Motor Authority - blog Category: A5

In the tradition of the Hollywood weight loss diet, Audi has revealed how to chop almost 220-pounds from its A5 Coupe with its latest Aluminum Prototype. Based around the A5 Coupe, Audi engineers have swapped steel for advanced aluminium and carbon-fiber construction in the interest of fuel economy, emissions reduction and handling agility.

Considering the fact that cars have been getting heavier due to increased safety features and higher feature specs, only a few car companies have managed to reverse the trend in their own cars.

Taking an existing steel-bodied production car as its basis, the A5 project car clearly demonstrates the...

In the tradition of the Hollywood weight loss diet, Audi has revealed how to chop almost 220-pounds from its A5 Coupe with its latest Aluminum Prototype. Based around the A5 Coupe, Audi engineers have swapped steel for advanced aluminium and carbon-fiber construction in the interest of fuel economy, emissions reduction and handling agility. Considering the fact that cars have been getting heavier due to increased safety features and higher feature specs, only a few car companies have managed to reverse the trend in their own cars. Taking an existing steel-bodied production car as its basis, the A5 project car clearly demonstrates the benefits of the aluminum Audi Space Frame (ASF) concept. Use of the ASF principle reduces the weight of a car body by at least 40% compared with conventional steel construction, and this shows in a curb weight of 2,888-pounds for the aluminum A5 prototype, versus a total of 3,130-pounds for the equivalent steel-bodied series production model. The lighter weight means the A5 Coupe Aluminum Prototype powered by a four-cylinder engine offers the same performance of a V-6. The lightweight design of the test car not only enables a smaller engine to supplement a larger one with no impact on performance and gains in economy and emissions, but also has a knock-on effect on ancillaries such as the brakes and transmission, which can also be reduced in size and weight. It also benefits handling and dynamics thanks to the reduction in unsprung weight. Read More

The Audi A5 is a very good, very safe car.

The first part of that sentence can be confirmed by my driving experience in a manual-transmission, six-speed model with a 3.2 TFSI motor. (Important aside: This motor and transmission combination goes away for 2010 and the 3.2 TFSI will only be mated to the six-speed Tiptronic, starting at $44,000; the good news is the arrival a more efficient, high-torque-at-low revs 2.0, TFSI motor model that will retail for $36,000, $8k cheaper than the car I drove; more on that below.)

The second part of my lede can also be confirmed by experience, unfortunately.

I was driving the A5 home mid-Saturday morning....

