Audi 4.2 FSI: years, specs & known problems

By CarWhere Research · Updated November 4, 2026

Audi's 4.2 FSI is a naturally aspirated, direct-injected 4,163 cc V8 sold in US models from 2007 to 2015. Touring versions made 350 hp in the Q7 and 354 hp in the 2008–2012 S5, while the high-revving versions made 420 hp in the RS 4 and R8 V8 and 450 hp at 8,250 rpm in the 2013–2015 RS 5.

The 4.2 FSI combined Audi's gasoline direct injection with a 4,163 cc V8 measuring 84.5 × 92.8 mm. In mainstream models it made 350 hp in the 2007 Q7 4.2 and 354 hp and 325 lb-ft in the 2008–2012 S5 coupe. The 2013 A8 replaced it with the 4.0 TFSI twin-turbo, and the S5 coupe switched to the supercharged 3.0 TFSI for 2013.

High-revving versions used a 12.5:1 compression ratio: 420 hp at 7,800 rpm and 317 lb-ft in the 2007–2008 RS 4, 420 hp in the first R8 V8 (430 hp by 2014) and 450 hp at 8,250 rpm in the 2013–2015 RS 5 coupe and cabriolet. Audi says the R8 V8 was developed by what is now Audi Sport GmbH.

4.2 FSI at a glance

Audi 4.2 FSI naturally aspirated direct-injection V8, US models 2007–2015: model years, fuel and peak Audi-published output by version
Engine	Model years	Fuel	Peak hp	Peak torque (lb-ft)	Documented problems	Recalls
Touring 4.2 FSI: Q7, A6, A8, S5 coupe (350–354 hp)	2007–2012	Gasoline (premium recommended)	354	325	0	1
High-revving 4.2 FSI: RS 4, R8 V8, RS 5 (420–450 hp)	2007–2015	Gasoline (premium recommended)	450	317	0	0

CarWhere lists 0 documented problems and 1 NHTSA recall for the 4.2 FSI, each with a source.

Touring 4.2 FSI: Q7, A6, A8, S5 coupe (350–354 hp)

The higher-volume 4.2 FSI used in luxury and SUV models and in the first-generation S5 coupe.

Touring 4.2 FSI: Q7, A6, A8, S5 coupe (350–354 hp) specifications

Touring 4.2 FSI: Q7, A6, A8, S5 coupe (350–354 hp): design facts (2007–2012)
Specification	Value
Fuel system	FSI gasoline direct injection[2]
Replaced by	4.0 TFSI twin-turbo V8 in the 2013 A8[3]

Touring 4.2 FSI: Q7, A6, A8, S5 coupe (350–354 hp) horsepower and torque by year

Touring 4.2 FSI: Q7, A6, A8, S5 coupe (350–354 hp): Audi-published horsepower (hp) and torque (lb-ft) by model year and application
Model years	Application	Horsepower (hp)	Torque (lb-ft)	Source
2007	Q7 4.2 quattro	350	—	[1]
2009	S5 coupe325 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm	354	325	[2]

"—" means we could not confirm the figure from a primary source.

Which vehicles have the Touring 4.2 FSI: Q7, A6, A8, S5 coupe (350–354 hp)?

Models and model years offered with the Touring 4.2 FSI: Q7, A6, A8, S5 coupe (350–354 hp)
Model	Model years	Notes
Q7 4.2	2007–2010
S5 coupe	2008–2012
A6 4.2	2007–2011
A8 4.2	2007–2012

Touring 4.2 FSI: Q7, A6, A8, S5 coupe (350–354 hp) recalls

NHTSA safety recalls related to the Touring 4.2 FSI: Q7, A6, A8, S5 coupe (350–354 hp) (campaign numbers link to NHTSA)
NHTSA campaign	Reported	Vehicles	Summary
16V619	2016-08	2010–2013 A8 built May 15, 2010 to May 14, 2012	A leaking coolant valve can let coolant reach the engine control module, causing a loss of power or stalling.

High-revving 4.2 FSI: RS 4, R8 V8, RS 5 (420–450 hp)

High-revving versions with a 12.5:1 compression ratio, making peak power at 7,800–8,250 rpm.

