Volkswagen is considering replacing the VR6 with an inline five-cylinder engine

The phase-out of the VR6 engine was something Volkswagen had been planning for a couple of years now. Building the brand’s already legendary six-cylinder is not cheap, and there aren’t many models that carry the VR6, which has had its place among the Passat, Touareg, Golf and even the Porsche Cayenne, among other models in the brand’s global lineup. The five-cylinder engine has found its place in future models, such as the Audi Q3.

According to Ulrich Hackenberg, one of the CEOs of Volkswagen, the VR6 will soon be replaced by an evolution of the five-cylinder engine used in the Audi TT RS, a turbocharged five-cylinder. The benefits of this downsizing will be greater, with equal or higher power and better fuel economy. However, it is strange that this same five-cylinder engine is itself going to be replaced by the new 1.8-litre turbo.

The results that the five-cylinder engine can deliver for Volkswagen (and its effectiveness for sporty use) will have to be seen, and quickly, before technology leaves it behind. The VR6 clearly should have been eliminated earlier, being an engine that dates back to 1991, although it has had a fairly respectable user base (who became devoted fans over time).

On the other hand, the advantages of a turbo engine compared with those of the VR6 are beyond dispute: more power, available almost immediately, and greater efficiency when it comes to fuel consumption, factors that will be decisive when Volkswagen’s board makes a decision.

Via | Car and Driver