The Audi A5 is a very good, very safe car. The first part of that sentence can be confirmed by my driving experience in a manual-transmission, six-speed model with a 3.2 TFSI motor. (Important aside: This motor and transmission combination goes away for 2010 and the 3.2 TFSI will only be mated to the six-speed Tiptronic, starting at $44,000; the good news is the arrival a more efficient, high-torque-at-low revs 2.0, TFSI motor model that will retail for $36,000, $8k cheaper than the car I drove; more on that below.) The second part of my lede can also be confirmed by experience, unfortunately. I was driving the A5 home mid-Saturday morning. It was a bright, blue-sky summer day. I’d been out bike riding, and the conveniently folding 50/50 split, flat folding rear seats and hatchback design of the A5 made it simple to bring a mountain bike to the trail head, and bring it home afterward; hell, I could’ve put two bikes in the hatch had I had pedaling company. (Cyclists know this is no easy task in any car with sporting aspirations.) A few miles from home I came to a four-way stop. I stopped, as one should. There were no cars visible at the intersection and so I hit the gas. At that instant, a Pontiac Vibe was hurtling toward the four-way. I couldn’t see the car because there’s a bend just before the stop sign. Clearly one reason for the all-way stop is because of decreased visibility from that direction. Just as I lifted off the clutch, the Vibe was upon me. And then I was reacting, not thinking, trying to get the Audi parallel to the Vibe that I’d only just glimpsed out of the corner of my eye as a flash of red. It was a harrowing millisecond, loud as cymbals struck next to my ears, a clash of metal and glass—and then very, very quiet. I was dumbfounded. At least my last-ditch effort to turn the car had caused the Vibe to hit the Audi at less than a perfect right angle, allowing the Pontiac to ricochet off the A5; the Vibe came to rest in front and to the left of the A5, narrowly missing the apple trees in the adjacent orchard. And I was fine. Absolutely, completely unscathed. The Audi took the hit so I didn’t have to. Had all four seats been occupied everyone would’ve been fine as well - the safety cell of the passenger compartment was completely preserved. Still, the A5 wasn’t going to run ever again. The force of the accident had been so strong that the entire frame bent. I knew this because my side of the car, the driver’s side that hadn’t been struck, had the door pinned shut. I clambered over and out the passenger side, pushing that door open with both both feet and saw that the Vibe’s driver, a middle-aged woman, was holding her head. She’d apparently banged it on the steering wheel and despite hitting me at a fierce rate of speed, her airbag didn’t blow. She was hurt—whiplash, perhaps a concussion—and hysterical and I did my best to calm her down and call 911. The rest I’ll reconstruct for you briefly. She never braked. There were no skid marks from her vehicle on the road. She admitted to the police that she blew the stop sign. I have a strong suspicion she’d been texting or making a call on her cell. I cannot confirm this, nor did I challenge her—her day was already going badly enough. The point is, at a four-way stop, quite near her home, she wasn’t paying attention. This is a 40-mph road, and given that I never even saw her approach, she was going at least that speed. The entire front end of her car was smashed in, flush with the fire wall. The Lessons: Bad: Texting while driving. In case you missed it, Car and Driver’s comparisons of drinking and driving vs. texting and driving are horrifying evidence of the perils. Please, put the phone down. Good: The A5. Good and safe. Also good: Now you don’t have to total one yourself. I’ve done the work for you. Now can I tell you what the A5 is like? Luckily, before this accident I had five days to appreciate the A5's attributes that have nothing whatsoever to do with saving one’s skin, some of which I’ll enumerate briefly here. It’s gorgeous. One thing Audi has nailed is how to translate the R8’s tremendous, hunkered stance and massage that essential strength throughout its entire line. I’ve rarely driven a car that’s so affordable yet so attractive. Women, men, kids - everyone smiled or waved or chatted me up about the car. If anything explains the A5/S5’s nearly 50-percent rise in sales (through August 2009) in a positively dismal economy it’s definitely that anyone with eyes seems to think it’s sharp and sexy. The steering, which I’ve seen dinged by other reviewers as too weighty, is excellent and communicative. After way too many years of Audis with over-boosted steering I think Audi’s finally dialed back its Servotronic system so that the “speed-sensitive” promise is realized, adding help only when you need it, and reducing aid enough so that you can feel the road. Further bespokery is available if you get one with Audi Drive Select, which lets you customize throttle mapping, suspension damping, and the twitchiness of the steering. The transmission function here is less critical in the manual shift car, but useful in the Tiptronic model. And a word on that: While Audi at last offers standard-shift cars that are approaching the competition (namely BMW), its Tiptronic cars are already superb, and while you sadly cannot have your A5 with Audi’s new, faster double-clutch S Tronic seven-speed (largely preserved for its European market vehicles and the forthcoming S5 Cabrio, costing $58,250), an A5 with the six-speed Tiptronic will be plenty of fun. For one thing, Tiptronic shifts quickly enough, and with Audi Drive Select, you can make it shift very fast. Add to this equation the new 2.0 TFSI engine to get into an A5 for less dough and you’re talking about a really winning formula for Audi. Incidentally, that motor trades a higher horsepower rating (211 hp vs. 265 the outgoing 3.2 TFSI), for better torque off the line: 243 pound-feet @ 3250 rpm vs. 258 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm. The smaller engine will move the Audi swiftly, and even if 60 mph takes 6.4 seconds vs. 5.8 for the larger-motor model, you’ll also get 25 percent better fuel economy (25 mpg combined EPA vs. 20 mpg combined for the 3.2 TFSI), which makes this a very good bargain. Also very good—in fact exceptional, is the cockpit of the A5. Few car companies put together interiors as well crafted and downright sexy as Audi. The simplest example: Brushed metal frames subtly outline vents, switches and gauges, while the feel and look of the latter is sharp, intelligent, not garish. Bell & Ross watch faces provide a valid analogy. There is so much less gimmickry at work in the interior design of an Audi than, say, a Kia. The purpose, Audi conveys, isn’t the light show, but what the lights illuminate. Lastly, with quattro AWD and a rear-wheel-biased torque split the A5 is a year-round livable sports coupe. It doesn’t punish you with an overstiff ride; the car is darn near gentle, but handles very well and is communicative and fun. Add in the pragmatic hatch and you have a real winner. Now if we could only get them to bring that 4-door Sportback option Stateside. Read More

Audi will be releasing a host of models in coming years to expand into new segments as it attempts to topple BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the quest to sell more than a 1.5 million vehicles by 2015. Some of the cars in the pipeline include the A1 premium hatch, A7 four-door coupe and a Sportback version of the current A5 Coupe.

