2009 Audi A5 , Cars Pictures

The Audi A5 and its high performance derivative, are compact executive or entry-level luxury cars. The new Audi A5 makes design statement of sportiness and elegance with its sporty silhouette, its precisely drawn lines powerful surfaces, its expressive front face and equally distinctive tail. The broad, low body measures in at 4.63 meters in length; its overall proportions are defined by the short front overhang and elongated transition from the C pillars to the short tail panel.

The large air inlets and headlights reflect the precision and modern technology of Audi while the LED daytime running lights underscore the sporty look of the A5. The mighty trapezoidal C pillar emphasize the car's sporty appeal and the marked outline of the wheel arches with their curving contours drawn into the wide shoulder line complete the unique look of sculptured dynamics.


Elegance, ergonomics and functionality dominate the interior of the A5, as do the exclusive materials used and the top-of-the-line craftsmanship that is a trademark of Audi. The entire cockpit architecture is clearly focused on the driver. The fourseater offers the generous space of a full-fledged touring car even in the backseat, and its 455 liters of trunk space means there is always room for those few extra shopping bags.

2009 Audi A5 - Design of the Year winner

Last year, after disputing Volkswagen Group design chief Walter de'Silva's assertion that Audi's A5 is his best-ever design, we went on to confirm that he had indeed created a beautiful car. Just how beautiful has been clarified by seeing A5s on the road, but no one really fully appreciates the quality of its total design before driving it.

The first point of appreciation comes when you approach the car, finding it bigger and more substantial than it seemed in static auto-show conditions. The second comes when you open the door to find one of the best interiors offered today, for any car at any price. Audis have had excellent interiors for many years, but the A5 surpasses previous models. A driver senses that a special effort was made just to please him, yet passengers, too, are flattered by the seating comfort and the obvious care in assembling the details. This is clearly a car made for going places, a true grand tourer.

Everything one touches feels good to the fingers. Tactile response is too often ignored in car design, but while traveling in an A5, one could spend hours gently caressing its controls, its armrests, even its voluptuous seat contours. It helps that actuating the knobs and buttons is smooth, precise, and physically satisfying. The only other car as tactilely pleasing is an older pre-German Rolls-Royce, with its few but perfectly finished organ-stop vent knobs and polished black steering wheel.

All U.S.-spec A5s feature Quattro all-wheel drive, so they're particularly good in bad weather situations, making them excellent choices in much of the United States, not to mention northern Europe. Whether facing snow and ice or not, the elegance, stability, and sheer visual presence of the A5 are pleasing to owners. For us, it is a clear Design of the Year winner.

© Source: automobilemag
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2009 Audi A5

If you're in the market for a luxury sport coupe and your primary goal is to stand out from the crowd, look no further than the curvaceous 2009 Audi A5. This is a car whose luscious lines will quicken the pulse of even the most jaded valet. And unlike rival models sporting blue-and-white propeller badges and three-pointed stars, an A5 can't be seen every day. The A5 is a highly capable car with a finely wrought interior, but it's also rather pricey compared to some competitors.

Underneath the A5's slinky sheet metal, it's basically a two-door version of the A4 3.2 Quattro sedan, save for its low-slung seating position. As such, it shares with the A4 a direct-injected 3.2-liter V6 that pumps out a healthy 265 horsepower, as well as the Quattro all-wheel-drive system and a choice between a manual or automatic transmission. The V6 isn't blindingly fast, but it provides the sort of refined yet authoritative acceleration that shoppers in this segment will appreciate. When the going gets twisty, the A5's impressive composure belies its nose-heavy weight bias -- unlike the boulevard-cruising Mercedes-Benz CLK350, say, this Audi is a willing dance partner in tight corners.

The 2009 Audi A5 is also a bargain compared to the Benz, undercutting the latter's base price by a few thousand dollars. Relative to the rest of the field, though, the Audi costs a pretty penny. For example, Infiniti's G37 handily outperforms the A5 for thousands less, and BMW's AWD 328xi coupe splits the difference between the Audi and the Infiniti price-wise, while offering the best handling of all. Moreover, if you can do without AWD, the rear-wheel-drive 328i coupe is cheaper still, and the crushingly quick 335i coupe is only marginally more expensive than the A5.

But curb appeal is often what draws shoppers to luxury sport coupes in the first place, and the A5 is easily the class leader in this regard. That may be enough to tip the scales in its favor, regardless of its performance or value for the dollar. Those who do choose an A5 based on its seductive looks are unlikely to be disappointed by how it drives. If you'd rather be thrilled than ogled, however, there are better -- and cheaper -- choices.

© Source: edmunds
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2009 Audi A5

- Base Price: $41,600
- Body Style: Coupe
- Performance & Efficiency: 3,197 cc 3.2 liters V 6 front engine with 84.5 mm bore, 92.8 mm stroke, 12.5 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder. Premium unleaded fuel 91. Rebates & Incentives:
36 Month Finance Rate: N/A; 48 Month Finance Rate: N/A

New Audi Q5 combines Audi's trademark single frame grille with clean surfaces. Subtle fender flares hint at the A5 from some angles, and the roofline is one of the lowest in the segment. The Q5 is built off the same architecture as the new A4 sedans and wagons and the A5 coupes. That means longitudinal engines, and a Quattro drive system with 60 percent of the torque directed to the rear wheels in normal driving.

The longitudinal engines bit is important because that means the Q5 can run anything from an inline-four to a V-8 under the hood, like the A4/A5. For the U.S., however, the Q5 will initially be available only with Audi's 3.2-liter direct-injection V-6, driving through a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. With 265 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque, the FSI V-6 provides grunt enough to propel the Q5 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds.

The Q5 features extensive use of high-strength steel in the body structure. The hood and tailgate are made from aluminum to reduce weight, and aluminum is used extensively in the suspension. The compact trapezoidal-link rear-suspension layout allows a low floor in the rear cargo area. The Q5 will come standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, but wheels up to 20-inch diameter will be available as options.

Though basically a soft-roader, Audi claims the Q5 is reasonably adept off the tarmac, capable of climbing 31-degree slopes, with a break-over angle of 17.5 degrees. Ground clearance is almost 7.9 inches, and Audi says the Q5 can handle water up to 19.7 inches deep.

The Q5 will be available with the usual array of Audi features, including the latest-generation three version of the MMI computer interface, power tailgate, keyless entry, Bluetooth hands-free phone, a Bang & Olufsen 505-watt 14-speaker sound system, and even a heated and cooled cupholder.

© Source: motortrend
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