Audi is presenting a new vehicle concept - the Audi A5 Sportback. The five-door model with the long, flowing rear end unites the best of various vehicle genres: the emotion and elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan and the practicality of a station wagon. The Sportback joins the Audi A5 Coupé and Cabriolet as the third member of the Audi A5 model family.
The interior is spacious, offering uncompromising comfort in all four seats. The large luggage compartment hatch is harmoniously integrated into the long, tapered tail end with the flat C pillars; the spoiler lip underscores the tension-filled character. The luggage compartment volume of 480 liters (16.95 cu ft) nearly matches that of the Audi A4 Avant and increases to 980 liters (34.61 cu ft) with the rear seats folded down.
Audi A5 Sportback
The Audi A5 Sportback follows the consistent path of innovative technologies at Audi when it comes to the drivetrain. All of the engines are highly-efficient direct injection models - TDI for the cultivated diesels, FSI for the gasoline engines - and all comply with the Euro 5 emissions standard.
The perfect complement is the Audi drive select vehicle dynamics system, which enables the driver to freely vary the throttle response characteristic, the shifting points of the seven-speed S tronic, and the boost provided by the servotronic steering system, which comes standard (from power outputs of 140 kW (190 hp) upwards). The system is offered as a modular package with at least one of the following three options: sport differential, adaptive shock absorber control or dynamic steering with variable boost.
The Design
The front is marked with horizontal lines. The horizontal bars come to the forefront in the single-frame grille, which is framed with a narrow strip of anodized aluminum. Two lateral edges underscore the presence of the single-frame grille and extend over the hood as a powerful V contour.
Audi uses ellipsoidal halogen headlamps in models with engines below 140 kW (190 hp). The xenon plus units standard on the other models are available here as an option. With these headlamps, the daytime running light is provided by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in an arched strip. The LEDs are characterized by their distinct appearance and particularly low energy consumption. The dynamic cornering light system known as adaptive light is optionally available for all models.
The Audi A5 Sportback's sporty character is also immediately apparent when viewed from the side. The large wheels - 17-inch wheels are standard with sizes up to 20 inches available as options - are framed by a powerful body with a slender window strip. The C pillar runs rearward in a long, elegant wave. The pillar integrates a narrow third side window with an upward pointing tip - a homage to the Audi 100 Coupé S from 1969.
The Body
The foundation for the qualities that characterize the Audi A5 Sportback is the high body stiffness, which provides the basis for the precise, sporty handling, the superior ride comfort, the high crash safety and the tranquility on board. Oscillations and vibrations are practically imperceptible to the driver and passengers - including those transmitted through the steering wheel and the seat, which comprise the interface to the vehicle.
Audi uses a wide range of state-of-the-art technologies to build the body-in-white. These include hot-shaped steel sheets, most of which are fabricated in the Ingolstadt plant where the Audi A5 Sportback is produced. The tailored blanks of boron alloy steel are heated to 950 degrees Celsius in a continuous furnace and immediately quenched and shaped in a water-cooled die.
This imparts them with an extremely high tensile strength. You could hang six Audi A5 Sportback cars weighing a total of ten tons from a strip of this material two millimeters (0.08 in) thick and 30 millimeters wide (1.18 in). Hot-shaped steels are very light, and profoundly impact the weight balance. The Audi A5 Sportback 2.0 TFSI weighs only 1,500 kilograms (3,307 lb).
Interior and trunk
Thanks to its long wheelbase, the Audi A5 Sportback has a spacious interior in which passengers sitting in all four seats will enjoy plenty of room. The Audi A5 Sportback offers much better leg and shoulder room than the Audi A5 Coupé, its dimensions being only few millimeters short of those of the A4 Sedan.
The long doors open wide to afford very easy entry and exit, and the car has a very unique, coupe-specific touch: All four side windows are frameless.
