Nine years after its dashing debut, the Audi A5 Coupé is still one of the most desirable luxury compacts out there. Despite being an established member of the high-end coupé club following its 2007 debut, the A5 of course remains locked in perpetual combat with its traditional sparing partners the Mercedes C-Class Coupé, the BMW 3 Series Coupé and its subsequent replacement, the 4 Series.
Wading into the cut-throat luxury coupé arena is the all new A5 Coupé and its more unchained partner in crime the S5; and they’re spoiling for a fight with the old enemy across the way.
Tackling the 4 Series and C-Class Coupé head on, the all new A5 Coupé displays the same crisp lines and wavy silhouette of its predecessor. The new incarnation is in fact longer and larger, with a stretched wheelbase contributing to the extended bonnet and cabin space. That’s not to say that the latest generation model has been piling on the pounds. On the contrary, curb weight is trimmed by as much as 60kg, making the new A5 Coupé the lightest in its class and bulking down also allows the car to cut through the air significantly more efficiently than before.
Nestling behind the A5 Coupé’s widened grille, you’ll find one of five diesel and petrol powertrains. Upping the power ante considerably over the previous model, engines including the two six-cylinder 3.0 litre TDIs and the newly developed 3.0 litre petrol will now deliver between 187bhp and 282bhp. Meanwhile in the land of the speed demons, the M4 and C63AMG-rivaling S5 Coupé is fired by a boosted version of the V6 turbo which blasts out a hell-raising 349bhp of power, and speeds from 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds.
A six-speed manual or seven-speed S tronic gearbox features alongside the smaller four-cylinder units. Elsewhere, the eight-speed tiptronic is strictly the preserve of the top performing 3.0 litre diesel and the S5’s six-cylinder V6, both of which come standard with quattro all-wheel drive.
The Coupé’s all-new chassis combines suspension with optional damper control with Audi’s drive select handling system. Dynamic steering, which varies the gear ratio depending on your exuberance at the wheel, is also an optional extra.
As well as a generally roomier interior front and back, the refreshed two-door coupé also boasts an extra 10 litres of luggage space over the first gen model, raising total luggage capacity up to 465 litres. The boot is opened automatically via a foot motion sensor, common for premium cars of the A5’s ilk, whilst an optional tow bar is electronically released at the press of a button.
Audi’s virtual cockpit is yet another new addition to the A5 and S5 Coupé. It comprises of a central 12.3-inch screen plus a smaller 8.3-inch monitor and touchpad mounted on the centre console displaying the car’s voice controlled MMI nav interface. If the standard audio system doesn’t tick your boxes, a Bang & Olufsen sound system is optionally installable on request.
The new Audi A5 and S5 Coupé are both due for UK launch this winter, meaning you’ll be able to pre-order one of your own by the end of summer 2016.
