Volkswagen’s unique VR6 engine is costly to produce and import and used in relatively few vehicles, leading the automaker to weigh its future options for a motor with six-cylinder-levels of power.
One scenario sees the automaker ditching the VR6 in favor of “a turbo five, as we just used in the Audi [TT RS],” said Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, a VW board member in charge of overseeing R & D. Even if the engine was detuned from the 360 horsepower and 343 lb-ft of torque it makes in the Audi, it would still likely produce more power than the VR6. If VW decides on the turbo inline-five, the motor would be produced in North America.
However, with the naturally aspirated version of the five-cylinder used in a host of VW vehicles set to be phased out in favor of a 1.8-liter turbo four, the turbo five might not offer the economy of scale advantages over the VR6 that the company is looking for.
Hackenberg says that the alternative is to use the VR6 in more vehicles – in America, the mill is offered in the VW Passat and Touareg in addition to the Porsche Cayenne. An additional venue for the engine could be VW’s upcoming three-row crossover, which would likely sell in large enough quantities to make continuing with the VR6 financially feasible.
References
1.’ Volkswagen considering VR6…’ view
