Germans in diesel deathmatch

Newswheel staff :: 01 June 2005 :: Filed under Saloon, Audi, Audi A8, Mercedes Benz, Mercedes Benz E-Class, Europe & UK

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How much power is enough?

‘Gargantuan grunt from compact diesel V8’ was how we pitched the launch of Merc’s monstrous new Derv-drinking bent eight engine. But we also reckoned the competition from Audi’s revised four-litre V8 diesel lump would turn out stiffer than neat moonshine in a carbon-fibre beaker. And so it’s proved with the release of further details of Audi’s new twin-turbo, double-intercooled 4.2-litre oil burner.  Soon to be found nestling within the all-aluminium surrounds of the A8 in TDI trim, it knocks out a little less peak torque than the Merc mill – 479lb/ft from 1,600rpm to 3,500rpm compared with 538lb/ft @ 2,200rpm. But otherwise just has the measure of the Mercedes, at least on paper: the Audi superdiesel offloads 322bhp at 3,750rpm to the Benz’s 314bhp at 3,600rpm. The result of all this hot diesel action? The big A8 quattro can deliver 0-62mph in 5.9 secs and soldier on to an electronically limited 155mph, while the V8 CDI E-Class takes a whole six seconds and runs out of puff at 150mph. Sports car performance from a full-sized, diesel-powered land yacht? It is, of course, pure, unadulterated madness.

Still, couple that Audi data with a claimed 30mpg (combined) and a range of up to 590 miles on a single tankful and the £58,605 UK starting price doesn’t seem so steep. For the record, Euro prices kick off at around E81,000. No word on availability Stateside. But as ever for diesel fanciers in the US, don’t hold your breath.