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Audi's "Turbo Lag Killer" Diesel: Who Still Cares About Diesel in 2025?Okay, Audi's claim... Audi's "Turbo Lag Killer" Diesel: Who Still Cares About Diesel in 2025?
Okay, Audi's claiming they've slain the turbo lag monster with their new V-6 diesel. Electrically powered compressor, mild-hybrid system, the whole shebang. Response "comparable to a similarly powered electric car," they say.
Give me a break.
Diesel's Last Gasp?
Let's be real: who's clamoring for a "turbo lag killer" diesel in 2025? The article itself admits diesel's market share is tanking. Eight percent? Behind hybrids, gasoline, and plug-in hybrids? Ouch. It's like bringing a Betamax player to a streaming party.
And this isn't some revolutionary new engine, either. It's the "EA897evo4," a rehash of a VW Group diesel from 2010. An engine that, let's not forget, was part of the whole Dieselgate mess. So, yeah, forgive me if I'm not exactly thrilled about Audi polishing this particular turd. Call me cynical, but I'm not buying the "cleanest yet" claim. Especially when it comes from a company that, shall we say, has a history with emissions.
They can run it on hydrotreated vegetable oil, supposedly cutting CO₂ emissions by 95 percent? Okay, great. So instead of poisoning the air with one thing, we're doing it with... used cooking oil? Progress, I guess?
But here's the real question: Why bother? What's the point of throwing all this tech at a dying engine type? Are they that desperate to squeeze every last drop of profit out of their existing diesel infrastructure? Or are they genuinely trying to convince us that diesel still has a future?
I mean, even Audi's own press release reads like an obituary. They won Le Mans with TDI racers, they crammed a V-12 diesel into an R8... nostalgia trip, much?
Complicated Tech, Questionable Future
Then there's the complexity. "The diagram illustrating the drivetrain’s complexity would have us worried that something could go awry," the article notes. No kidding. More parts, more problems. Especially when those parts are crammed into a diesel engine that's already on its last legs.
And what cars are even getting this thing? The A6 and Q5, initially. Maybe the Q7 and Q9 next year. The A7 and A8? "Up in the air." Translation: probably not.
I'm picturing some poor sap in 2032 trying to diagnose a problem with this electrically-powered, mild-hybrid-assisted, turbo-lag-killing diesel engine. Good luck finding a mechanic who even remembers how these things work.
Offcourse, I'm sure Audi will tell us all about the "improved durability." But forgive me if I don't take their word for it.
Wait... I just had a memory of when I was a kid, my dad bought this "state of the art" projection TV. It was supposed to be the future of home entertainment. Lasted about two years before it died a horrible, expensive death. This Audi diesel feels a lot like that TV.
Widowmaker 911 vs. This Diesel?
Speaking of turbo lag, I just read this article about the original Porsche 911 Turbo. The "widowmaker." Now that was a car with character. Raw, untamed power. Turbo lag that could actually kill you if you weren't paying attention. This reminds me of Scary Good: 50 Years Later, the Original Porsche 911 Turbo Still Scares Us, which discusses the thrill and danger of early turbo technology.
This Audi diesel? It's the opposite. It's a neutered, sanitized attempt to make diesel palatable in a world that's already moved on. There's no danger, no excitement, just… efficiency. And I don't know about you, but "efficient diesel" doesn't exactly get my pulse racing.
The 911 Turbo article made me think about risk, reward, and legacy. Here's a car that was so dangerous, it had a nickname referring to death. Now, the article tries to debunk the "widowmaker" myth, but the fact that the legend exists at all tells you something. It was a car that demanded respect. It had soul. It had a story. Does anyone think this Audi diesel will have a legacy? Will anyone be writing articles about it in 50 years? Will anyone even remember it in five years? I doubt it.