Features
Gallery 1
The petrol-powered five-cylinder engine has just turned 40.
First introduced in the 1976 Audi 100, it’s remained one of the rarest engine configurations, but undoubtedly one of the coolest due to its unique and evocative sound.
Its unusual firing arrangement (five firing pulses for every two crankshaft rotations) produces the characteristic warble that is sadly only found in Audi’s RS3 and TT RS. Thankfully, as the brand that introduced the five-pot, Audi is keen for it to continue.
Audi Quattro
Volvo 850 R
With a 2.3-litre turbo five producing 190kW/350Nm, the 850 R was a weapon, capable of over 250km/h, and transformed Volvo’s image from ‘boxy but safe’ to something with a bit of a heartbeat.
Audi RS2
Combining a sensible body shell with a 232kW/410Nm 2.2-litre turbo firecracker proved a popular combination, with 2891 of these incredibly expensive machines built, though only 180 in right-hand drive.
Ford Focus RS
It sounded amazing, with a vicious crack from the exhaust if you timed your upshifts right, handled brilliantly and looked like a rally car which had shaken off its stickers. You sat too high and it torque-steered like mad, but it’s absolutely a modern classic.
Audi RS3
It also feels incredibly understressed, even producing 280kW/465Nm. We fluked a 3.95sec 0-100km/h run in one, however private cars with remapped ECUs are dipping deep into the three-second bracket.
