The 30-year history of the middle class officially ends, as Audi transforms the A4, which was introduced in 1994, into the A5 and A5 Avant after five generations. The S5 and S5 Avant with a six-cylinder engine will be available immediately.
Audi’s nomenclatures have not been the clearest lately, but now things are simplified and relatively logical: fully electric models such as the Q4 e-tron or the upcoming A6 e-tron get even numbers, while cars with internal combustion engines get odd numbers. The current A5 Coupe and A5 Sportback will be discontinued and will not have a replacement.
The new A5 and A5 Avant are probably the last Audi models in the D segment to have internal combustion engines. They are longer than before and now reach 4,829 millimeters. The wheelbase has been increased by 80 millimeters to 2,900 millimeters.
The door handles are also completely new, flush with the surface of the door. Wheels from 17 to 20 inches are available. Genuine exhaust system terminations are also included.
For the first time, electric steering wheel adjustment, a large glass roof with electronic dimming at the push of a button, as well as a Bang&Olufsen 3D sound system with speakers in the driver’s and passenger’s headrests are available.
The head-up display has an 85 percent larger image size than its predecessor and can now also be controlled from the steering wheel. The new Audi assistant uses ChatGPT to respond to passengers’ questions and wishes.
The volume of the trunk is 445 to 1,299 liters for sedans, while for wagons it is 476 to 1,424 liters. So, it is actually slightly smaller than before. There is no double bottom for additional storage space. There is now the 48-volt battery of the new mild-hybrid drives.
The so-called MHEV Plus drive almost passes as a full hybrid. In the new 2.0 TFSI engine with 204 hp, the familiar 2.0 TDI engine with 204 hp, as well as the new 3.0 V6 TFSI engine with 367 hp in the S5, the system consists of a 48-volt lithium-iron-phosphate battery with a capacity of 1.8 kWh , a belt starter and a new powertrain generator that is directly mounted on the transmission output shaft. The latter provides support with up to 18 kW of power and returns up to 25 kW to the battery through recuperation.
Maneuvering and parking are performed completely electrically. It runs on electricity up to approximately 130 km/h. Electric driving parts should be used for slower city driving and constant speed traffic.
The entire MHEV Plus system increases the weight of the vehicle by 65 kilograms, of which approximately 20 kilograms is the powertrain generator. With diesel, according to the manufacturer, 10 grams of CO2 is reduced per kilometer and about 0.4 liters per 100 kilometers. With the V6, it is 17 grams of CO2 and 0.74 liters. Only the basic gasoline engine with 150 HP does not have a new system.
All petrol engines are completely new with an improved combustion process and turbocharger with variable turbine geometry. They are mated exclusively to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, including the six-cylinder engine in the S5. Audi expects this to bring advantages in weight on the front axle.
“Soon,” which means sometime in 2025, will be followed by two more plug-in hybrids based on the 2.0-liter gasoline engine. It will have a power of 220 and 270 kW and will have a purely electric range of more than 100 kilometers.
By the way, the new A5 is based on the so-called Premium Platform Combustion (PPC). It still has longitudinally mounted engines and front or all-wheel drive.
Source: www.magazinauto.com
