Latest Audi A5 range widens gap to A4

Audi introduced its latest two-door coupe to the world this week at an exclusive event at Audi’s Ingolstadt home. The new Audi A5 is everything we’ve been waiting for, and it promises to carry on the legacy set by its predecessor.

Frank Lamberty, designer of the new Audi A5 had a few things to say about his latest masterpiece. “The most important difference with the new A5 is the nose,” he said, “as there is now a clear differentiation between the A4 and A5. The headlights are a little bit higher, and A4 has a sharper, cleaner look. The A5 is more of an emotional design.”

The grille of the A5 is wider, and sits lower than before. Flared lines and creases on the bonnet and the front of the Audi A5 create a sportier aura combined with the wider, more aggressive air intakes and chrome detailing on the bumper of the Audi S5.

To the untrained eye the new Audi A5 looks almost identical to its predecessor, and this is no mistake. Lamberty revealed that the previous car was considered to be his “masterpiece,” and the main design focus of the new model was to improve that with a few subtle modifications. Unlike the old A5, there are some new creases that sculpt the sides of the new model, as well as a wider-looking rear end with slimmer LED taillights.

The beefier Audi S5 flaunts a new rear diffuser, with the classic quad tailpipes nestled at opposite ends. The RS5 model, as every Audi enthusiast would know, will feature an even more intimidating design with the signature twin oval pipes at the back. “Customers want to see real exhausts at the back,” Lamberty said, and I can’t help but assume that he’s referring to the rival Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe, which has set-back pipes behind a square chromed design in the bumper.

The symphony that will be played through the four exhausts of the Audi S5 will be orchestrated by a new aluminium version of Audi’s turbocharged V6, which now produces 260kW (16kW more than before) and 500Nm of torque. The result is a 4.7 second run from 0-100km/h, 0.2 seconds faster than the outgoing model, and a limited top speed of 250km/h.

A manual 6-speed gearbox and a 7-speed automatic are available with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder models, while the larger 3.0-litre diesel and petrol Audi S5 models can be bought with an eight-speed tiptronic box. Both of the larger engines come with Quattro all-wheel drive as standard, too, and there’s an optional rear differential and variable ratio steering.

The interior of the new A5 is aligned very closely to that of the Audi A4, with the dash and seats being brought over directly from the A5’s saloon sibling, as well as Audi’s new Virtual Cockpit system. Other tech on board includes an Internet connection using a SIM card, an app that can control some of the car’s functions and full smartphone connectivity.

Traffic jam assist, active lane assist, cross traffic alert and Audi’s pre-sense safety systems are all fitted to the new A5, plus traffic sign recognition and parking assist features. Extra standard kit in this car will also include a 7-inch display screen, LED ambient lighting, height-adjustable seatbelt feeds and auto city braking.

Along with this two-door coupe, the A5 range will also include Sportback and Convertible derivatives, as well as the hot RS5 model. A plug-in hybrid model is also expected to form part of the new line with the new A5 based on the MLB platform, which was built to support Audi’s e-tron hybrid system, however it’s expected to only appear after 2018.