Audi RS4 - 'British heart beats in German supercar'
July 21st, 2000
Cosworth Technology has played a major role in the production of Europe's latest supercar - the Audi RS4 Avant Quattro.
This limited-run, four-wheel drive machine is the fastest estate car on the market and the most powerful production machine that Audi produces. At its heart is an astounding 380bhp engine, which uses cylinder heads that are cast at CT's Worcester site, with the complete engines being assembled at the company's Wellingborough facility.
The RS's engine is a derivative of the 2.7 litre twin-turbocharged V6 unit which is used in the Audi S4 Avant quattro, but power is increased by around 115bhp. The six-speed engine produces 141 brake horsepower per litre Ð which Audi believes is the highest of any production supercar. This compares to 115bhp/litre for the normally aspirated 3.6 litre Porsche 911 and 111bhp/litre for the Ferrari Modena. Top speed for the machine is governed to 155mph.
To get that extra power, changes were made to the cylinder heads which included redesigned intake and exhaust ports, larger air ducts for both inlet and exhaust, bigger twin turbochargers and charge air intercoolers to optimise turbo boost pressure. Quattro GmbH Ð another Audi-owned company Ð redesigned the exhausts which also helped boost power.
Worldwide, only 4000 units of the £46,500 car will be built, with around 400 of those coming to the UK. Such is the demand that months before the September delivery date all the UK cars have been sold.
Wellingborough began production of the RS4 motors - codenamed project W9 -in April. It will be April 2001 before all the 4000 engines along with the associated spares will be completed. By that time output will have risen from the current level of around 25 engines a day to 35.
To help fulfil this project, the Northamptonshire-based site has recently received £1.75m of investment. The major part of this has been in the form of a new Schenck dynamometer, installed by JW Froehlich UK. This new system can handle engines with a maximum power output of 600bhp and its fast docking capability means that motors can be linked to the test bed in 15 minutes, rather than the two hours it previously took for older test machines.
The RS4 project comes at an exciting time for Cosworth Technology's Wellingborough site, which should see floor space more than doubled from 4,500 to 10,000 square metres in the next three years. Currently, CT employs around 190 people at the facility. Other current projects include spares production for the 2.6 and 2.8 litre two-valve V6 engines for the Audi Cabriolet and the 6.0 litre 420bhp V12 engine used in the Aston Martin Vantage.
EDITORS’ NOTE:
Cosworth Technology is an independent consultant and major supplier of powertrain engineering services to the global automotive industry. It employs around 1,000 people at its operations in Northampton, Wellingborough and Worcester in the UK and at Cosworth Technology, Inc. in Novi, Michigan. Its unique blend of capabilities includes powertrain design, development and systems integration, engine manufacturing and aluminium engine component casting technology, incorporating the patented Cosworth Technology Casting Process. Cosworth Technology is a subsidiary of AUDI AG
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