Audi A5: this time it’s official
Stung by the leak of A5 photos, Audi has brought forward the first official pictures of its new A5 mid-sized coupe. It’s the car designed to bridge the gap between the TT sports coupe and the R8 supercar – Audi’s calling it a modern grand tourer. CAR Online brought you theleaked photos of the sporty S5 earlier this week; today we can publish all the official details of the regular A5, which goes on sale in June.
The idea of a mid-sized Audi coupe has been knocking around for a few years now; the graceful Nuvolari concept car was first shown back in 2003. The A5 is the production version of that car. It stretches to 4630mm long – roughly halfway between the A4 and A6 saloons. It’s a new segment for Audi and, from a manufacturer on a roll with hits such as the TT, R8 and RS4, we’re keen to see if the A5 lives up to the hype. It’s the first Audi to get a new front/mid-engined layout – the front wheels are pushed forward, and the engine back, supposedly to improve the handling.
What’s the A5 like inside?
The A5 is a full four-seater and these first photos inside a regular model reveal a high-quality interior whose ancestry is clearly shared with the rest of the Audi clan. Switchgear is neatly arranged in usual Ingolstadt fashion and you can almost feel the build quality from these photos. Audi reckons the A5 will be a practical coupe, and there’s a handy, 455-litre boot, whose lid rises automatically at the touch of a button. And the A5 does away with a traditional metal key, instead storing all the info on a chip in the plastic key fob. This stores all the car’s diagnostic readings, too, so checking your car in for a service will be easier than ever.
Is there the usual, bewildering Audi range of engines on offer?
The A5’s engine room options stretch from 170 to 265bhp, sending power through either the front wheels or Audi’s quattro four-wheel drive system. All petrol and diesel engines in the A5 have direct-injection: • 1.8 four-cylinder turbo, 170bhp, performance n/a • 3.2-litre V6, 265bhp, 155mph, 0-62mph in 6.1sec • 2.7-litre V6 TDI, 190bhp, 144mph, 0-62mph in 7.6sec • 3.0-litre V6 TDI, 240bhp, 155mph, 0-62mph in 5.9sec Topping the range is the new S5, shown above: • 4.2-litre V8, 354bhp, 155mph, 0-62mph 5.1sec
It’s a new Audi… it must be dripping with technology?
They have indeed thrown a lot of gadgets at the new A5. Engineering highlights include aluminium suspension components front and rear, a new, two-stage variable valve lift system on the 3.2 FSI, and Audi’s first eight-speed Multitronic CVT auto gearbox. Gizmos in the cabin include all the usual trinkets (parking cameras, three-way climate control), plus a few surprises: how about aluminium hologram trim or a stonking Bang & Olufsen 500-watt stereo? We get to drive the A5 in the spring, before sales start in the summer. Expect prices in the UK to start at around £30,000 for a 2.7 TDI.