Audi's New Turbo Four More Powerful Than Ferrari F8 Tributo

Downsizing and turbocharging are the order of the day – at least as much as electrification. Audi knows this as well as any other automaker in the business, and it's just revealed its most potent little engine yet. Shame none of us will get to drive it.

This 2.0-liter turbo four kicks out over 610 horsepower, giving it a specific output of 305 horsepower per liter. That's about twice the specific output that Honda gets out of the same-size engine in theCivic Type R.

The highly stressed 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 in theFerrari F8 Tributo"only" produces 182 hp/liter. In context of Audi engines, this engine also handsomely outperforms the 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five in theRS3andTT RS(with 160 hp/liter). Even theMercedes-AMG CLA45andGLA45(with the same-size engine) "only" produces 375 hp, or 187.5 hp/liter – and that's the highest specific output in the business. But those are all road cars. And this engine, we're sorry to say, is not powering anything you can drive on the road. Audi developed the racing engine for theRS5it willcampaign in Germany's DTM series.