For years, Audi has often resorted to dummy tailpipes. But this – understandably, as in my opinion also the Fake sound generators – was criticized by many. This was particularly noticeable in diesel cars such as the S5, where the chrome-plated tailpipes only ended in a piece of plastic and were even closed. And the rear of the SQ5 and S6 is similarly unsightly. But that time is over.
no more fake exhaust pipes
Audi has officially confirmed that future cars will be equipped with the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) and have real tailpipes. The decision is based on extensive customer feedback, which makes it clear that buyers do not want the dummies. This was stated by an Audi spokesman in an interview with Auto Express said.
Yesterday, at the presentation of the new A5 and the S5 derivatives, it was announced that the visible tailpipes are real tailpipes again. However, it remains to be seen whether smaller vehicles on the MQB platform will follow suit. If Audi is aiming for a uniform design across the entire product range, the cheaper models should also have real tailpipes.
And several more PPC-based models are already in the planning stages, including the Q5, the A7 and the Q7. It is very likely that these will no longer have fake tailpipes in their S versions either.
In the long term, Audi will switch to electric drives.
The Ingolstadt-based company plans to be completely electric by 2033. However, depending on demand in China, production of combustion engines could continue for even longer. With the decision to use real tailpipes, Audi has responded to customer feedback and taken a step in the right direction. The change is welcomed by many and marks a real shift in the company's design philosophy.
Thomas Wachsmuth
Thomas Wachsmuth is the founder and editor-in-chief of tuningblog.eu - he has been an integral part of it since 2013. His passion for cars is so intense that he invests every available cent in them. While he dreams of a BMW E31 850CSI and a Hennessey 6x6 Ford F-150, he currently drives a rather unremarkable BMW 540i (G31/LCI). His collection of books, booklets and brochures on the subject of car tuning has now reached such proportions that he himself has become a walking reference work for the tuning scene.
