The BMW 4 Series’ introduction further widened the gap between the Audi A5 coupe and the old BMW 3 Series Coupe in terms of driving enjoyment. The rear-wheel-drive design of the BMW is more fun, and its steering has far greater feel. But the A5 coupe isn’t by any means a much worse vehicle. In normal driving situations, front-wheel-drive models are gripping and responsive; the more expensive quattro system only performs admirably in adverse weather.
Excellent body control. Due to their firmer sports suspension and wider 19-inch wheels, Black Edition Plus cars offer a somewhat harsh ride, and on country roads, potholes and bumps will cause the steering wheel to tremble. You can ‘downgrade’ to the SE’s softer suspension setup at no additional expense, and we highly recommend it.
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Audi A5 diesel engines
If you’re looking for the A5 coupe with the best fuel efficiency, the 161bhp 2.0-litre diesel Ultra model is our top recommendation. It also has an excellent performance. It accelerates to 62 mph in just 8.3 seconds, and it has plenty of gas until it reaches 140 mph. In order to reduce drag, this model has also been lowered; however, the suspension has not been stiffened, and it still glides over all but the sharpest humps.
Surprisingly, the two-wheel-drive version of the 2.0-liter diesel A5 with the Multitronic automatic gearbox has the lowest horsepower rating of 187. It accelerates to 62 mph in 7.8 seconds, compared to 7.7 for the manual and 7.3 for the S tronic. The 3.0-liter TDI quattro’s 0-62 mph time of 5.8 seconds, which is swift for a petrol, let alone a diesel, is unmatched by any other vehicle. Its top speed is capped at 155 mph, which is acceptable on autobahns.
Petrol engines
Despite how smooth and refined they are, there are few reasons to pick a petrol A5 coupe over a diesel. These engines are not only significantly less efficient, but they also lack the diesels’ powerful in-gear performance and ability to cruise at high speeds in comfort and pull heavy loads. However, you can find them energetic enough if you must have a gasoline.
Even the entry-level 1.8-liter TFSI produces 175 bhp and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 7.9 seconds, but the 2.0-liter TFSI quattro uses its greater power (222 bhp) and better traction to run the same sprint in 6.4 seconds, which is competitive with sports cars.
Audi S5 is it RWD?
The Audi S5 (B9) is an all-wheel drive coup, sportback, and cabriolet that was first introduced in June 2016 and has been produced by Audi since late 2017. Rear doors and a hatchback rear are included in the sportback variant. It is a member of the second generation of models, which began with the Audi S5 (B8) and went into production in 2007.
The new S5 has undergone significant changes to its front and back ends as part of the update, including weight reduction to 1,615 kg (3,560 lb) (Coup) and a total redesign of the headlamps and bonnet, LED front and rear lighting, sharper body lines, and a new bigger one-piece grille. A number of additional safety features, including drive assistance and head-up display, are available as options. The S5 also gets some new features on the inside. Redesigned center console and dashboard, 8″ Audi MMI in tablet form, optional Virtual Cockpit, with Apple CarPlay and Google Earth navigation. New electrically adjustable, heated front seats with cross stitching, a flat-bottom steering wheel type with a circular airbag cover, and a choice of trim options are all included in the new Audi S5.
The S5 has a brand-new, more potent 3-litre V6 petrol engine installed, and to cut costs and weight, it also boasts a twin-scroll turbocharger. Because the turbocharger is positioned inside the engine V, turbo lag response times have been decreased. A locking center differential that distributes torque to the wheels at a ratio of 40% to the front and 60% to the back supplies power to the quattro all-wheel drive system. Additionally, the system has the capacity to divert up to 70% of traffic to the front or up to 85% to the back. Although testing have showed timings closer to 4 seconds, the 060 mph (097 km/h) time is approximately 4.4 seconds (coup) & 4.5 seconds (sportback), with a limited top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h).
2019 saw Audi release a brand-new, facelifted B9 model. Only a diesel V6 TDI engine was offered with the new 2019 S5 in Europe. [7]
Can an Audi A5 be driven in the snow?
