Audi A5 Sportback Officially Revealed

-Chris-

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090716.001/audi-a5-sportback-officially-revealed-in-depth


What does anyone think - a sexy new car, or a niche too far?

AugustusMaximus

The A5 is presently one of the best looking cars on the road.

That thing is awful.

Also, should that be teh A4 sportsback considering it has 4 doors ?

Drummerboy08

Reminds me of a Citroen C6 for some reason. Is it a bit pointless?

Berty

Expensive A4.

-Chris-

It's a strict 4 seater afaik, so I'm sure that'll have an effect on it's popularity - it's one of the biggest issues you come across when someone's looking at a Passat CC.

EPM

Cant see the problem if someone wants to spend their money on it. No doubting its a nice looking car and will have an appeal. Just wonder though in this price range would it sell. I can see the attraction to the CLS but on something so similar to an A4 would people bother

Gumbo

looks like the 5 series GT iirc

would be too keen on both of them tbh

copacetic

-Chris- wrote: »

It's a strict 4 seater afaik, so I'm sure that'll have an effect on it's popularity - it's one of the biggest issues you come across when someone's looking at a Passat CC.

It's a niche too far to be sure. Like the CC which is a less practical, nicer looking passat.

If someone wants a saloon they buy an A4, a coupe the A5, practicality the
A4 Avant. The avant isn't even that practical as it gives up some for looks.

The A5 hatchback seems pointless to me, can the middle section at the back even fold down?

An A4 hatchback would have been much more useful to have in the range.

high horse

Is A5 Sportback not just marketing talk for A4 hatchback?
I'm not sure if it's even a niche car. Do people distinguish the mondeo saloon as a different car from the mondeo hatchback?

R.O.R

high horse wrote: »

Is A5 Sportback not just marketing talk for A4 hatchback?
I'm not sure if it's even a niche car. Do people distinguish the mondeo saloon as a different car from the mondeo hatchback?

I'd say if there was a sizeable price difference they would. I'm guessing the sale price of the A5 Sportback will be a good bit more than the equivalent A4 Saloon. Sticking a 5 after the A rather than a 4 probably gives them an extra 3-5 k on the retail price.

I think it looks OK.

Saab Ed

The Audi design team must have been flickin through some pontiac brochures that day..

Audi design has gone to pot of late......boo

unkel

kceire wrote: »

looks like the 5 series GT iirc

would be too keen on both of them tbh

Exactly. GT, sportback, forget all that lingo. A very expensive hatchback, I'd call it.

_Kaiser_

Does seem more like an A4 CC to be honest...

gebbel

To me it is a thing of beauty. A magnificent specimen

-Chris-

Saab Ed wrote: »

The Audi design team must have been flickin through some pontiac brochures that day..

Audi design has gone to pot of late......boo

I don't see the similarity tbh - nearly every car looks the same if you squint hard enough

colm_mcm

I don't get it.

But Audi's place in the pecking order of brands confuses me at the best of times.

Is this an A4 hatchback? is it somehow better than an Octavia?

Alanstrainor

I'm kind of torn, once side of me thinks, "it's a nice looking motor", but the other just asks "why?". I don't know, i just think they're filling a gap that's not there. S5 for the win!

Saab Ed

colm_mcm wrote: »

I don't get it.


Is this an A4 hatchback? is it somehow better than an Octavia?

The world is going mad. Some day in the not too distant future a Ford Mondeo is gonna be a rare premium car while Audi caters for the masses and a Laguna will be positivily exclusive

cianclarke

I quite like it, methinks an improvement on the A4, but certainly don't see it fitting into the A5 range tbh...

bazzachazza

I think they are getting there models mixed up now. Maybe they should have said A4 sportback and people would get it better.

It will sell as people will like the idea of owning an A5 but with 4 doors.

But will it be worth the premium to get it.

bazzachazza

More reason to have it as an A4 hatch/sport back.

Now if they wanted to do an A4 it will just look to feckin similar to this.

RedorDead

Cannot for the life of me see the Pontiac influence Ed?

