2017 Audi A5 and S5 Sportback revealed, Paris debut

2017 Audi A5 Sportback-07

Audi has revealed the second-generation Audi A5 Sportback ahead of its 2016 Paris Motor Show debut. The five-door coupe version of the A5 Coupe is also available as a high-performance S5 and a bivalent g-tron variant.

Looking handsome and exactly like how one expects an A5 Coupe with two extra doors would look like, the new A5 Sportback measures 4,733 mm long with a 2,824 mm wheelbase. That’s 60 mm longer than the Coupe, with almost the same width (1,843 mm) and height (1,386 mm, +15 mm) as the two door.

The design highlights are similar – the flatter and wider Singleframe grille, slimmer and sharper “four eyes” that are positioned slightly above the top edge of the grille (xenons as standard, with LEDs and Matrix LEDs on the options list), power dome on the hood, a “more 3D” and pronounced signature wave shoulder line, frameless doors, and 3D rear lights.

2017 Audi A5 Sportback-09

The interior is from the B9 A4 and A5 Coupe, which is no bad thing. Compared to the original Sportback, this new cabin is 17 mm longer, and shoulder room has been increased for both the driver (+9 mm) and the front passenger (+11 mm). Knee room in the back is up by 24 mm. All can enjoy 30 selectable colours for the ambient lighting and triple-zone air con. Audi virtual cockpit and head-up display can be ordered.

The rear seat back split folds 40:20:40 and the load area is exactly one metre wide. The rectangular-shaped 480 litre luggage compartment can be boosted to 1,300 litres with the rear seats down. A powered rear hatch is standard, while kick-to-open sensor control is optional.

One thing not available in the A5 Coupe is Audi’s tablet in-car entertainment system. The 32 GB Android device (expandable with micro SD card), with its 10.1-inch monitor and full HD camera, connects to the MMI navigation plus by WiFi so it can access the radio, media, navigation and menus. The rear passengers can, for example, plan a route and then send it to the driver. Sound is output on the car’s sound system or via headphones. It can be used as a regular tab outside the car.

Available individually or as a set of two, the aluminium frame tablet is mounted on pivoting brackets on the back of the front seats. Audi also has the 3D Bang & Olufsen sound system with 16-channel amplifier and 19 speakers on the options list.

The chassis and Euro 6 powertrains are as per the A5 Coupe. There are two TFSI petrol and three TDI diesel motors, producing between 190 hp and 286 hp. Fuel consumption is down by as much as 22% while power is up by 17%. A six-speed manual, seven-speed S tronic and eight-speed Tiptronic is on the transmission menu, in combination with FWD and quattro AWD.

The S5 was a popular choice, and this new one ups the performance ante. A new turbocharged 3.0 TFSI engine replaces the supercharged six-pot in the previous car, pumping out 354 hp and 500 Nm from 1,370 to 4,500 rpm. Paired to an eight-speed Tiptronic torque converter automatic, the 1,660 kg S5 Sportback charges to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. More power and torque than before, but with better FC – 7.3 litres per 100 km.

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The quattro AWD delivers sporty handling, Audi says. In normal driving, it distributes engine forces with a slight emphasis on the rear wheels – if necessary, the bulk of the forces can be directed to the axle with better traction. Wheel-selective torque control optimises handling and stability in fast cornering with minimal brake interventions. The optional sport differential actively distributes torque between the rear wheels.

18-inch wheels with 245/40 tyres are standard, with Audi Sport 19-inch rims optional. The front ventilated brake discs are 350 mm in diameter, gripped by black (or optionally red) painted six-piston fixed calipers with S lettering. The S5 gets unique S sport suspension and adaptive CDC (continuous damping control) dampers.

Lastly, the g-tron variant, which is Audi’s third model that can run on a choice of climate-friendly Audi e-gas (produced with renewable energy, water and CO2), natural gas (CNG) or gasoline, after the A3 Sportback and A4 Avant g-trons.

2017 Audi S5 Sportback-09

The g-tron is powered by a 2.0 TFSI engine with 170 hp and 270 Nm. With CO2 emissions of just 100 g/km (with S tronic), Audi is the first premium brand to offer a petrol engine in the segment that achieves lower emissions than a comparable diesel engine.

In the standard driving cycle, the A5 g-tron uses less than four kg of gas per 100 km. In the NEDC cycle, the bivalent model running on CNG covers up to 500 km. When the pressure in the tank falls below 10 bar with about 0.6 kg of gas remaining, the engine automatically switches to petrol operation. This adds an extra range of 450 km. 0-100 km/h in 8.5 seconds.

The tank stores 19 kg of gas at a pressure of 200 bar. The inner layer consists of a gas-impermeable polyamide matrix, while a second composite layer of carbon fiber reinforced polymer and glass fiber reinforced polymer gives the tank its high strength. The third glass fiber layer helps to visualise any external effects. Epoxy resin is used to bind the fiber reinforced materials.

Read our reviews of the A5 Coupe and B9 A4, the latter coming to Malaysia very soon.

GALLERY: Audi A5 Sportback


GALLERY: Audi S5 Sportback

GALLERY: Audi A5 Sportback g-tron

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

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