Although the U.S. market won't be getting the Audi A5 Sportback, based on the reaction here on the floor in Frankfurt, Audi won't have any problem moving them in Europe. It took us longer to get clear shots of the A5 than any other car at Audi (even the R8 Spyder), and when we returned at the end of the day there were still numerous fascinated Euro types examining the car like it was CSI evidence.
The A5 is so beautiful on its own we weren't sure how the Sportback appellation might distort, but like the BMW 5 Series GT, it makes friends with the eyes in person -- and in fact, it's better. The S5 is the top of the heap model, and it will sport a supercharged, 3.0-liter V6 with 333 hp and 325 lb-ft. Just 5.4 seconds takes you to the 60, but whatever speed you travel, you shouldn't be disappointed with how you look doing it. At least, if you're not in the U.S...
If you're annoyed that the Audi A5 Sportback isn't going to be made available in the U.S., you might as well stop reading now, because this will probably be upsetting to you. Audi has just formally announced the S5 Sportback, which, as you likely gathered, kicks things up with the blown 3.0L V6 that's standard kit in the S4, available in the A6, and will shortly replace the V8 as the motivator under the S5 coupe's hood. Quattro is standard, as is the seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch gearbox; a sport differential can be added at extra cost.
Other standard S-car bits include the metallic-finished mirrors, quad pipes, snazzy S-design wheels (dubs are optional), and polished vertical grille slats. Basically, it's the S5 with two extra doors and a hatchback. It's probably a blast to drive, and it demonstrates that you can turn a standard model into a sporty hatch without going all Crosstour.
Power from the six is 333 horses and 324 lb-ft – good for a 5.4-second run to 62 mph (100 kmh) and an electro-nannied 155-mph top end. Audi says that the powertrain's good a smidge over 24 mpg – with whose grandmother behind the wheel, we have no idea. Inside? You know the deal – it's nice. Starting price when it lands in Deutschland Audi stores this spring will be €57,900, demonstrating that more sensible fun doesn't necessarily come on the cheap.
According to World Car Fans, there's a new hybrid S-Class concept from Mercedes-Benz slated to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week. Unlike the previously-announced mild hybrid version of the S 400, the new Vision S 500 will reportedly come equipped with a plug and capable of powering itself solely on electric power for considerable distances.
At the heart of the concept will be a lithium ion battery pack that will store 10 kWh of power, giving it an electric-only range of over 18 miles (30 kilometers). That power storage unit will send its electrons to a 60-horsepower (44 kW) electric motor mated to an unknown gasoline-fed V6. Together, the twin power sources will reportedly push the big Benz to 60 mph in under 5.5 seconds.
Naturally, fuel economy and emissions are of paramount concern with this type of machine, and the S 500 PHEV won't disappoint. We're not sure what standard was used to come up with the 73.5 (3.2L per 100 km) mpg figure, but it appears to compare rather favorably with other competing luxury hybrids. Stay tuned for more when we hit the floor in Frankfurt.
With many automakers scaling back production to better balance supply with demand, it's not surprising there are several hard-to-find models right now. Forbes Magazine made some calls and did a little research and turned up what they say is the top 12 most difficult to find cars. After the run on high-mileage cars recently, you'd expect to see hybrid models like the Toyota Prius at No. 2 on the list. Tied for second is a car on the other extreme, the Chevrolet Camaro. Both model are spending an average of 18.5 days on dealer lots.
But Forbes says the hardest to find new car recently is actually the Audi Q5. The Four-Ringed crossover sat around in showrooms an average of only 16.8 days in June and July. Audi had another hit on the list with its S5, which tied for 12th place with the Mini Cooper.
Only one other American nameplate showed up as a hot seller, and that was Ford's Escape and Escape Hybrid, slipping in at No. 10. Toyota had a whopping five vehicles on the list, including the Prius and the Lexus RX 350RX Hybrid. The Matrix was No. 4, the FJ Cruiser No. 8, and the RAV4 was No. 9. Said another way, "Thanks, Cash for Clunkers!"
more ...
