Audi reveals next-gen A5 Sportback

AUDI has shown off the four-door Sportback version of its next-generation A5 sportscar, featuring a bunch of new technology and revised styling ahead of its Australian launch in mid-2017.

The new A5 Sportback will also be offered in hotter S5 guise, and while the European market will get the A5 g-tron which runs on either e-gas, natural gas or gasoline, it is unclear whether Australia will receive the new bivalent variant.

Stylistically, the A5 Sportback mirrors its two-door Coupe sibling that was revealed in June, showcasing a more simplistic and streamlined front fascia with sharper headlights and a wider, more expansive grille.

Rear styling has received only minor tweaks, with the four-door coupe profile exhibited via the roofline which flows smoothly over the rear luggage compartment and finishing with a small lip spoiler.

Inside the A5 Sportback gets a host of new technology features, including Audi’s immersive virtual cockpit and an automated driving system designed for driving in traffic.

The TFT monitor in the instrument cluster is joined by a 8.3-inch monitor that houses Audi’s infotainment system which includes smartphone integration, 10GB of flash storage, smartphone charging and a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.

New to the A5 Sportback is the adaptive cruise control ‘stop & go’ system, which offers automated driving in slow-moving traffic up to 65km/h by assuming the tasks of braking and accelerating the car. It also uses GPS evaluation from the car’s surroundings to help save fuel by giving specific driving advice.

Other driver assistance tech includes collision avoidance assist, turn assist, park assist, cross traffic assist rear, exit warning, traffic sign recognition and active lane assist.

Based on the same Volkswagen Group MLB2 platform as the Coupe and the new-gen A4, the A5 Sportback measures 4733mm long, 60mm more than the two-door, and has dropped weight over the previous model, shedding between 15 and 85kg.

Its size will pitch it against rivals such as the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Infiniti Q50, and it is expected to be offered with the same set of powertrains as the A5 Coupe.

Audi says there will be a combination of two petrol and three diesel variants offering power outputs between 140kW and 210kW, with the engines most likely to be used being the 2.0-litre four-cylinder and 3.0-litre V6 units in use in the current A5 range.

The engines have been tweaked from the outgoing range, with Audi claiming fuel use has been reduced by as much as 22 per cent, while power has increased by up to 17 per cent.

Power goes to the front wheels on all variants except the 3.0 TDI which has quattro all-wheel-drive, which is offered as an option on front-wheel-drive variants.

Audi has not yet specified what transmission will be mated to each engine, however it has stated that a six-speed manual, seven-speed dual-clutch or eight-speed tiptronic transmission will be made available on any variant.

The sportier S5 Sportback gets the same 3.0-litre supercharged V6 in the outgoing model, however engineering revisions means it will pump out an extra 19kW of power and 50Nm of torque, bringing its total output to 264kW/500Nm. It gets quattro all-wheel-drive and the eight-speed tiptronic transmission as standard.

The g-tron variant uses a 2.0-litre TFSI engine that makes 125kW of power, however given the Australian market is devoid of any other g-tron Audi variants, its chances of coming to Australia are probably slim.

Exact Australian timing, pricing and specification will be revealed closer to its release date.