Audi A5 photos leaked

Audi’s new coupé has Munich in its sights

Official photos of Audi’s upcoming A5 coupé, scheduled to be unveiled at the Geneva motor show, have been leaked from the automakers dedicated microsite.

The A5 coupé shows how Ingolstadt plans to take on the BMW 3-Series coupé and Mercedes Benz CLK, and fill the void left in the automakers luxury coupé offering since the departure of the Quattro coupé years ago.

An elegant and understated design is brimming with characteristic Audi design cues: the front end styling and head lamps bear resemblance to the carmaker’s TT coupé, and the rear of the car evokes an A4-inspired decklid and evolutionary tail lamps. A deep and characterful groove runs the length of the wheelbase, and the wheel arches are flared for a purposeful sporting stance.

The new coupé will be built on Audi’s B8 architecture, a platform which is likely to be shared with the forthcoming A4 and A6 models. According to the photos, Audi’s 3-litre turbodiesel powerplant from the A4 and A6 saloon will find a home under the A5’s bonnet, but will be pushed further to the rear for better weight distribution and handling characteristics.

A range of petrol and diesel 4- and 6-cylinder engines will be available in the A5, and be accompanied by the V8 powerplant from the RS4 in the S5 and RS5 models. As rival BMW plans to unveil the next generation M3 in Geneva, it’s fair to assume the S5 variation of the coupé will be alongside the A5 on Audi’s show stand, though it is customary for Audi to hold off for the fire-burner’s reveal until a later date.

Transmission choices for the new coupé will likely include the six-speed manual and Audi’s DSG gearbox currently on offer in the TT. There is also speculation the carmaker’s renowned Quattro system will drive the wheels on most models.

The interior of the A5 is a familiar habitacle, with supportive leather seats, a stitched leather steering wheel and gear shift, and a reworked driver-oriented dash layout. The instrumentation is a variation of the gauge design first seen in the Q7 SUV, while the next-generation telematics – incorporating Audi’s MMI system – also features prominently.

Further details will become available when the car launches March 6th at the Geneva motor show, and we’ll be there to share them with you.