THIS IS THE second generation of the Audi A5 and S5 Sportback, both of which will debut at this month’s Paris Motor Show.
The A5 Sportback (Audi-speak for five-door hatchback) is based on the two-door A5 Coupe, which is itself based on the four-door A4 saloon.
But customers obviously love the slinkier profile of the A5 Sportback as 340,000 units of the first-gen have been sold since it first hit our roads seven years ago.
Building on this success, this new version isn’t radically different. It retains its sleek elegant design and perfect proportions, although it has grown a little fussier with the addition of taut lines running along its flanks and down the bonnet.
It’s also lighter than its predecessor having shed 85kg from the kerb weight to weigh just 1,470kg, excluding the driver.
Audi says that the new A5 Sportback blends:
elegant and emotive coupé design with impressive family car functionality and comfort.
That comfort translates to a roomier cabin with a claimed 24mm of extra rear legroom and 11mm of shoulder room for driver and front passenger. This version also has a very decent 480 litres of boot space and with the rear seats folded down, it can accommodate 1,300 litres.
The cabin gets a 12.3-inch TFT ‘virtual cockpit’ instrument display, which can be paired with an optional heads-up display and an 8.3-inch central touchscreen infotainment system.
The Audi A5 is a gadget and tech fest and taking the centre stage here is the adaptive cruise control (ACC) Stop&Go system including traffic jam assist, which can take over the driving in heavy traffic at speeds of up to 65km/h.
Power will come from 2.0-litre TFSI petrol and 2.0-litre TDI diesel turbocharged four-cylinder units in various states of tune. Audi has reduced fuel consumption by as much as 22% while increasing power output by up to 17%.
The flagship S5 Sportback features quattro four-wheel drive as standard and a new turbocharged V6 3.0-litre engine developing 349hp, boasting a 4.7 seconds 0-100km/h time.
The new A5 and S5 Sportback will roll into showrooms in the first quarter of next year with Irish prices likely to start around the €50,000 mark.
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