2008 Audi A5 Preview

2008 Audi A4 Preview – Geneva Auto Show: The Audi A4 is a well-respected sport sedan, competitive with the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes Benz C-Class. But Audi's competition with these two cars has always had a shortcoming: the lack of a coupe version. For 2008, Audi will rectify this longstanding absence with the introduction of the A5 and S5 coupe. Based on a new platform – but still looking a lot like a two-door A4 – the A5 will fill a hole in Audi's otherwise competitive lineup. Offering V6 and V8 engines, as well as front or quattro all-wheel drive, the A5 will bring the usual array of Audi-ness to the luxury sport coupe game. It also brings with it Audi's signature styling, for better or worse.

Why it Matters

Luxury sport coupes like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class – not to mention the Infiniti G35 and rumored Cadillac CTS coupes – don't make up a large portion of a particular vehicle's sales mix. They do make up a large amount of cachet though. A coupe is less practical than a sedan – less head room, less rear seat room, often less trunk room – so the sheer act of sacrificing practicality for style is a luxury. By offering a mid-priced luxury coupe, Audi increases its luxury cachet and also gets to introduce its all-weather quattro capability to drivers who would otherwise shop BMW and Benz showrooms.

What's Under the Hood

The A5 will be powered by a 3.2-liter FSI direct injection V6 with 265 horsepower. The S5 will get Audi's ubiquitous 4.2-liter V8 engine which makes 354 horsepower. The A5 can be equipped with a six-speed manual transmission or a multitronic continuously variable transmission with manual control. The S5 is available only with the six-speed manual. Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system is optional on A5 models, standard on the S5, and distributes power with a default 60 percent going to the rear wheels.

What it Looks Like

The alphanumerics of Audi's naming convention put the A5 between the A4 and A6 sedans. So does its styling. The nose looks all the world like a restyled A6 sedan, yet the overall proportions say A4. Sprinkled throughout are elements of other Audi models, such as the TT-like headlights. It hews to Audi's design language, and if you like that theme you'll think it's beautiful. But if you've looked past Ingolstadt for your styling needs you'll find it yet another incarnation of Audi's gaping-mouth design language. Audi says it's based on the Nuvolari concept from the 2003 Geneva show, but so much of that car's cues are on current Audis that the A5 looks dated.

What's Inside

The interior is all new, yet retains the Audi flavor we've come to expect from this brand. All the usual 21st century luxury features are present and accounted for, such as high-end audio system and navigation system. Black on black is the dominant theme, with tasteful use of chrome accents throughout to brighten the overall look and feel. Hopefully buyers of the A5 love the Audi grille, because the same wide mouth is repeated on the steering wheel hub. Which brings us to the subject of repetition: Even though it's an all-new interior, we feel like we've seen it before. Put simply, the A5 doesn't feel new inside. Is familiarity breeding contempt here? Maybe.

What Audi Says

In its official announcement for the A5, Audi stated: “For coupe buyers, emotion plays a major role in their choice of car; the most important reason to buy, in the case of a sporty two-door car, is the design. And on that point the Audi A5 genuinely speaks for itself – its design takes Audi's progressive and stylish design language to new heights. The sporty silhouette, the precisely drawn lines, which gracefully interplay with the powerful surfaces, the expressive front face, and the equally distinctive tail end yield a wholly desirable coupé.” It goes on to quote Walter de'Silva, Head of Volkswagen Group Design as saying: “The Audi A5 is the most beautiful car I have ever designed.”

What We Think

The Audi A5 is a car the company should have introduced about three years ago. As it sits, it will likely please those who have long clamored for a two-door Audi to compete with the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz CLK Class coupes. But for the rest of us who aren't automatically Audi fans, it could be a harder sell. We're sure the A5 will drive very well, as most Audis do. But beyond the lack of rear doors, the A5 doesn't offer much new in terms of style, a primary reason for buying a coupe in the first place. Perhaps its time for Audi to revamp its design house for fresh ideas.

Photos courtesy of Audi