The Audi A5 Sportback is designed as a four-seater. Compared to the A4, the rear seats are mounted slightly lower and somewhat farther forward. An armrest is standard, with two additional cup holders available as options. The front seats are sportily low and sculpted for perfect ergonomics; they can be precisely adjusted and offer perfect control and support. Audi offers a fine array of options, including sport seats with large side bolsters, extendable thigh rests and a four-way power-adjustable lumbar support in addition to fully power-adjustable seats with an optional memory function. The greatest comfort is offered by the climate-controlled comfort seats, in which small fans with an automatic heating function ensure that the driver and passengers neither sweat nor freeze.
Luxurious interior
The interior of the Audi A5 Sportback is a treat for the senses. Elegant design touches, perfect ergonomics, high-grade materials and uncompromising craftsmanship impart a harmonious overall impression. Teardrop-shaped chrome frames surround the two large instruments and secondary indicators. The high-mounted, central onboard monitor is standard, as is the three-spoke leather sports steering wheel.
Engines
Audi has also consistently turned to innovative technologies for the engines. The Audi A5 Sportback will be available with three TDI and three FSI engines at launch, with three additional engines to follow by mid-2010. All of the engines prove that efficiency and dynamic performance are not mutually exclusive, but rather build on one another. Audi's success in motorsports confirms the power of this philosophy: The R8 FSI and R10 TDI racing cars have recorded eight overall victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's most grueling circuit course race.
On the road, the TDIs from Audi have been at the forefront of efficiency technology since their introduction 20 years ago. No other power plant can match the ratio of power to low fuel consumption offered by the turbocharged diesel with direct fuel injection.
Energy recovery standard
Audi uses its new technologies from the modular efficiency platform in the Audi A5 Sportback. All models are equipped with a recuperation system that makes use of the kinetic energy during deceleration. During the coasting and braking phase, the alternator can convert the kinetic energy into electrical energy that is stored temporarily in the battery.
When the five-door coupe accelerates again, the battery feeds the energy back. This improves fuel efficiency by reducing the load on the alternator, which is driven by the engine. Furthermore, all models with a manual transmission are equipped with a gear-change indicator that recommends a gear to the driver for optimal efficiency.
The Chassis
The Sportback draws on all of the high-end skills of the Audi A5 series for the chassis as well. The five-door coupe shines with sporty handling, superior stability and good ride comfort. The Audi A5 Sportback turns in quickly and willingly, takes all manner of corners at high speed and with great stability, finding good traction at the exit point of the curve.
There are a number of good reasons for these strong points. Among the most important are the high body stiffness and the balanced distribution of axle load. As in the entire A5 series, the front axle is moved far to the front of the Sportback as well. This was made possible by the unusual arrangement of the powertrain components. The differential, which determines the position of the axis, is mounted directly behind the longitudinally installed engine and thus in front of the clutch or torque converter. The battery was moved to the luggage compartment for better balance.
A lot of technology went into the chassis itself. All major components of the front and rear suspensions are made of aluminum, which greatly reduces the unsprung masses. The front wheels are mounted on a five-link axle that can absorb separately the longitudinal and lateral forces acting upon it. Bearings are stiff in the lateral direction for sporty precision and soft and supple in the longitudinal direction.
The front axle and the engine are fastened to an auxiliary frame that is rigidly bolted to the front section of the car. The high rigidity facilitates the spontaneous generation of steering force. The steering box, mounted low and far forward, transmits the steering commands directly to the wheels.
The Radar and camera: the assistance systems
A whole range of innovative assistance systems make driving even more relaxing, more controlled and safer. The adaptive cruise control with the integrated Audi braking guard uses radar technology to maintain the distance to the car in front. The integrated Audi braking guard provides the driver with advance warning of an impending collision and assists with braking. Audi side assist also uses radar to make lane changes safer. Audi lane assist uses a camera to help the driver stay in the lane. The Audi advanced parking system uses the rear-view camera to display the area behind the car on the onboard monitor.
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