Earlier this week, Audi released the first details for the new A5 Sportback, which is set to go on sale in Europe following a debut at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Pricing in Europe will start at €33,650 (approximately $45,000) for the base 2.0L TDI model, however, Audi has confirmed that an even cheaper...

Audi will be releasing a host of models in coming years to expand into new segments as it attempts to topple BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the quest to sell more than a 1.5 million vehicles by 2015. Some of the cars in the pipeline include the A1 premium hatch, A7 four-door coupe and a Sportback version of the current A5 Coupe. Earlier this week, Audi released the first details for the new A5 Sportback, which is set to go on sale in Europe following a debut at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Pricing in Europe will start at €33,650 (approximately $45,000) for the base 2.0L TDI model, however, Audi has confirmed that an even cheaper model will arrive in the middle of next year. Described as offering the practicality of an Avant wagon with the elegant styling of a coupe, the new A5 Sportback features a five door body with an elongated profile. This coupe-like silhouette is the result of a roof section with a long, tapering roofline that is 36mm lower than the A4 Sedan and of the short overhangs at the front and rear as well as the long wheelbase of 2,810mm. Inside, there’s 980L of storage available with the rear seats are folded and generous space for four adults. Initially the A5 Sportback will be available with a choice of two petrol and three diesel engines. The two petrol versions, the 2.0 TFSI quattro with an output of 211hp (155kW) and 258lb-ft (350Nm) of torque and the 3.2L V6 quattro generating 265hp (195kW) are both equipped with the Audi valvelift system. This feature can produce more power and higher torque as well as lower fuel consumption. The following engines are also available right from the start: the 2.0L TDI with 170hp (125kW) and 258lb-ft (350Nm) of torque, a 6-speed manual gearbox and start/stop system, the 2.7 TDI with 190hp (140kW) and 295lb-ft (400Nm) of torque, and the 3.0L V6 TDI with 240hp (170kW) plus an enormous 369lb-ft (500Nm) of maximum torque and quattro all-wheel drive. To ensure optimal handling performance the A5 Sportback comes with a newly developed electronic stability program with an electronic differential lock on the front axle. The car also comes with the Audi drive select dynamic driving system, which allows the driver to choose between three different modes which influences the throttle response characteristics, the shift points for the seven-speed S tronic or multitronic transmissions, and supports the servotronic steering. If the vehicle is equipped with the MMI operating system, a fourth, freely programmable level is also available. Expect more details to be released closer to the car’s unveiling in September. 2010 Audi A5 Sportback Audi's head designer sketches the A5 Sportback Read More

The 2010 Audi A4, A5 and Q5 are still on their way to dealerships at the moment, but Audi decided to let the prices of the updated models loose early as it anticipates high demand. Though the updates are minor for the most part, the pricing is also only slightly increased for the 2010 model year.

The A5, however, adds a pair of new trims that lower the bar for entry, replacing the 3.2L six-cylinder with the 2.0T TFSI four-cylinder. That shaves about $4,700 off the starting price, lowering it to an even $36,000 from last year's $40,700. Upgrading to a tiptronic transmission costs another $1,200, and is available on all A5 2.0T trims. The... The 2010 Audi A4, A5 and Q5 are still on their way to dealerships at the moment, but Audi decided to let the prices of the updated models loose early as it anticipates high demand. Though the updates are minor for the most part, the pricing is also only slightly increased for the 2010 model year. The A5, however, adds a pair of new trims that lower the bar for entry, replacing the 3.2L six-cylinder with the 2.0T TFSI four-cylinder. That shaves about $4,700 off the starting price, lowering it to an even $36,000 from last year's $40,700. Upgrading to a tiptronic transmission costs another $1,200, and is available on all A5 2.0T trims. The 3.2L with manual transmission offering is dropped from the lineup altogether. Core updates for the 2010 Audi A5 include the above powertrain changes plus the new third-gen MMI system, new LED tail lights on Premium Plus and Prestige models, a new wheel design for the entry-level Premium trim, and a new set of optional wheels for the S5. "Despite the economic headwinds that have affected all premium automotive brands this year, we see no signs of interest lagging in these three models," said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. "We need to release these new models early because of our proactive management of unsold inventories and because Audi continues to bring new models to the freshest lineup in the luxury sector. Both trends will continue in the months ahead." For the 2010 Audi Q5 (2009 model review here), pricing inches up $150 for the base Premium model to $37,350, while the Premium Plus and Prestige see similar rises to $41,400 and $48,850, respectively. The 2010 mdoel year updates include a new Fine Grain Ash and Natural Brown interior inlay option, new 20in five-spoke S-line wheels, standard side assist on Prestige models, a new luxury package, the Bang & Olufsen sound system is now available as a standalone option, and a variety of minor interior and exterior appearance tweaks. Finally, the 2010 Audi A4 gets the biggest price rise at $450 over the outgoing model, now starting at $31,450 for the Multitronic-equipped 2.0T FWD sedan. Adding quattro AWD with a manual transmission raises the price of entry to $32,350, and stepping up to the tiptronic transmission bumps that another $1,200 to $33,550. Like its siblings, the A4 is available in Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige trims. A new set of LED tail lights on Premium Plus and Prestige models and the third-gen MMI system are available on all new models, while the S4 gets a new 7-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission and a new 3.0L TFSI supercharged V6 engine rated at 333hp and 325lb-ft of torque. Pricing for the 2010 Audi A5 and S5 Cabriolet (pictured) hasn't been released yet.2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet Read More

Unlike many of their competitors, the designers at Senner Tuning don't do the European version of tacky, flashy tuner cars. Instead, they focus on adding minor enhancements that give the owner a unique look without clamoring for attention.

The design program for the Audi A5 offers a range of front and rear fascias, side skirts and a roof spoiler. The new pieces are designed to fit and enhance the stylish coupe, with special pieces for the high-performance S5 model.

An exhaust kit is also available, but only on non-quattro models, while the two-piece front spoiler kit only works on non-S-line models. Wheels in both 20 and 21in sizes are... Unlike many of their competitors, the designers at Senner Tuning don't do the European version of tacky, flashy tuner cars. Instead, they focus on adding minor enhancements that give the owner a unique look without clamoring for attention. The design program for the Audi A5 offers a range of front and rear fascias, side skirts and a roof spoiler. The new pieces are designed to fit and enhance the stylish coupe, with special pieces for the high-performance S5 model. An exhaust kit is also available, but only on non-quattro models, while the two-piece front spoiler kit only works on non-S-line models. Wheels in both 20 and 21in sizes are available as part of the program, though since it's a piecemeal system, you can always opt for your own if Senner’s designs don't suit your tastes. Other available mods include a fully adjustable Bilstein B16 PSS10 coilover suspension and a new stainless steel exhaust system with quad tailpipes. Overall, the result is surprisingly tasteful, and a definite step outside the norm for the latest round of German car body kits. For more of Senner’s work, check out the firm's design program for the Audi A5 TDI Coupe by clicking here.Senner Tuning Audi a5 Coupe Read More

Unlike many of their competitors, the Belgians at Caractere don't do the European version of tacky, flashy tuner cars. Instead, they focus on adding minor enhancements that give the owner a unique look without clamoring for attention.

The design program for the Audi A5 Cabrio offers a range of front and rear fascias, side skirts and a roof spoiler. The new pieces are designed to fit and enhance the newly introduced drop-top, with special pieces for the high-performance S5 model.

An exhaust kit is also available, but only on non-quattro models, while the two-piece front spoiler kit only works on non-S-line models. Wheels in both 19 and 20in... Unlike many of their competitors, the Belgians at Caractere don't do the European version of tacky, flashy tuner cars. Instead, they focus on adding minor enhancements that give the owner a unique look without clamoring for attention. The design program for the Audi A5 Cabrio offers a range of front and rear fascias, side skirts and a roof spoiler. The new pieces are designed to fit and enhance the newly introduced drop-top, with special pieces for the high-performance S5 model. An exhaust kit is also available, but only on non-quattro models, while the two-piece front spoiler kit only works on non-S-line models. Wheels in both 19 and 20in sizes are available as part of the program, though since it's a piecemeal system, you can always opt for your own if Caractere's designs don't suit your tastes. Overall, the result is surprisingly tasteful, and a definite step outside the norm for the latest round of German car body kits. For more of Caractere's work, check out the firm's design program for the Audi A5 and S5 Coupes by clicking here.Audi A5 by CaractereCaractere Audi A5 and S5 Cabrios Read More