The new Audi A5 has been revealed and it’s in the pipeline for South Africa, though you’ll have to wait around a year before you can get your hands on one.
TopAuto reached out to the domestic wing of Audi to find out when the next-gen A5 will reach the local market.
The automaker said that there are no dates set in stone yet, however, it is “currently working to a mid-2025 introduction.”
It also said that, for now, it doesn’t look like the handsome Avant (estate) body style will be coming to our roads, only the sedan. Unfortunate, but not unforeseen, given that only enthusiasts seem to enjoy this silhouette.
In related news, while Audi hasn’t confirmed it just yet, it looks like there won’t be a two-door A5 coupe in this new generation. Several international media outlets have reported that the A5 coupe has been entirely discontinued, with only the more practical four-door sedan and Avant to carry on production.
The new A5 will replace the A4 as part of Audi’s model reshuffling, too.
Going forward, all internal-combustion-engine Audi vehicles will use odd numbers in their model nomenclature, like A3, A5, and so forth; while the electric e-tron models will be even-numbered, like Q4 e-tron and Q6 e-tron.
What to expect
The new A5 is the first model to be built on Audi’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture, boasting larger dimensions and a sleeker exterior design than its predecessor.
The new cosmetics incorporate a flatter and wider grille sporting a three-dimensional honeycomb structure, slimmer LED headlights angled slightly upwards, and sizeable air intakes that provide an athletic persona.
It also features what Audi calls a “soft nose integrated into the bumper” allowing the hood to be flush with the front end.
At the back, the A5 boasts a three-dimensional light strip across the boot flowing into sleek OLED taillamp clusters each featuring 60 individual segments, sitting atop a new rear bumper with a dark diffuser and rectangular exhaust tips.
The rear hatch of the sedan now also opens along with the rear window, resulting in considerably easier access to the luggage compartment.
At a maximum of 4,835mm long, 1,860mm wide, and 1,461mm tall, depending on the chosen trim, the new A5 is 78mm longer, 17mm wider, and 75mm higher than the outgoing A5 Sportback.
The powertrain options in the new Audi comprise a variety of turbo-diesel (TDI) and turbo-petrol (TFSI) units.
The entry-level A5 gets a 2.0-litre TFSI mill generating 110kW and 280Nm, which is directed to the front wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission.
This setup guarantees a 0-100km/h time of 9.8 seconds and a top speed of 216km/h, and returns an average fuel spend of 6.6-7.5l/100km.
In the higher-spec versions, the TFSI drivetrain puts out 150kW and 340Nm and can be specified with the quattro all-wheel-drive system.
This option attains 100km/h in 7.8 seconds (7.6 seconds in the quattro) and runs up to 248km/h (245km/h in the quattro), with fuel usage ranging from 6.6-7.7l/100km, depending on the model.
Alternatively, buyers can get a 2.0-litre TDI that puts out 150kW and 400Nm. It, too, can be had in front-wheel or all-wheel drive and employs the same gearbox as its petrol siblings.
The diesel-powered sedan sprints to 100km/h in 7.7 seconds (6.9 seconds in the quattro) and tops out at 242km/h (241km/h in the quattro), while sipping propellant at a rate of 4.7-5.5l/100km.
The ultimate that the new A5 range has to offer, the range-topping S5 is equipped with a 3.0-litre, V6, TFSI block churning out 270kW and 550Nm.
It eclipses triple digits in as little as 4.5 seconds and is electronically governed to 250km/h, while not being all that thirsty at a consumption reading of 7.4-7.7l/100km.
The TDI and V6 TFSI drivelines furthermore benefit from a new 48-volt mild-hybrid (MHEV) system that assists with reducing CO2 emissions, improving fuel consumption, and providing smoother acceleration from standstill through 18kW of boost.
In addition, the MHEV system feeds energy back into the battery at up to 25kW during deceleration courtesy of its recuperation abilities.
As a result, purely electric maneuvering and parking are possible to a limited extent, and, thanks to the option of using an electric air conditioning compressor, the air conditioning system can be operated when the vehicle is stopped at traffic lights and the combustion engine is switched off.
The A5 also sports a new integrated and blending-capable brake control system, enabling the brake pedal and the hydraulics to be completely decoupled.
In the MHEV models, this achieves the necessary deceleration without using the friction brakes thanks to regenerative braking, meaning deceleration is initially achieved solely by recuperation and the friction brakes only kick in when the brake pedal is pressed harder.
Inside, the new A5 has seen a complete redesign with a smattering of advanced technologies included as standard.
Up front sits a new curved display comprising an 11.9-inch instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch infotainment screen, and it now brings functions such as navigation, wireless charging, and an electrically powered rear hatch as standard, depending on the market.
As an optional extra, buyers can now also install a 10.9-inch front passenger display, as well as an upgraded heads-up display that for the very first time lets the driver to control certain vehicle functions.
Across the pond, the German starting price for the new A5 comes in at €45,200, which equates to R890,000 at today’s exchange rates.
The current-generation A5 starts at R860,100 in South Africa, so we expect the next-gen model should fetch close to R1 million once it lands in local showrooms.
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