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The Audi A5 Sportback
| Date: 29 Jan 2010 |
Author Type: Press Release |
| Author: Audi |
| Source: Audi |
The best of three worlds
Audi South Africa embarks on its 2010 new model offensive with a brand-new vehicle concept: the Audi A5 Sportback. The five-door model with its extended, flowing rear end unites the best of several vehicle genres.
While it showcases the emotion and elegance of a coupé, it also offers 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 A5 Sportback is Audi’s first new release in 2010 – a year in which the premium brand is intent on continuing its highly active new model strategy with the introduction of several key models.
It’s a strategy that has already paid handsome dividends: the Audi brand achieved a record 3,6 percent market share in 2009, despite tough trading conditions and an industry slump of more than 20 percent.
“Audi South Africa’s 3,6 percent market share represents a 24 percent improvement in market penetration compared to 2008, and is also Audi’s highest ever market share,” says Ryan Searle, General Manager of Audi Sales and Marketing.
“Although 2009 was certainly challenging, Audi’s record market share performance proves the strength of the brand, its products, its Dealer Network, its commitment to customer service and the true ‘Vorsprung’ spirit of its people.“
The arrival of the A5 Sportback is set to boost Audi’s presence in the premium sector even further. Its unique product proposition combines an emotion-packed design, impressive everyday practicality, a sporty character and engines that are as efficient as they are powerful. Pricing starts at R414 500.
Summary
As the inventor of the Avant, Audi sets new design trends with the A5 Sportback. The five-door coupé is defined by its sophisticated appearance and elegant lines.
The A5 Sportback is 36 mm lower than the A4 Sedan, while the short front overhang, long wheelbase and wide track emphasise the car’s athletic disposition.
The four frameless doors with their slim window lines ensure that the A5 Sportback is the very picture of sporty elegance. The interior is spacious, offering uncompromising comfort for all four occupants.
The generous tailgate is seamlessly integrated into the extended, tapered tail end with the slender C-pillars. The subtle lip of the integrated spoiler underscores the poised character of the new Audi.
The luggage compartment volume of 480 litres nearly matches that of the A4 Avant and can be increased to 980 litres by folding the rear seats down.
The A5 Sportback’s drivetrain continues Audi’s consistent path of innovative technologies. All three engines in the local model line-up are highly-efficient direct injection models – TDI for the cultivated diesels, FSI for the petrol powerplants – and all comply with the latest, stringent Euro 5 emissions standard.
In addition, all A5 Sportback models are equipped with an energy recovery system that temporarily stores energy released during braking and deceleration.
For the South African market, The A5 Sportback is initially offered with a choice of two petrol and one TDI engines.
The petrol engine line-up comprises the 2,0-litre TFSI unit with power and torque maximums of 155 kW and 350 Nm respectively, and the 3.2-litre FSI V6 with 195 kW and 330 Nm.
Both petrol powerplants are equipped with the Audi valvelift system for variable control of valve lift. The intelligent technology boosts performance, while simultaneously reducing fuel consumption.
The front-wheel drive A5 Sportback 2.0 TFSI is equipped with Audi’s multitronic continuously variable automatic transmission, renowned for its smooth operation, fuel-saving gear ratios, and eight ‘virtual’ ratios linked to both manual and sport modes.
The 3.0 V6 TDI delivers an impressive 176 kW of maximum power and a crunching torque peak of 500 Nm.
The two top variants share the same seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission, offering ultra-quick gear changes and exceptional efficiency in both automatic and manual operation.
In addition, both the 3.2 FSI engine and the TDI 3.0 powerplant deliver their muscle to all four wheels via Audi’s much-lauded quattro permanent all-wheel drive system.
These two models are also 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 perfect complement to the athletic character of the A5 Sportback models is the Audi drive select vehicle dynamics system. It enables the driver to freely vary the throttle response characteristic, the gear shift points, and the assistance provided by the standard servotronic steering system.
The system is offered as a modular package with at least one of the following three options: sport differential, adaptive damper control, or dynamic steering with variable boost.
New ESP with electronic diff lock
The front-wheel-drive A5 Sportback 2.0 TFSI is equipped with the latest generation ESP stabilisation program that now includes a new electronic differential lock.
The system works like a mechanical locking differential and makes the already agile handling more neutral by preventing understeer and improving traction. This enhances the driving dynamics when cornering under load and on both wet and dry road surfaces.
The benefits include a more instantaneous and precise steering reaction and greater track stability. Traction in corners is also improved. These advantages are achieved with no additional components, as they initiated by sophisticated software in the ESP module.
As soon as the electronics detect that the load on the inside front wheel is reduced too much and the wheel is losing traction, the system initiates brief, controlled braking. This redirects the excess torque to the outside wheel, which due to the greater dynamic wheel load is capable of delivering more power to the road.
