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Hot on the heels of the BMW 5 Series ‘Gran Turismo’ comes Audi’s own interpretation of the same theme.
Essentially a five-door hatchback (remember the Rover V8 3500?), the four seater A5 Sportback will be available from launch with a 2.0 TDI engine with a start/stop system.
Audi is keen to emphasise that the ‘coupe’ has a luggage volume of 480 litres that nearly equals that of the A4 Avant, with 980 litres with the rear seats folded down.
All A5 Sportback engines are direct injection. The diesel versions are common rail TDI units while the petrol engines are based on the FSI concept. All engines meet the EU5 exhaust emission standard and the diesel versions are equipped with particulate filters.
Initially the A5 Sportback will be available with a choice of two petrol and three diesel engines.
The two petrol versions are the 2.0 TFSI quattro with an output of 211PS and the 3.2-litre V6 quattro generating 265PS.
The 2.0 TDI with 170PS has a start/stop system. There is a 2.7 TDI with 190PS and the three-litre V6 TDI with 240PS has quattro all-wheel drive.
The A5 Sportback comes with the newly developed ESP control with electronic differential lock on the front axle to give improved steering response. And the Audi drive select dynamic driving system allows the driver to choose between three different modes which influences the throttle response characteristics and the shift points for the seven-speed S tronic or multitronic transmissions.
The Audi A5 Sportback opens for orders this week priced from £27,140 for the 2.0 TDI SE version, and is due in the UK from October.
