Frankfurt: Audi's cleaner engines

What are they?
New engines that will make the Audi A3 and Audi A4 more desirable and cheaper to run.

What's new?
The all-new 1.2 TFSI engine is just one example of the 'downsizing' technology that's all around us at the Frankfurt motor show. Manufacturers are desperate to slash CO2 emissions and fuel consumption, without adversely effecting performance and small-capacity turbocharged engines with direct fuel-injection are one answer.

Similar technology has been introduced higher up the range, but this will be the most affordable application. Audi says the new 1.2 TFSI petrol engine which is making its debut in the A3 is particularly light and designed to minimise friction. In the A3 it returns an average fuel economy of 51.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 127g/km.

In both respects, those figures make it considerably better than the current 1.6 engine, which it is expected to replace. The new engine will provide the entry-level point to the range, with prices starting at around 15,000.

Clean diesel technology
Audi is also using the Frankfurt show to introduce clean diesel technology (first seen in the Q7 and designed to cut NOx emissions) in the A4. With a common-rail fuel-injection system and exhaust gas recirculation, the 3.0-litre TDI engine is already very efficient, but to further reduce nitrogen emissions, the exhaust includes a special catalytic converter and has an additive injected into the exhaust gases.

The result is an engine that, combined with a six-speed Tiptronic gearbox, matches the performance of the current 3.0 TDI 0 to 60mph in 6.2 seconds but betters its economy, returning an average of 42.1mpg compared with the current car's 40.9.

The new unit also already meets Euro 6 emissions standards that are not due to come into force for five years. However, Audi has not yet confirmed whether it will sell this version of the car in the UK.