Tuesday 20th February 2007

Audi A5 images leak out

Official pictures of new coupe

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Audi's new coupé, the A5, has emerged two weeks ahead of its official unveiling at the Geneva motor show next month.

The official photos have leaked onto the Web, and reveal that the A5 has a family resemblance to the TT, and what looks to be a typically high-quality Audi cabin.

The A5 will be powered by Audi's 4.2-litre 420bhp V8, said to be behind the front wheels rather than ahead -- Audi's more usual layout -- and four-wheel drive. Transmissions will consist of six-speed boxes, auto and manual, plus the VW DSG box, which Audi calls S-Tronic.

The car will be of unitary construction, made of steel and use mechanical elements from the A4 and larger A6. A full four seats are planned -- it's not a 2+2 -- and it'll be practical, with 400 litres of luggage space. As a comparison, the current Porsche 911 has a luggage volume of 130 litres.

The concept, dubbed Nuvolari, was originally wheeled out at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show.

[gizmo.mp3]

But I wasn't expecting it to be quite so small and... black...

edit: typical! *now* they work
Looks damn good... *wants*

Edited by gizmo.mp3 on Tuesday 20th February 11:34

[pppppp]

An A5 RS - that would be nice. Look out M3

[PhantomPH]

3-series anyone?

[Sagacitas]

better looking than the 3 series.

[stin hambo]

Comes with a 4.2 V8?

Why does it say 3.0 TDI on the back then?

[scotty_917]

PhantomPH said:

3-series anyone?

looks more distinctive than the 'non-descript' 3-coupe...and the 'old in the tooth' CLK?

[tuffer]

Looks nice but maybe a little Portly! Should go OK with the V8 though

[ahonen]

stin hambo said:

Comes with a 4.2 V8?

Why does it say 3.0 TDI on the back then?

It's a ruse to lull BMWs into a false sense of security.

[NJH]

ahonen said:

stin hambo said:

Comes with a 4.2 V8?

Why does it say 3.0 TDI on the back then?

It's a ruse to lull BMWs into a false sense of security.

Surely this car will sell like hot cakes? It has all the right ingredients and has an Audi badge on it. For many ppl this must be just about the perfect car?

[chris333]

Boring Boring Boring

TT front, CLK profile, 3-series rear lights, default Audi interior

The Audi guys are right up there with Porsche and Aston Martin for the title of world's laziest car designers

[ahonen]

NJH said:

Surely this car will sell like hot cakes? It has all the right ingredients and has an Audi badge on it. For many ppl this must be just about the perfect car?

I think it looks superb: the front end has just the right amount of aggression to clear the outside lane and scare Micra drivers silly. The grille really works well on this.

All in all a good, stylish, pretty ageless shape, which compares very well to the horrendous 6-series BMW. If it looks this good now, the RS version is going to look superb.

If they really have moved the engine back the handling is sure to be impressive.

[j-j]

'Audi designers have been sniffing around the 3 series coupe.....'

Not bad, but look at the R8 and the new TT... would have expected a little more effort...

[fatboy b]

Would all new BMW 3-Series please pull over, and let some class through. What a superb looking car.

Edited by fatboy b on Tuesday 20th February 12:32

[fatboy b]

chris333 said:

The Audi guys are right up there with Porsche and Aston Martin for the title of world's laziest car designers

Hardly, given the breadth of the Audi range. Let me guess, you have a new 3-Series

[Beefmeister]

Tsk, too slow Ted....

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=358565&p=1

[tony*t3]

Its a bit of a tank and has a truely fat arse.......

over all quite nice though

[oagent]

"Audi's 4.2-litre 420bhp V8, said to be behind the front wheels rather than ahead -- Audi's more usual layout"

Bollards is it.. In that case the V8 would have to either sit right where the radio should be, or be mounted transversly and very narrow angle.

Otherwise. perfectly nice looking coupe in the small merc / 3 series vain with all the boring but well made audi features. Im sure they will sell shed loads of them at any price.

[collateral]

Very nice, although I can't help thinking that it's a shame Audi seem to be going the Merc route of overweight barges with mad HP figures these days

[dick dastardly]

PhantomPH said:

3-series anyone?

BMW should sue over the back end. It's identical.

[chris333]

fatboy b said:

chris333 said:

The Audi guys are right up there with Porsche and Aston Martin for the title of world's laziest car designers

Hardly, given the breadth of the Audi range. Let me guess, you have a new 3-Series

nope, I think the new 3 is a horrible dumpy car, but at least BMW's approach to car design is something more than "make it like the last one, only smoother"!