No turbo V10 for Audi and Lamborghini

Despite the new RS3's all-alloy, turbocharged five-cylinder looking like a cinch to be turned into a twin-turbo V10 for the Audi R8 V10 and Lamborghini Huracan, don't hold your breath.

In fact, you might want to take the local Audi dealership off your speed-dial list.

According to the managing director of Audi Sport (and the former head of Lamborghini) Stephan Winkelmann, there's no turbocharged V10 on the horizon for either the R8 or any Lamborghini.

"We don't see the need to have excellence in just one thing," he told Drive, suggesting that engine power alone would not define the next generation of hypercars.

"A balanced approach will always rule with cars like the R8 and Lamborghini.

"The five-cylinder engine is one of Audi's USPs and, we want to keep it exclusive to this (the RS3's) segment."

Of course, that's despite the fact that a pair of RS3 five-cylinder engines could be relatively easily turned into a 5.0-litre V10 with a pair of turbos and, at current technology levels, with something like 600kW.

But Winkelmann was adamant that such a thing was not going to happen.

"No. There will be no V10 twin-turbo."

On the subject of electric turbocharging, Winkelmann was less adamant, but still suggesting that this new tech was not really on Audi's petrol-engine horizon.

"Electric turbocharging would only happen if we need it. If our 0-100 time is missing something, we could think about it. But, in general, our cars today are good enough.

"All technology has to be (financially) feasible for a small manufacturer like Audi Sport."

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