Audi Mileage Marathon - The World's Cleanest Diesel in Its First Endurance Test
INGOLSTADT - September 8, 2008: The TDI is the world’s most successful efficiency technology. Now the latest Audi TDI is making its way to the US: Audi is introducing the world’s cleanest diesel to the streets of America inside the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI with ultra low emission system. Once there, and prior to its market launch, it will prove its supremacy when it comes to driving fun and fuel efficiency in an endurance test – the Audi Mileage Marathon.
The Mileage Marathon covers more than 4,800 miles – that’s over 7,700 kilometers – running from New York to Los Angeles through major cities and passing countless natural wonders. From October 5-20, 184 drivers from all over the world will do more than just get to know a lot of fascinating roads during a total of 13 daily stages – they’ll also experience the confident sportiness and extraordinary efficiency of the TDI models from Audi.
The big real-world driving tour will be driven with 23 cars from four different model lines, all examples of Audi’s characteristic combination of superior mobility and unbeatable efficiency. Along with the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI, the brand new Audi Q5 3.0 TDI will make its debut on the wide roads of the North American continent. The Audi A4, the sportiest sedan in its class, will also make its appearance with the superb 3.0 TDI engine.
The Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 TDI – equipped with the innovative and particularly efficient S tronic transmission – will add yet another highlight to the Mileage Marathon’s efficiency statistics.
Efficiency is key over the long haul
The route of the Audi
Mileage Marathon leads across the American continent from New York to Los
Angeles, passing major cities like Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas during the
13 daily stages, as well as natural wonders including the Rocky Mountains,
Death Valley and the Grand Canyon. The entire route totals more than 4,800
miles – over 7,700 kilometers – with a realistic mix of city
driving and rural driving on highways and country roads. In this
environment and under conditions that come close to everyday driving, the
TDI will be able to clearly show off its superiority over every other
efficiency technology.
Debut for the TDI with ultra low emission system
In the Audi
Mileage Marathon, the TDI with ultra low emission system will be making its
debut in a tough endurance test several months before the planned market
launch in the US and in Europe in 2009. This exhaust emission control
system reduces nitrogen oxides by up to 90 percent, making it compliant
with California’s LEV II BIN 5 – the world’s most
stringent emission standard. It also already exceeds the requirements of
the Euro 6 standards that are targeted for 2014. The Audi Mileage Marathon
will show that this doesn’t reduce the engine’s dynamism and
outstanding fuel efficiency.
With the latest generation of TDI, Audi once again confirms its pioneering role in the world’s most successful technology for fuel efficiency: when Audi started series production of the first TDI, the engine was clearly a major technical advancement. The TDI quickly became a synonym for superior propulsive power and top efficiency, and set the trend for the entire automotive industry. There is still no propulsion system that can beat the TDI when it comes to high performance and actual fuel consumption.
Major potential to reduce worldwide consumption levels
Since
it features the lowest emissions, the TDI with ultra low emission system
can be employed worldwide, even in California and all other US states that
currently have the most stringent emission standards. Compared with the
fleet average of the gasoline engines typically found in the US, the TDI
achieves a fuel-efficiency advantage of up to 40 percent. This means that
today’s diesel technology that is designed for tomorrow can make a
greater contribution than any other type of engine to reducing the
consumption of fossil fuels.
Part of an integrated efficiency strategy
Perfecting the TDI
is just one part of Audi’s integrated technology strategy to further
reduce CO2 and the emission of pollutants in all models. Audi meanwhile
relies on the outstanding potential of its state-of-the-art combustion
engines and on the components of its modular efficiency system: with direct
injection and turbocharging, the TFSI gasoline engines and TDI diesel
engines already provide convincing performance with comparatively low
consumption, while their innovative technologies form a solid basis for
further significant reductions of consumption in coming years.