X
    Categories: Preview

Spotlighting the new Audi A5 and S5 Coupe

Audi S5 Coupe © Volkswagen AG

Audi is celebrating the world premiere of the new A5 and S5 Coupe with a spectacular 3D light show at the company’s headquarters in Ingolstadt. Both of these sophisticated cars demonstrate sporty elegance and deliver loads of high-tech features to customers.

Designers have thoroughly revamped the appearance of the Audi A5 Coupe. Now they are showcasing the elegant and athletic two-door car. At 4.67 meters (15.4 ft) long and 1.37 meters (4.5 ft) high, it claims the sportiest proportions in the premium segment. The hood is long; the low roof flows gently to the short rear end. Especially distinctive: the wide, flat Singleframe, the Matrix LED headlights, the wavelike side lines and the flared wheel arches. The exterior mirrors are placed on the door top shoulders, like a racing car – one more indicator of the sporty nature of the A5 Coupe.

Its newly developed steering features a direct ratio, responds spontaneously and provides precise road feedback. The A5 winds its way nimbly through tight curves. The body features even greater torsional rigidity than its predecessor and is among the lightest contenders in its class. It also takes top position in terms of aerodynamics and aeroacoustics. As a result, the Coupé glides quietly through the wind and its newly designed suspension offers greater comfort, especially for long-distance driving. The icing on the cake is the suspension with damper control, which switches its focus at the push of a button from comfort to sporty dynamics.

Engineers have boosted the performance of the new gasoline- and diesel-powered engines by 17 percent while also improving their fuel economy by almost a quarter. A six-speed manual transmission sends power to the front axle. Drivers can also choose to leave the selection of gears to the swift seven-speed dual clutch transmission or the equally proficient eight-speed torque-converter transmission, now available in the A5 for the first time. The optional quattro drive system can distribute power to all four wheels.

The ultimate highlight is the new turbocharged V6 engine in the S5. With 354 hp, it delivers 500 newton meters (368.8 lb-ft) of torque to the crankshaft, sending the speedometer from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in just 4.7 seconds. And, thanks to its S sport suspension, the top model sits even closer to the road. At higher speeds, the optional sport differential – also available for the TDI with 286 hp – pushes the car resolutely into curves. Understeering? No sign of that here!

The power contained within the trim exterior is emphasized by the S5 logo with a red rhombus on the flanks, grille and tailgate. The logo is also found on the interior – as the welcome screen on the MMI display, on the chrome trim around the gear selector and on the door sill trim.

Cruising the Internet at high speed: Using LTE online, the A5 displays traffic information, interesting locations, fuel prices and news, streams audio files from your smartphone, transfers its calendar to the MMI and automatically summons help in an accident, among other things. Drivers can also use an app to lock and unlock the Coupé as well as to find out where it is parked. Support is provided by a long list of assistance systems that set new standards in the class.

In congested traffic the A5 drives in a semiautomated mode, maintains a distance to the car in front, helps avoid rear-end collisions and evades obstacles. It also monitors oncoming traffic when turning left, recognizes traffic signals, warns of cars in the blind spot and if your car leaves its lane, and parks autonomously. Seats with a massage function, three-zone climate control, steering wheel heating, electrically extending and retracting seat belt feeders, 3D sound system and a large, panoramic glass roof round out the premium features of the A5.

The new Audi A5 and S5 Coupe will be available at dealerships in autumn.

Steve Allen: