15:30 10-09-2025

Audi's iconic 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder bows out under Euro 7

Audi has made it official: the legendary 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder is heading into retirement. Known from the RS 3, RS Q3, and TT RS, the engine became a brand hallmark and, since 2009, has been repeatedly recognized as a standout sports powerplant. Tougher Euro 7 emissions rules have ultimately sealed its fate.

At the Munich motor show, CEO Gernot Döllner indicated that further development no longer adds up. By the time Euro 7 takes effect in 2026, the engine would have less than two years left in service, and demand would not justify the investment. Audi has already begun to pare back the lineup: RS versions have vanished from the Q3 and Q3 Sportback, leaving the RS 3 sedan as the last model to carry the 2.5 TFSI.

The 2.5 TFSI delivered up to 400 hp, sent the RS 3 to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds, and helped set a Nürburgring lap time of 7:33.123. Looking ahead, Audi sees the future of its performance models in hybrids paired with smaller-displacement engines.

For brand loyalists, the departure of this five-cylinder is a genuine loss. Its unmistakable timbre and punch in a compact package defined the character of Audi Sport. Numbers aside, that character played as big a role in the RS story as any lap record. Stricter regulations now set the agenda, and while the charm will be different, there is every chance the coming hybrid setups will bring their own kind of intrigue.