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Audi WC / WE specs: 2.1L (131 ci) 5-cylinder, 79.5 x 86.4 mm (3.1299 x 3.4016 in) bore and stroke, 8:1 compression. Built 1978–1980. Used in the Audi 5000.
The Audi WC / WE is undersquare — the 3.4016" stroke exceeds the 3.1299" bore by 8.0% — a layout that trades peak RPM for leverage and torque low in the range. The 3.4016" stroke does not reach 4,000 ft/min of mean piston speed until about 7,050 RPM, so piston speed is not what limits this engine's revs — valvetrain and breathing are. Each of the 5 cylinders displaces 26.2 ci (429 cc).
8:1 is low by modern standards and generally happy on regular pump fuel.
It is one of 5 engines in the Audi 131ci family, all of them 131 ci — the differences between them are in compression, heads and rating, not displacement. 3 factory variants share these dimensions across 1978–1980.
| Displacement | 131 ci / 2.1 L |
|---|---|
| Bore | 3.1299" |
| Stroke | 3.4016" |
| Cylinders | 5 |
| Compression ratio | 8:1 * |
| Bore/stroke ratio | 0.92 |
* Compression ratio from a single source; not yet cross-verified.
| Fuel type | gas |
|---|---|
| Years | 1978–1980 |
| Bore/stroke character | 0.920 — undersquare — stroke exceeds bore, which favours low-end torque |
|---|---|
| Mean piston speed at 6,000 RPM | 3,402 ft/min — conservative for a street engine |
| Displacement per cylinder | 26.2 ci |
| Static compression | 8:1 — low by modern standards, generally happy on regular pump fuel |
Each link opens the calculator with this engine's specs already filled in.
These records share identical bore, stroke, displacement and compression. They differ by model year and factory power rating.
| Year | Advertised HP | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | — | WC / WE |
| 1979 | — | WC / WE |
| 1980 | — | WC / WE |
1 factory vehicle, 1978–1980. Each year opens that model's engine table.