2009 Audi S5: There's A Monster In There

Umm... Scott, you can open up a whole new world for yourself by taking some time and seeing the engines on modern American V8 sports cars.

Compared to what we've seen recently (I'm looking at you BMW N54), Audi's engines are masterpieces. The B7 S4 has less plastic on it, by the way, although the manifold isn't quite as pretty.

Have you seen the engine bay of the new TL even that is ugly. It's like a tupperware party under the engine bay of some luxury cars nowadays.

A chorus of angles? No need to be so obtuse in your observations, my good man! Surely this dearth of attractive modern engine covers can be righted.

Not as good looking of an engine as the original Yamaha 3.0 V-6 in the Taurus SHO, or the Ford 2.5L Duratec V-6 found in the '95-'97 Ford Contour SE & SVT, but a nice looking engine nonetheless.

I too hate all that plastic crap they put on engines these days in a wrong attempt to make them look cleaner. I guess they figured most car buyers don't know what they're looking at when they open the hood anyway, so might as well cover them up with plastic emblazoned with acronyms that sound techy and expensive. It's a sad truth.

Oh leave it alone Eidol, no need to protract the issue. It was just an acute observation.

Engine covers are useless.

I love the look of the SRT8 engine, huge intake and orange block, no covers at all. But I am biased.

Gooney's gone off on another tangent...

"Umm... Scott, you can open up a whole new world for yourself by taking some time and seeing the engines on modern American V8 sports cars." That clearly excludes Chevy. The engine covers used of the G8 and Camaro powerplants are nothing if not criminal in their hiding these great engines.

And I will agree with Scott. That is a gorgeous engine bay. Well done Audi.

"That clearly excludes Chevy. The engine covers used of the G8 and Camaro powerplants are nothing if not criminal in their hiding these great engines."

YES. I personally own a G8 GXP, and the fact that the LS3 is hidden beneath a generic plastic cover that says nothing but "V8" makes me cry inside.

It is beautifully finished, but that lack of any engine cover is why Audi's are noisier and more suceptible to vibrational issues inside the cabin. Personally I like being able to hear and feel the engine because it gives you a connection with the car, but the Lexus set will never get on board with this (and Audi really needs to appeal to a wider audience if they want to avoid becoming the next Jaguar).

Indeed I have texases...just a sine that I've lost my mind. ;)

Take a photo of the engine bay sans cover...

"but that lack of any engine cover is why Audi's are noisier and more suceptible to vibrational issues inside the cabin"

A hard plastic cover will do little or nothing to reduce noise or vibrations. Likely it would have the opposite effect.

Car makers use them to dress up a engine bay where no effort was spent on appearance.

+1 to Audi for keeping the plastic trim to a tasteful minimum.

It's nice for a modern car but it's nothing special in the long run. However, what runs underneath is fantastic, I adore Audi's 4.2 liter V8, outside of claimed issues with gunk on the valves of the FSI models.

@firstwagon

You are actually mistaken. Most engine covers are actually structural elements with a thick layer of insulation that limits the range of motion of the engine and actually supresses noise levels (the plethora of plastic in a Lexus or Acura IS excessive, however). Most plastic covers are designed along with the engine to accomplish desired refinement goals. Take the engine cover off any Lexus, Benz, or BMW and you will see a nicely finished engine compartment below despite the plastic. NVH rules the majority of mechanical design these days. I should know, it's what I do everyday.

stingray454: The new SHO's engine bay is a huge letdown compared to that beautiful Yamaha V6 and V8.

@mercedesfan - take the cover off the BMW N54 and *barf* - it's fugly. Yech.

Shaddai-- you piqued my interesting on what an uncovered N54 looks like... I went through google but couldn't find a picture... any chance you have one offhand?

On another note, I like how everything is just there the engine of my SRT-4 looks like except for a piece of plastic over the fuel injectors. Although I tried to give mine a bit of color

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/TheModestWizard/UpdatedEngineBay006.jpg

I think the simplicity of detailing is what makes Audi engine bays so attractive. The orange coils give it some spark while the matte finished plastic/metal surfaces keep it clean, simple and elegant. Audi is GREAT when it comes to detail execution and finish.

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

-Leonardo da Vinci

"By mercedesfan on July 2, 2009 3:13 PM
@firstwagon

You are actually mistaken. Most engine covers are actually structural elements with a thick layer of insulation that limits the range of motion of the engine and actually supresses noise levels"

What?!? Supress noise levels? Maybe a little. Limit the range of motion an engine makes when full throttle is applied? No f'n way will a flimsy plastic decorative engine cover at the top do that!

@slickersdrip - here's the "best" one I've found so far. I have seen better before.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=275749&stc=1&d=1244434343

(source: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270688)

stingray-

haha, I am forced to agree with you. Looking back over my comment I really have no idea what I was trying to say, but what I said certainly didn't make any sense. I am assuming it was supposed to be a comment about virbation suppression and I got side-tracked with something else, but who knows. :)

As an aside, most engine covers are not "thin". Well designed engine covers have thicknesses on the order of centimeters, not millimeters. This is what gives them their heat/vibrational/noise control properties.

that's a big chunk of metal to be sitting in front of the front axle line. i guess the quattro necessitates that...