It will be positioned as the entry level A5 which cheapens A5 in a way I suppose. It has 4 doors, 4 seats and a hatchback boot. A4 has 4 doors, 5 seats and a saloon boot.

Where it makes sense is when you look at the pricing

A4 2.0TDI 170 - €40,000
A5 SB 2.0TDI 170 - €44,450
A5 CP 2.0TDI 170 - €48,450

It fits in smack bang between A4 and A5 - for me is the looks of an A5 with the practicality of a hatchback, and the functionality of 2 more accessible seats at a cheaper price. Thumbs up from me.

A4 and A5 are different cars if you have driven both. Cant see why people would see this as a A4 sportback just because of the extra doors?

Hatchback boot here:

dmca77

Is it not a Citroen c5

mickdw

dmca77 wrote: »

Is it not a Citroen c5

No, I would say the shape of the rear quarter light area is very like the c6

dmca77

C6 i MEANT

VolvoMan

The new A5 Sportback could possibly be paying homage to this:

Lex Luthor

copacetic wrote: »

The avant isn't even that practical as it gives up some for looks.

I disagree....I think the avant is the nicer looking of all the A4's

JayeL

The A5 coupe is one of the best-looking cars Audi have ever made. It's perfectly-proportioned, only sold with properly-sized wheels that fill out the arches and generally give it a very purposeful look. Plus it's not too flash like a TT or utilitarian like an A4.

Now this yoke.....I suppose I like it. Firstly, it makes sense. Relatively-speaking, there's less work involved in creating what's essentially a cross of the A5 coupe's looks with the A4's size and "footprint". And compared to the Merc CLS and VW Passat CC (it's only direct rivals), it's subtle, fresh and practical (contrary to an earlier post, it's available with three belts at the back, unlike the CC).

Combined with the engines of the A5 coupe, this will find its niche and hopefully Audi won't lose money on it. My only caveat is that it dilutes what was a very good design (the A5 coupe) and if I had one, I'd feel a bit cheated that they've brought out a 5dr hatchback version.

p.s. Audi could give the Panamera a run for its money with an S5 Sportback......

PaddyFagan

JayeL wrote: »

Now this yoke.....I suppose I like it. Firstly, it makes sense. Relatively-speaking, there's less work involved in creating what's essentially a cross of the A5 coupe's looks with the A4's size and "footprint". And compared to the Merc CLS and VW Passat CC (it's only direct rivals), it's subtle, fresh and practical (contrary to an earlier post, it's available with three belts at the back, unlike the CC).

Re: rivals: Not quiet true as someone mentioned earlier, there is the BMW 5 Series GT as well these days. But Jay, I do generally agree with you, it's a nice looking machine and I'd be very happy (if I had the cash) to have one. The combination of four/five seats and a hatchback appeal to me, I would choose it in preference to an A4 Avant - but back to Chris's original question - that is a very personal choice and I'm not convinced there is enough people who'll part with the cash to make it a success for Audi. (In fact I for one are probably hoping it won't be! so I can pick up a 1-2 year old one in a few year time at a bargain price )

Paddy

-Chris-

JayeL wrote: »

contrary to an earlier post, it's available with three belts at the back

I haven't see the optional extras list yet, but the publicity photos show 2 belts in the rear, and the press release mentions 4 seats. Is a 5th belt available as an option?

Voodoomelon

I think it looks great, kinda what the A6 should have looked like.

mickdw

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I think it looks great, kinda what the A6 should have looked like.

The A6 is only a minor facelift on a fairly old model. Next A6 in a couple of years will be the business I feel.

JayeL

-Chris- wrote: »

I haven't see the optional extras list yet, but the publicity photos show 2 belts in the rear, and the press release mentions 4 seats. Is a 5th belt available as an option?

Oops. I saw this photo and probably should have blown it up a bit, it clearly has just two belts in the back - but it does have room for three. Perhaps a revision for 2011?

EPM

A5 Autocar Test

Road test doesn't sing its praises to highly, implying the FWD models could be seriously dodge:eek: