The new Audi A5 has been revealed, but it's not what you think
A new naming structure means that Audi's A4 saloon and estate have adopted the A5 badge, with the new S5 packing a 362bhp V6
Audi is aiming to offer a fully electric model range by 2033, but in this transitional period, it’s not abandoning combustion power. A wave of new-generation ICE models will be launched between now and 2026, the first of which is the new A5.
You might be wondering why the new A5 looks like a conventional saloon rather than the coupe we’ve known previously. That’s because Audi is mixing up its established naming structure so that even-numbered models will be electric, while odd numbers will denote combustion-engined cars. The A5 is thus a new A4 in all but name, with an A4-badged EV equivalent also in the pipeline. Keeping up?
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Audi’s 3-series rival is 67mm longer and 13mm wider than before, and its redesigned body follows themes from the A6 e-tron Concept with more muscular surfacing than its predecessor and a relatively shallow glasshouse. The front end gets Audi’s latest ‘single-frame’ grille and LED headlights, with the rear light bar using OLED technology to produce dynamic lighting effects. The saloon now gets a roof-hinged rear hatch for easier access to the boot, too.
The A4 is the first Audi to be underpinned by the company’s new Premium Platform Combustion architecture, which can support mild and plug-in hybrid (coming later) powertrains and front- or four-wheel drive. A 148bhp 2-litre petrol engine kicks off the range, equipped with a variable-vane turbocharger and offered with a dual-clutch gearbox. 201bhp petrol and mild-hybrid diesel engines sit above this, bringing the option of quattro four-wheel drive.
The flagship S5 is aimed squarely at BMW’s M340i, and ditches diesel power for a 3-litre turbocharged V6 – an engine it shares with the new Audi SQ5 – this time around. Thanks to mild-hybrid tech and a variable-vane turbo it peaks at 362bhp (7bhp shy of the aforementioned BMW), and gets an S-tronic dual-clutch transmission that reduces weight over the front axle. The S5’s quattro system uses a torque-vectoring differential and an adjustable all-wheel-drive clutch to make best use of its available power. Audi has confirmed that both the S5 saloon and the Avant will get from 0-62mph in 4.5sec on the way to a 155mph top speed.
Audi promises that the new model has undergone ‘extensive detail work’ on its suspension and progressive-rate steering system to deliver precise, neutral handling, with the A5’s optional adaptive dampers now offering wider differentiation between their softest and sportiest modes. Sports and S sports suspension upgrades are available too (with the former fitted as standard on S5 and S line models), dropping the ride height by 20mm.
Climb inside the A5 and you’re presented with a heavily digitised interior, with OLED displays spanning across the dash – including an optional 10.9-inch passenger screen. An 11.9-inch ‘virtual cockpit’ sits behind the steering wheel and alongside a central 14.5-inch touchscreen, which handles general infotainment functions and runs on Audi’s latest MMI software. It’s a significantly more modern layout than that of the outgoing car, with fabric touchpoints and adaptive lighting helping to lift the ambience.
Audi has priced the new A5 range in the UK from £41,950 for the saloon and from £43,850 for the Avant, which more or less matches our estimations. The S5 however does reach a bit higher than we guessed it would, starting from £68,700 for the saloon and £70,600 for the Avant.
