AUBURN HILLS, MI– Audi S4 will feature a V-6 engine. The new engine will serve as the successor to the 3.2L FSI with Valvetronic. And though the current engine is still a leader in refinement and is quite brisk, its 265 horsepower rating is down compared to its newer rivals, particularly the 3.0L BMW twin-turbo straight six and Mercedes-Benz’s recently updated 3.5L V-6, which now produces more than 300 horsepower, according to www.automobile.com.

The engine, dubbed 3.0 TFSI, uses a new Eaton supercharger. The V-6 engine generates 286 horsepower at 4,850 rpm and 310 lb-ft of torque at 2,500 rpm. The supercharger is supplemented by an air-to-air intercooler. These figures will most likely apply to the engine that will be featured on the A6, rather than the S4, the report said.

The primary reason for Audi’s switch to superchargers is based on low-end torque, particularly at very low revs; in addition, the supercharged setup is less complex and less costly to fit than a twin-turbo setup.