Audi comes clean

Audi has got it right with the styling of the new A5. This is a coupé that looks the part and certainly delivers in terms of performance and economy, thanks to a high-powered 3.0 litre diesel engine under the bonnet. The impressive and modern styling makes an immediate impact. Volkswagen"s Group head of design Walter da Silva certainly thinks so, commenting: 'The Audi A5 is the most beautiful car I have ever designed.' And I think he"s got it right. The A5 is a four-seat coupé that drives as well as it looks. This ability is provided by an impressive 3.0 litre turbo-diesel engine that, if anything, adds to the car"s appeal. Normally, one considers diesel to be in the 'hard-working" but not 'high-performance" league, but in the new A5, that"s not the case. The power is impressive but so, too, is the economy for a car in this class. Audi uses an improved V6 turbo-diesel engine in the A5 coupé to deliver petrol car-like performance with the added benefit of economy and low CO2 emission levels. That"s partly why you"ll be impressed to read this A5 comes with a low Band C road tax rating, which means an annual tax bill of just €290. So now you can be flash and stylish in your motoring choice as well as economical and environmentally clean, that is if you can afford the A5"s prices. The base entry model with the 3.0 litre TDi engine comes on the market at €64,900, and that"s before you add any extras and delivery charges. The test car that I had on the road came with a list of extras and among the more expensive of these was the leather seating at €3,055, sat-nav at €4,630 and metallic paint at €1,312. The total from this extras listing added up to a staggering €17,085! Expensive, or what? If you can cope with the numbers, then the A5 is a dream. The V6 engine delivers 240bhp and a massive 500Nm of torque and it"s quiet. That combination delivers an impressive acceleration time of just 5.9 seconds in a 0 to 100km/h race. That"s marginally faster than the BMW 3 Series coupé fitted with an equivalent engine, but there is little to separate them in a performance sense. You"ll be impressed with the A5 economy figures, too. The car comes with a rating of 7.2 litres/100km (39mpg). That"s marginally poorer than the equivalent BMW 3 Series performance but there"s not much to separate them here either. The 3.0 litre V6 A5 model comes with the Audi Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system as standard. This allows the car to achieve its best in terms of handling, especially when matched to the six-speed gearbox. When it comes to quality coupé choices, it"s really down to the Germans. The Audi A5 seems to be bigger while the BMW 3 Series seems more agile. The Audi comes with a wide track, large 225/50R17 tyres and a short overhang for a firm driving appeal. Road noise from the tyres was noticeable, however, The A5 has comfort, though, and Audi engineers have redesigned the suspension in which the front wheels turn on a five-link axle for better handling. The links are mounted on a front axle sub-frame which, in turn, is bolted to the body for increased rigidity. The A5 front axle is located far forward at the nose of the car. This has allowed the A5 to have a 2.75 metre long wheelbase. Audi claims this gives a balanced axle load distribution. The rear suspension is a trapezoidal-link axle. This provides a high degree of ride comfort combined with good directional stability so that the car corners well. At both the front and rear, the main components of the suspension are made of aluminum to ease the overall car"s loading and keep weight down. Audi has boosted the braking for the A5 over its other models. There is a new brake balance system to reduce brake pitching. The standard electromechanical parking brake, familiar from the A8 and A6, is easy to use and you get the feeling of activation from the brake pedal. Audi"s 'hold assist" is an option that prevents the car from accidentally rolling when stopped on a hill. The interior styling is functional with a factory-fitted dashboard-mounted satellite navigation system included. The system is easy to use and so, too, are the radio controls and heating. The A5 smacks of quality and a great driving experience. The car has good four seat space, comfort and a host of safety features, such as ESP, as standard. It is pricey, though, and those extras are painful on the pocket.