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Let us wish the European drivers the best of luck and that their fuel economy achieved will be more than just respectable. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=112945)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Audi_A4_-_2_0L_TDI_in_fuel_efficiency_challenge_.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (www.cleanmpg.com) - June 24, 2008

To be fuel efficient, you need to use your tanks stored energy as efficiently as possible. On June 23, eleven white Audi A4 2.0 TDI models started out in the efficiency competition organized by Audi and Auto Bild. To stand a chance of winning, however, the teams have to complete the total distance of over 1,650 kilometers or 1,025 miles with an average fuel consumption of under four liters/100 km or 58.80 mpgUS.

The Audi A4 with its new two-liter TDI engine is almost ideal for fuel-efficient driving. On the new Euro Urban/Extra Urban test cycles, the A4 w/ the 2.0L TDI and a 6-speed manual transmission is rated at 35.1 mpgUS/57.4 mpgUS Urban/Extra Urban and 46.1 mpgUS combined. That being said, participants in the Audi efficiency competition have to improve upon the base vehicles fuel economy rating. In this contest, it was the least amount of fuel used that wins of course.

The course: The fuel efficiency marathon runs between Basel and Vienna and back. The route is 1,025 miles and leads through Switzerland, Germany and Austria, on mostly freeways with some small towns dotting the route. The Audi A4 has a fuel tank capacity of 65 liters (17.2 gallons), meaning that an average fuel consumption needed to complete the course will be over 58.80 mpgUS. This was the goal and of course being an ultra modern diesel with ultra-high pressure injection, the latest Piezo-electric injectors and advanced EGR for precise combustion control, the Audi A4’s should have an easy time besting what is needed. Additional fuel consumption gauges similar to the ScanGauge were installed so that drivers can see the current fuel consumption status in real time.

The first lap is driven from June 23 to 25 from Basel to Vienna and back, upon which the victory ceremony takes place. The second round of the efficiency marathon begins on June 27 in Vienna and runs to Basel and back to Vienna, where the winners of the second round are honored.

The Audi A4 with its new 2.0L TDI demonstrates the advances made by Audi’s efficiency strategy. Its output of 120 hp and maximum torque of 290 Nm (213.89 lb-ft) at 1,750 rpm provide impressive performance while also being praised for its refined running and comfort.

Predictions? I believe the new A4 as equipped above should pull along the lines of 80mpgUS or 2.9L/100 km when the drives are complete similar to that achieved with the older and more powerful but slightly smaller 2007 Honda Civic iCDTi review (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6526) as tested last fall.

These are pretty big cars - The A4 has grown over the years.

This 2.0TDI Manual drivetrain is rated on teh Audi.de at 5.4 l/100k combined (well at least the Station Wagon is - the sedan shouldn't be more than 2% less).

Note - these guys aren't going to be driving 55 MPH - much of their trip is on true High Speed Highways - where the guys in the left lane are doing over 100 MPH.

Hi Vooch:

___Aren’t truck limits in central Europe set in the 100 kph range including on the Autobahn? If so, you can guarantee they will be traveling a lot closer to 100 kph than 200 + in a challenge like this whatever the route they are being told to drive. I just wish we had some CleanMPG'ers in the challenge to take the entire production to another level ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I only know this from observing the stickers on the back of trucks - trucks have a whole variety of limits (80 k, 100 k, and 110 K )

Also note that much of the Autobahn is speed limited - 120 - 130 k - are typical ranges - they change the speed limits depending on conditions.

The Basel - Vienna route is a tough one - lots and lots of varied traffic speeds up and down up and down, most of it fairly dense until circa Salzburg.

If I was doing this - I'd try the old Alpen Strasse route along the foothills of the Alps in Upper Bavaria - its a 2 - 4 lane country road/highway relatively flat driving through real Hedi country- slower speeds will be acceptable and traffic light - after the Alpen Strasse meet the Autobahn close to Salzburg and use the Autobahn to go over the Pass towards Vienna.

It will be interesting to see their route.

Hi All:

___The results are in and the drivers performed extremely well! All eleven Audi A4 2.0 TDI’s reached the finish over 1,025 miles without refueling.

___The winning drivers achieved a very respectable 3.44L/100 km or 68.38 mpgUS!

___20 randomly selected readers of a motoring magazine and a team of two from Audi fully exploited the efficiency potential of the new Audi A4 2.0 TDI in order to drive from Basel to Vienna and back on a single tank of fuel. All eleven teams made it to the end and still had between 1.32 and 2.38 US gallons of diesel left over.

___From beginning to end and with an outstanding level of enthusiasm, the winning driver managed to surpass the Euro Urban/Extra Urban combined FE consumption figures by over 32%!

___After a total driving time of approximately 22 hours on average and with an average speed of between 46 and 50.3 mph, the white Audi A4’s all reached their destination without refueling. It is clear just what potential there is in the driver’s foot for reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Even the eleventh place team recorded an impressive average fuel consumption of just 3.65L/100 Km or 64.44 US mpg.

___What was learned? The upcoming Jetta 2.0 TDI (same as that in the Audi A4 2.0TDI) is a lot more fuel efficient than the 5-cycle EPA tests give it credit for :)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Excellent results. :)

Incredible !

Wayne - do you know the route they took ?

Alexander

Hi Vooch:

___Give me a few. IIRC, the mag was Autobild (I may have spelled that wrong)? A German car mag and they may have the challenge online. Let me do some searching in the Audi archives to see if they have anything?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hi Vooch:

___Sorry I do not have any more but the return FE was finally released and its even better!

___The second part of the efficiency drive through Austria and Switzerland concluded on Sunday. The most fuel efficient driver duo achieved an average fuel consumption of 3.32L/100 km or 70.85 mpgUS! With that FE, it would even have been possible to cover over 2,000 kilometers or 1242.74 miles :)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hi All:

___The Audi 2.0L TDI equipped A4 FE Challenge across Europe Quick Time movie is posted in the files section for anyone that wants to see what they were doing. Not much detail but a well done film segment for the beauty and such…

Audi A4 - Germany Fuel Efficiency Challenge - (MOV) (5.04 MB) (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=36)

___Good Luck

___Wayne