Quattro season is in full swing, particularly in Canada. Even tweedy wordsmiths can pretend to be flicking a powerful four-wheeler sideways through dense forests competing for World Rally Championship points in the snow and ice, where all-wheel-drive really shines. Sure, all-wheel-drive pays benefits on wet and dry pavement, but it really shines in the snow and ice. My most recent such journey served to demonstrate how Quattro’s new forward torque bias and Audi’s current A4/A5 vehicle architecture combine to make the company’s cars more enjoyable to drive.
However, our location is not a pine and birch woodland in northern Lapland, Finland. The people who plan the Audi Winter Driving Experience events in Europe have set up a lovely wavy oval on a grass runway coated in ice and snow close to Niagara on the Lake in Ontario. The oval is coned to allow a properly timed fishtail fest. (Since my attempts to photograph the falling snow in Seefeld, Austria, failed miserably, these images of the blue A5 are from the actual location.)
The front axle can now be placed just 1.7 inches behind the engine thanks to a revolutionary transaxle design, which also improves weight distribution to a 56/44 ratio. The sleek A5 coupes we’re driving are delighted to be flipped across the course thanks to this enhanced weight balance and a typical 40/60 front/rear torque bias, provided you turn off the built-in ESP stability control. The road surface varies from snowy grass to sheer ice to unpleasant bumps that make me grimace and wonder aloud what will happen to these specific test cars. The 3.2-liter FSI V-6s can give good engine braking (also applied 40/60) to help rotate the car through the “keyhole” at the far end of the course. Our tight circuit is best navigated in first gear. There is no mechanical hand brake; instead, there is just an electrically operated brake, which in any event seems to lock all the wheelsnever the intended result of pulling on the handbrake.
After we’ve had our fill of rally antics, John Buffum, the most successful rally driver in the United States, and I strap into one of the original iconic long-body Audi Quattro race cars, built in 1984. It’s quite entertaining to watch Buffum saw at the wheel and stab the throttle to maintain the right slip angles while keeping the 200-hp turbo-five on the boil. This is by far the best-sounding five-cylinder engine currently in use. These vintage Quattros are notorious understeerers if you don’t keep them horizontal because of all the engine weight that is cantilevered off the front axle and a locked center differential.
The taxi ride is soon over, and it’s time to return to the airport with a fresh appreciation for the skillful operation of cutting-edge all-wheel-drive.
The Audi A5 has four wheels.
The S Line comes next, with leather and Alcantara seats, 19-inch wheels, sharper aesthetic cues, and dynamic front and rear indicators. The top-spec Vorsprung boasts nicer 20-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, and an enhanced Bang & Olufsen sound system, while the Edition 1 trim gets you up to 20-inch wheels, the Black design pack, and Nappa leather interior.
There is a respectable selection of engines, offering something for every preference. The 2.0 TFSI is available in 204PS and 265PS variants with 201bhp or 261bhp, all with Audi’s 7-speed S tronic automatic transmission, however the most potent engine is only available with quattro four-wheel drive. The range begins with the 148bhp 1.4 TFSI 150PS petrol. 35 TFSI, 40 TFSI, and 45 TFSI quattro are the three available powertrains, respectively.
The powerful RS 5 Sportback comes with a 2.9 TFSI twin-turbo petrol engine that produces 444 horsepower, but the high-performance S5 Sportback is now only offered as a diesel.
Two 2.0-liter variants with the badges 35 TDI and 40 TDI and respective horsepower ratings of 161 and 201 are available if you’d prefer a diesel. A 3.0V6 TDI engine with 334 horsepower and an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission are standard on the R S5.
Only a few variations of the A5 Sportback are offered with quattro four-wheel drive; it comes standard on the 40 TDI and 45 TFSI as well as the S5 and RS 5 performance models.
The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe is the only direct competitor for the A5 Sportback. It uses the same strategy as the A5 Sportback, being a more usable five-door coupe built on a two-door coupe that uses a four-door saloon’s drivetrain. The Volkswagen Arteon, Jaguar XE, and Alfa Romeo Giulia are additional vehicles to take into consideration for their distinctive styling, in addition to the standard lineup of saloons and two-door coupes from Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, and within the Audi lineup.