With 380 instant horsepower and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) on tap, Audi’s RS5 TDI concept sounds like a proper sports car. No, really, it actually does, with an engine note that you’d not normally associated with a V6 oil burner.

It’s Audi’s attempt at eliminating turbo lag completely, using an electric supercharger system similar to what Jay Leno tried out on that Ford Focus he drove a while back. It works really simply, putting extra pressure into the intake so that the turbochargers are active and don’t need to spool up.

Judging by the way the car drives/sounds in the Autocar video posted below, we say it could be the sporty diesel alternative you’ve been waiting for, if you’re into that sort of thing.

No word on when it will hit a production car, but it stands a strong chance of being a revelation in the sector.

By Andrei Nedelea

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