Audi has confirmed it will drop its turbocharged 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder engine from its European lineup by mid-2027 due to stricter emissions laws.
Accordingly Automotive NewsThe German automaker will forgo the engine because it does not comply with the upcoming Euro 7 emissions regulations, which come into force in Europe from the end of 2026.
The 2480cc engine, codenamed ‘EA855’, is currently offered in Australia in the Audi RS3 high-performance sedan and sedan, producing 294kW of power and 500Nm of torque. In combination with the standard quattro all-wheel drive, this enables a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds in both body variants.
When production of the existing RS3 ends in mid-2027, the five-cylinder – currently handmade in Győr, Hungary – will be added.
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While it powers the current RS3, the EA855 was also used in the RS Q3 small SUV and the 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 287 kW and 480 Nm and achieves acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds.
According to rumors, there will also be a celebratory appearance in the Volkswagen Golf R for the 2027 model year, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Golf R nameplate.
Australia’s emissions regulations are not in line with those in Europe, as there are no plans to introduce the Euro 7 standard locally yet.
The less strict Euro 6d standards only came into force here in December 2025 for newly introduced models and will apply to all new vehicles going on sale from July 2028.
This could see the five-cylinder RS3 remain in Australian showrooms until mid-2028, assuming Audi has sufficient supplies.
Audi Australia and Cupra Australia have been contacted for comment on how long the five-cylinder is expected to remain available locally.
That’s what Audi’s global sales boss and board member Marco Schubert said Daily Sparkz Last month, the brand took a “technology agnostic” approach and will offer a variety of powertrains after backing away from its previous commitment to only sell electric vehicles (EVs).
The comments came after Audi committed to producing combustion engines again well into the 2030s, with no official end date for gasoline and diesel engines.
While Audi’s first five-cylinder engine was introduced in the Audi 100 sedan in 1976, the iconic original Quattro made the brand synonymous with the odd number of cylinders.
The original Quattro coupe, which later dominated global rallying, was launched in 1980 and initially featured a 2.1 liter turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine and quattro all-wheel drive.
Audi’s latest RS model – the 2026 RS5 Sportback and Avant – made its local debut at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne last month.
It is the first RS model to be powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain (PHEV), with a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol-electric system producing 470kW/870Nm, delivering significantly more power than the previous non-hybrid V6 versions, which made 331kW and 600Nm.
Importantly, the RS5 PHEV meets Euro 7 regulations and, based on Audi’s preliminary European specifications, its CO2 emissions of 86g/km are low enough to avoid Australian New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) penalties until 2028.
The RS5 is a competitor to the BMW M3 sedan and Touring, which will be replaced by both electric versions – powered by four engines producing more than 746 kW – and petrol-electric hybrid versions, due to be unveiled in 2026.
In Europe, BMW has also revised the V8 powertrain of its M5 and Touring plug-in hybrid sedans, increasing electric motor power to a total of 535kW while meeting Euro 7 requirements.
MORE: Explore the Audi RS3 showroom
