Audi is joining the ranks of companies offering cylinder deactivation options. With its Cylinder on Demand (COD) feature, fuel economy is improved by up to 20% when deployed.

The Audi Cylinder on Demand system can improve fuel economy by up to 20 percent compared to fully active mode.

The company will release the COD system in three of its gasoline engines, including the following: The 1.4-liter TFSI COD 4-cylinder, the 4.0-liter TFSI COD 6-cylinder and the W12 COD 12-cylinder of the latest Audi A8 L.

How it works

The Audi COD system deactivates about half of the operating cylinders by cutting off fuel injection at low cruising speeds and higher gears. The cylinders spring back to life when the driver crushes the pedal down. The technology is just that simple and said to be so smooth that it is barely detectable during the drive.

Savings

Audi’s version of cylinder deactivation may be the most dramatic to date, with notable savings. The 1.4 TFSI COD produces 140 horses, and when used in the Audi A3 it achieves 50 miles per gallon. Operating the 4.0 TFSI COD in the RS 6 Avant and RS 7 Sportback produces 560 horses at 24 miles per gallon. The savings decrease with the sportier models, taking the 20% savings from the A3 down to around 5% for the RS 6 and RS 7.

Overall, Audi is on the path to maintaining performance specs while cutting back on fuel consumption. This trend is vital for the future, as standards and regulations continue to shift gears. As always, Audi keeps things classic and sporty in the appearance arena while tuning up the components.

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