The Gran Turismo coupe is a genre that Audi hasn't explored for the past decade -- ever since the two-door variant of its 80 sedan bit the dust in 1996. The four-ringed brand has in the meantime given us the A4-based Cabrio and slinky TT coupe/convertible, but a genuine rival for the BMW 3 Series Coupe and Mercedes CLK has been lacking from its line-up.
Given the Latin heritage of the GT coupe formula (think: Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Ferrari and Lamborghini), it's perhaps appropriate that Italian style-meister Walter de'Silva was entrusted with penning the A5's lines.
The now-former Audi crayon wielder (who says the A5 is the "most beautiful car" he's ever designed) has since been bumped up the corporate ladder to head-up the VW Group's design department, but that's another story (read interview here).
The A5 is also significant as it debuts an all-new architecture that will eventually be used to underpin the next-generation A4 and A6 sedans. Audi's vehicles have been oft-criticised for their nose-heavy handling characteristics, and the new platform is designed to address this by moving the engine rearward and the front axle forward, thus improving the car's weight distribution.
As is the norm with Audi, the A5 will be offered in front-drive and all-wheel-drive formats, and with an array of engines ranging from a new-generation 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo unit, to a 4.2-litre V8 (in the S5 flagship). Also Australia-bound is a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 with a mountain of torque.
The expansive line-up planned for our market means there will be a model to combat pretty much every variant of the BMW 3 Series Coupe and Mercedes CLK. The range is likely to ultimately include a hard-core RS5 variant, too, and this would be pitched against the upcoming new-generation, V8-propelled BMW M3.
The A5 is a fairly large car for its category, measuring 42mm longer and 72mm wider than a BMW 3 Series Coupe and this is evident in its stance on the road. Audi says the aim was also to make it a genuine four-seater, rather than a 2+2.
Read the rest here:
http://www.carpoint.com.au/car-review/2588003.aspx[/img]
Audi A5 Coupe.
can it be moved ???
Linear Mode
