2008 Audi A5 Review

Specifications

After a period of dormancy that lasted through the mid ‘90s and much ofthe ‘00s, the coupe market is making a strong comeback. At the lower end of the spectrum, there’s the Pontiac G6 Coupe, the new Altima Coupe, and Honda is hard at work at a follow up of its two-door Accord as seen in concept form at Detroit. But things are getting busy a little higher up food chain, with Infiniti ramping up to launch its updated G35 Coupe at New York, and beating the Japanese upstart to the punch, BMW has been making tsunami-level waves with its twin-turbocharged, 300-horsepower 335i Coupe. Of course, we can’t forget the Mercedes-Benz CLK, which has been quietly updated with Benz’s newest series of engines. But quiet is hardly the way Audi is going about business these days, what with the all-new R8 hitting the road recently it only makes sense its more conventional lineup get something to bridge the sport-luxury gap. Yes, things are about to get white hot in this segment in a couple of weeks, as Audi launches its first true Coupe in what’s literally been ages, the A5.

The A5 is essentially the end product that resulted from the 2003Nuvolari concept, the car that launched the new face of Audi, namely the deep trapezoidal grille. Overall, the A5 is a larger vehicle than the current A4 at 182.3-inches in length which makes it more or less the same size as the G35 Coupe, but larger than the 3-Series Coupe. It’s also significantly wider, allowing for a wider, road-hugging track. But while performance oriented, Audi wants its future buyers to know that even though the A5 has two doors, it’s still a practical vehicle with a 16.0 cu-ft trunk that can accept golf bags when positioned sideways.

Audi’s stylist Walter de’Silva says with conviction that this was indeed the most beautiful vehicle that he had ever designed. Those are some bold words from a man who’s given VW’s Spanish brand, Seat its curves, not to mention Lamborghini’s Miura concept. True to his words, the new A5 is a stunning vehicle to look at, with a design that’s sure to turn heads. The nose is aggressive, yet not ostentatious, accented by complex adaptive xenon headlamps with LED turn signals. From the side, its graceful profile is enhanced with light-bending contours in the steel and aluminum bodywork. The tail is delicate and slim, adorned by thin tail lamps that reduce the bulkiness of the vehicle’s backside.

Looking at the interior of the new A5 and it’s clear to see that the inspirationof design came from the elegant, wraparound styling of the A6, as well as the snug and driver-oriented TT. Being the most modern of Audi designs, the console and its details have gone through an update. High gloss plastics give a cutting edge feel, while the shapes of the buttons and the deep inset gauges hint at stylish precision.

From the pictures provided, Audi looks to be offering two types of MMI systems for the A5, the traditional system with the central knob located behind the shifter as in the A6 and the A8, as well as a console-mounted unit, similar to the MMI Plus found in the A3 and A4. For buyers that desire an extra sporty touch, the S-Line design package will also be offered, while those who want their car to be a little more exclusive, through the Quattro GmbH program, Audi can provide a more customized vehicle through the use of different leathers, colors, and trim inserts.

Quattro all-wheel drive has always been at the heart of Audi’s dynamic regime,offering traction and grip that front or rear drive simply can’t muster. But as good as it’s been, Audi is modifying Quattro to change the car’s overall driving experience. As noted with the latest models released, the brand’s skilled engineers have been playing with weight distribution and power distribution in order to reduce the nose-heavy understeer that older Audis were noted for. As with the RS4 and new R8, the Quattro system on the A5 has a rear bias, with 60-percent of power going to the rear wheels under normal circumstances. Other tricks that Audi has worked to make the A5 a corner carver include the relocation of the steering rack to a position ahead of the front axle to increase the directness of the steering system, and locating the front diff ahead of the clutch for improved balance. The fully independent suspension system is a heavily reworked versions of existing design, but the rear has received more attention and now features a trapezoidal configuration which allows Audi to deliver the ride quality that luxury coupe owners desire, without compromising body control or roll suppression.

The base engine for the new A5 is the 1.8T, though it’s not the venerable onethat powered just about every Volkswagen and Audi product during the early part of this decade. This engine packs Audi’s latest technology, including FSI direct injection, which helps the little engine turn out 170 horsepower; approaching the 100 hp/L mark. It’s doubtful that Audi will offer the 1.8T for North America, however. Audi will deliver base North American-bound A5’s its formidable 3.2-liter FSI direct injection V6, mind you, which features Audi’s new two-stage Valvelift system for enhanced breathing ability. It boasts 10 additional horsepower over the current “3.2” featured in the A4 and A6 for a grand total of 265 hp. Torque stays the same at 243 lb-ft. A six-speed manual gearbox is the standard gearbox that will be offered with these engines as standard equipment, though an automatic will be offered. Audi is also focusing on its “multitronic” automatic gearbox, their chain-style CVT transmission. It will be offered as an option on front-wheel drive models and features a manual mode with a Lexus-matching eight forward speeds, toggled by steering-wheel mounted paddles or via the Tiptronic lever. It should be said, however, that the Lexus eight-speeder is a conventional automatic, not a CVT.

One note that Audi was particularly clear on was that the A5 will not be sold inNorth America with the TDI diesel engine. This is disappointing mainly because at the beginning of the year the brand made a big fuss about offering diesels in North America, particularly since parent VAG entered an agreement with rival Mercedes-Benz to offer the new highly efficient Bluetec technology, allowing its engines to meet the strict US emissions regulations. This means that the two wonderful diesels that will be sold in Europe, the 2.7-liter V6 TDI that makes 190 hp, delivers 35 mpg and a 0-60 mph time of 7.5 seconds won’t be sold here. Neither will the outright top of the line diesel, the 3.0 TDI V6, which makes 240 hp, 369 lb-ft of torque, and can accelerate to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, all while consuming only 33 mpg! These are mighty fine engines that would more than cater to the A5’s predominant personality traits, smooth and sporty.

Audi is also planning on bringing out an S-version of the A5, powered by what’s believed to be the 4.2-liter high-output V8 engine found under the hood of the current S4. It’ll be shown to the world for the first time at New York, which should wipe whatever remaining smile exists off of Infiniti’s face. We’ll bring you more information on the car in preview form as tidbits on its oily bits become available. In the meantime, it’s nice to see that beauty rides once again in two-door form, particularly for a brand that’s been making giant steps forward in design, performance and dynamics in recent years. First deliveries of the new A5 will take place in June of this year.

Preliminary Specifications (A5):