This generates a yawing moment around the vertical axis so that the A5 Sportback turns ever so slightly –for the driver almost imperceptibly – into the radius.
It also accelerates out of tight curves with absolutely no wheel spin. The result is more precise, agile, stable and neutral handling, further enhancing driver confidence. The new system also provides an additional safety limits, even when driven with restraint.
Design
The A5 Sportback, reinforces Audi’s leading role in automotive design. The five-door coupe links emotional and progressive styling traits to create a fascinating design with powerful elegance and sporty proportions.
The front is dominated by the single-frame grille, distinguished here by horizontal bars and a narrow surround of anodised aluminium.
The wide headlights are like technical works of art. A chromed strut – the “wing” – separates the individual lamp chambers and imparts an unmistakable look.
Xenon headlights and daytime running lights are standard, as are the fog lights with their chrome surrounds mounted in the side air intakes. The daytime running light feature light-emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in an arched strip.
The A5 Sportback’s sporty character is also immediately apparent when viewed from the side. The large wheels are framed by a powerful body with a slender window strip.
The C pillar runs rearward in a long, elegant wave. The pillar integrates a narrow third side window with an upward pointing tip – a homage to the Audi 100 Coupé S from 1969.
The ratio of glass to sheet metal surfaces is between one-third and two-thirds, a characteristic Audi proportion.
Interior and luggage compartment
Thanks to its long wheelbase, the A5 Sportback has a spacious interior with full-sized seating for four, and ample room.
The extended doors open wide to afford very easy entry and exit, and the car has a very unique, coupé-specific touch: all four side windows are frameless.
The Audi A5 Sportback has been specifically designed as a four-seater. Compared to the A4, the rear seats are mounted slightly lower and somewhat further forward.
The front seats are mounted low and sculpted for perfect ergonomics. Precise adjustment offers perfect control and support.
The interior showcases elegant design touches, perfect ergonomics, high-grade materials and uncompromising craftsmanship to impart an harmonious overall impression.
Teardrop-shaped chrome frames surround the two large instruments and secondary indicators. The high-mounted, central on-board monitor is standard, as is the three-spoke leather sports steering wheel.
With its intuitive, easy-to-understand menu system, large buttons and central control knob on the centre console, the Audi MMI system remains an admirably intuitive control interface.
The luggage compartment is a further Audi A5 Sportback strength. The extended tailgate with its electrically actuated lock opens to provide access to a large, very usable luggage compartment with sides lined with fine materials
Its pass-through width measures exactly one metre and the low loading lip is protected by a strip of stainless steel. In its standard configuration the luggage compartment has a volume of 480 litres, which increases to 980 litres with the rear seats folded down.
A fixed cover protects the luggage compartment from prying eyes. The cover is divided into two parts.
The shorter part latches laterally into the mountings integrated into the luggage compartment lining. The longer section latches to the hatch. When the hatch is opened, the cover moves upward with it and fits precisely with the shorter part when the hatch is closed.
Recuperation: energy recovery standard
Technologies from Audi’s modular efficiency platform are employed in the A5 Sportback range.
All models are equipped with a recuperation system that makes use of the kinetic energy during deceleration. During the coasting and braking phase, the alternator can convert the kinetic energy into electrical energy that is stored temporarily in the battery.
When the five-door coupé accelerates again, the battery feeds the energy back. This improves fuel efficiency by reducing the load on the alternator, which is driven by the engine.
The Audi A5 Sportback at a glance
Engines
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Three engines from 155 kW to 195 kW at launch
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Direct fuel injection for all engines
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Exceptional performance with exemplary efficiency
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All engines with recuperation system
Drivetrain
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Multitronic continuously variable automatic transmission standard on entry-level 2.0 TFSI model
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Seven-speed S tronic gearbox for 3.2 FSI and 3.0 TDI versions
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quattro all-wheel drive for the top two models
Chassis
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Balanced axle load distribution, lightweight construction suspension
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Audi drive select dynamic control system, damper control, dynamic steering and sport differential available as options
Body
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Sporty, elegant design with flowing, stretched lines
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Large luggage compartment hatch with two-piece cover
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480 to 980 litres of luggage space
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Generously proportioned, roomy interior with easy entry
Equipment and trim
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Same comprehensive array of standard equipment as A5 Coupé range.
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Highlights include:
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Aluminium exterior package
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Servotronic steering
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Xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lights
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Rear tail lights with LED technology
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Climatronic three-zone air-conditioning
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Multifunction three-spoke steering wheel with gear shift controls
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Concert radio/CD player with Audi Sound System
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Driver information system with colour display
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Tyre pressure monitor
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Electric front seats with electric lumbar support for 3.0 TDI and 3.2 V6
Pricing
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2.0T FSI 155 kW multitronic: R 414 500
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3.2 FSI quattro S tronic: R 503 500
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3.0 TDI q S tronic: R 511 500
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