Audi A5 Sportback debuts in Europe

Audi has unveiled their new A5 Sportback. The five-door model attempts to capture “the emotion and elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan and the practicality of a station wagon.” The Sportback joins the Coupé and Cabriolet as the third member of the A5 model family.

The Audi A5 Sportback is yet another 5-door coupe. It is 1.42 inches lower than the A4 Sedan, with its short front overhang, long wheelbase, wide track and the four frameless doors with their slender window lines, it is the very picture of sporty elegance.

The interior is spacious, offering uncompromising comfort in all four seats. The large luggage compartment hatch is harmoniously integrated into the long, tapered tail end with the flat C pillars the spoiler lip underscores the tension-filled character. The luggage compartment volume of 16.95 cu.ft. nearly matches that of the A4 Avant and increases to 34.61 cu.ft. with the rear seats folded down.

The A5 Sportback follows the consistent path of innovative technologies at Audi when it comes to the drivetrain. All of the engines are highly-efficient direct injection models – TDI for the cultivated diesels, FSI for the gasoline engines – and all comply with the Euro 5 emissions standard.

All models are equipped with a recuperation system that recovers energy during braking and deceleration and stores it temporarily in the battery.

Audi is initially offering three gasoline and three TDI engines, with three more engines to follow by mid-2010. The gasoline engines – the 2.0L TFSI with 180 hp or 211 hp and the 3.2L V6 with 265 hp – are equipped with the Audi valvelift system for variable control of valvelift. The intelligent technology boosts performance while simultaneously reducing fuel consumption.

The 2.0L TDI produces 170 hp and consumes on average a frugal 45.23 US mpg. It is coupled with the start-stop system, which further enhances fuel efficiency in city traffic. The 190 hp 2.7L TDI offers even more power. The 3.0L TDI, which also features the S tronic, puts out 240 hp.

Like the three gasoline engines, the top diesel engine delivers its power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. The two most powerful engines are optionally available with the newly developed sport differential, which variably distributes power between the rear wheels and provides even greater dynamics, driving pleasure and safety. The two TDI models with front-wheel drive – the 2.0 TDI and 2.7 TDI – and the 180 hp 2.0 TFSI benefit from another Audi innovation: The ESP stabilization program with electronic front differential lock increases agility and prevents understeer.

The perfect complement is the Audi drive select vehicle dynamics system, which enables the driver to freely vary the throttle response characteristic, the shifting points of the seven-speed S tronic, and the boost provided by the servotronic steering system, which comes standard. The system is offered as a modular package with at least one of the following three options: sport differential, adaptive shock absorber control or dynamic steering with variable boost.

While already on sale in Europe, the Audi A5 Sportback will not be offered for sale in the United States in the immediate future.

 

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