High-revving 4.2 FSI: RS 4, R8 V8, RS 5 (420–450 hp) specifications

High-revving 4.2 FSI: RS 4, R8 V8, RS 5 (420–450 hp): design facts (2007–2015)
Specification	Value
Displacement	4,163 cc (254.0 cu in)[7]
Bore × stroke	84.5 × 92.8 mm[7]
Compression ratio	12.5:1[7]

High-revving 4.2 FSI: RS 4, R8 V8, RS 5 (420–450 hp) horsepower and torque by year

High-revving 4.2 FSI: RS 4, R8 V8, RS 5 (420–450 hp): Audi-published horsepower (hp) and torque (lb-ft) by model year and application
Model years	Application	Horsepower (hp)	Torque (lb-ft)	Source
2007	RS 4420 hp at 7,800 rpm; 317 lb-ft at 6,000 rpm	420	317	[4]
2008	R8 V8	420	—	[5]
2014–2015	R8 V8430 hp at 7,900 rpm	430	317	[6]
2013–2015	RS 5450 hp at 8,250 rpm; 316 lb-ft at 4,000–6,000 rpm	450	316	[7]

"—" means we could not confirm the figure from a primary source.

Which vehicles have the High-revving 4.2 FSI: RS 4, R8 V8, RS 5 (420–450 hp)?

Models and model years offered with the High-revving 4.2 FSI: RS 4, R8 V8, RS 5 (420–450 hp)
Model	Model years	Notes
RS 4 sedan	2007–2008	Cabriolet added for 2008
R8 V8 coupe and Spyder	2008–2015
RS 5 coupe and cabriolet	2013–2015

Related Audi research

Confirm a car really has the 4.2 FSI.

The engine an Audi left the factory with is part of its build record. The CarWhere Audi build sheet reconstructs factory colors, options and packages from licensed VIN-level build data — availability is checked free, and it is $9.99 only when detailed build data is found for that VIN.

Audi build sheet by VIN

Frequently asked questions

Which Audis have the 4.2 FSI V8?

In the US: the 2007–2008 RS 4, 2008–2015 R8 V8, 2013–2015 RS 5, 2008–2012 S5 coupe, and 4.2 versions of the Q7, A6 and A8 from 2007.

How much horsepower does the Audi 4.2 FSI make?

350 hp in the Q7, 354 hp in the S5, 420 hp in the RS 4 and early R8, 430 hp in the 2014–2015 R8 and 450 hp in the RS 5.

Is the Audi 4.2 FSI direct injected?

Yes. FSI is Audi's name for gasoline direct injection; the 4.2 FSI injects fuel straight into the cylinders.

What replaced the Audi 4.2 FSI?

The 4.0 TFSI twin-turbo V8 replaced it in the 2013 A8, and the S5 coupe moved to the supercharged 3.0 TFSI V6 for 2013. The R8 kept the V8 through 2015 and the RS 5 through 2015.

Sources

Ratings are Audi-published figures as cited; descriptions are CarWhere’s own summaries of the sources below. Repair costs appear only where a source states them and vary by shop and region.

2007 Audi Q7 4.2 quattro priced at $49,900 (Audi of America release, Jan. 2006) — Audi of America (reposted by AudiWorld) (secondary reference)
2009 A5/S5 quick reference, Audi of America document — Audi of America (hosted by AudiWorld) (secondary reference)
2013 Audi A8/S8/W12 media information kit (revised July 2012) — Audi of America
2007 Audi RS 4 pricing to start at $66,000 (Audi of America release, Apr. 2006) — Audi of America (reposted by AudiWorld) (secondary reference)
Tech talk: Making the Audi R8 V10 engine fast and robust — Audi of America
2014 Audi R8 media kit — Audi of America
2015 Audi A5/S5/RS 5 press kit (revised July 2014) — Audi of America

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Independent reference compiled by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by AUDI AG or Audi of America. Audi, quattro, TFSI, S tronic, e-tron and the model names are trademarks of their owners.