Extra flared fenders, furrowed-brow visage, and a sinister matte black paintjob, all accompanied by a V8 snarl. While it's a development prototype, the RS5 mule snapped during lucky-dog brake testing duty in the Alps strikes us as the perfect look for a topped-out Audi two-door built for high speed strafing. When a car is coated in matte black and backs it up with 400-plus horsepower of engine, it means business, and the RS5's stock in trade will be all-wheel drive enabled speed.
If Audi really wants its new coupe variant to be tough, we propose sending a mule or two out for torture at the hands of automotive journalists.
Car and Driver sat down with Audi's global head of product engineering, Michael Dick, to discuss the future of the automaker's offerings and how it plans to tackle the ongoing issue of weight. While all automakers cite consumer demand and government regulation as one of the major reasons overall vehicle weight has skyrocketed in the last 20 years, Audi is actively pursuing its "smaller-is-better credo." To that end, the automaker currently has a next-generation A5 prototype running around that's 880 pounds lighter than the current car. Dick told C&D that the mule is using an increased amount of aluminum, magnesium and high-strength steel to reduce mass, and says while the current TT is 69% aluminum, the next A6 (due in 2011 or 2012) will have even more, and the next A4/A5/S4/S5 will feature more still when they arrive in 2014.
more ...
Audi's PR department has continued to toe the line that TT RS is not meant for Stateside consumption. However, MotorTrend's unnamed Audi insiders are saying the 335-hp coupe will make it to the U.S., albeit several months after its European introduction. According to the report, Audi USA has decided to delay the introduction of the hottest TT so the new 265-hp TT S can gain traction in the U.S. – or more accurately, before the RS variant steals the show. But that's not all we have to look forward to. The RS5 is still in the pipeline and MT pegs output of the 2+2 at around 500 hp, with a rear-bias Quattro system and a torque-vectoring rear differential joining upgraded brakes and a suitably aggressive body kit. We've already seen spy shots of the RS5 making runs around the 'Ring with its Bauhaus sibling, although there's still considerable debate about what lies under the hood, particularly after a video surfaced of the RS5 taking hot-laps around the Nordschleife.
more ...
Saudi tuner shops get different requests than the mod-masters in the US. While we may ask for bodyside moldings and a little something under the hood, the Saudis are just as likely to electroplate a precious metal onto their luxury rides. Since luxury vehicles seem to grow on trees in the world's oil capitol, tuner MyCar is challenged with differentiating these high-end vehicles to make them stand out in a crowd.
more ...
With the cars' European launch looming in Q2 '09, Audi has flooded its media site with new glamour shots of the Audi A5 and S5 cabriolets. The press release detailing the Euro-market lineup is pasted after the jump. Across the pond, the A5 range will include a 160-horsepower 1.8 TSI; two flavors of the 2.0 TFSI (180 and 211 horsepower); the 265-horsepower 3.2 FSI V6; a 240-horsepower 3.0 TDI; and a 190-horsepower 2.7 TDI. The S5 gets the new, supercharged 3.0 V6 making 333 horses. Other Cabrio-specific touches include an optional head-level heating system and leather that's specially coated to help keep the ladies from scorching their gams in the summer. The U.S. models arrive in Fall '09 with fewer engine selections. Same sexy bodywork, though.
As we told you last week, Scion is taking advantage of this year's Chicago Auto Show to drop yet another tweaked Scion tC, just like they did last year. This year's example is the 2009 Scion tC Release Series 5.0, of which 2000 examples or fewer will be built. One thing that makes this Release Series more interesting than some of its predecessors is the fact that Scion's modifications go beyond new paint and wheels. Besides the gloss black paint and red-lined, matte black, 18-inch wheels, parent company Toyota has added virtually everything in their TRD parts catalog. RS 5.0 gets lowering springs, a rear sway bar, a sport muffler and special badging, and there's also an optional rear lip spoiler.
more ...
