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Audi and Porsche Are Developing New V6 and V8 Engines Together

Despite being rivals, Porsche and Audi share some platforms and components. For example, the bodies of the Cayenne and Q7 are built at the same factory, while the Macan was derived from the Q5.
Audi and Porsche Are Developing New V6 and V8 Engines Together 1 photo
Photo: Audi
However, most of their engines are completely different, despite having similar displacements. That's about to change, as the two German giants are currently co-developing the next V6 and V8 engines.

According to a report from Autocar, these units are codenamed KoVoMo. They use conventional turbochargers, but electric superchargers may be adapted sometime in the future.

This is the first time we've heard anything about such mills. Porsche seems to be working with everybody these days, as the next Panamera will share its architecture and some AWD goodies with the 2017/2018 Bentley Continental GT.

The new V6 engine will be a 3-liter, just like the one used by the Porsche Panamera S and Macan S. But does that mean Audi's 3.0 TFSI will lose its supercharger? The report also contradicts previous ones about the RS4 packing a 2.9-liter twin-turbo.

According to the report, the six-cylinder architecture is scaleable. Audi wants to eventually develop an entry-level 2.5-liter V6 that uses the Atkinson combustion cycle. We're not sure if we buy this part of the story, as the Germans had a smaller 2.7 TDI and a larger 3.2 FSI, both of which were discontinued.

BMW also had many different engine displacements but revolves its whole engineering philosophy around the 2L and 3L. Even MINI has been influenced by this and ditched the 1.6 turbo for a larger 2-liter. Having a set displacement and offering different outputs is the preferred solution nowadays.

As for the V8, it's going to be a 4-liter one, Autocar reports. It could mean the end of the 4.8-liter, an engine size that Porsche has used since the days of the 928. We've long suspected that the Panamera might get downsized mills, as the Chinese car market offers certain tax benefits to cars with engines smaller than 4L.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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