nozzle turbocharger, variable valve timing and variable-length intake manifold. With so much variable this and variable that, it's easy to appreciate the engine's flexibility.

The numbers cannot be overlooked: 211 hp and 258 lb.-ft. (350 Nm) of torque and a specific output of 106 hp/L, aided and abetted by a juicy torque curve that peaks at 1,500 rpm and holds steady north of 4,000 rpm.

The engine is so good, Audi dropped the larger 3.2L V-6 previously available in the brand's entry-level A3 5-door sedan. And the A4 — Audi's best-selling vehicle in the U.S. — relies on but one engine: the 2.0L TFSI. More power requires a step up to the S4, equipped with another engine among this year's honorees.

Audi pioneered the concept of engine downsizing with the outstanding 1.8L turbo I-4 in 1997. Now it stands as one of the few luxury brands confident enough to stake its reputation on a 4-cyl. engine in a fiercely competitive 6-cyl. market.

This engine remains peerless as a premium I-4. Do you believe in dynasties? The powertrain folks at Audi may be creating one.

Engine type: 2.0L turbocharged DOHC DI I-4

Displacement (cc): 1,984

Block/head material: iron/aluminum

Bore × stroke (mm): 82.5 × 92.8

Horsepower (SAE net): 211 @ 4,300-6,000 rpm

Torque: 258 lb.-ft. (350 Nm) @ 1,500-4,200 rpm

Specific output: 106 hp/L

Compression ratio: 9.6:1

Assembly site: Gyor, Hungary

Application tested: '10 Audi A4

EPA city/highway (mpg): 22/30 (manual AWD)