Audi Confirms A5 Sportback, Q5 Hybrid, RS5 Engine & New A8 November Unveiling

 Audi Confirms A5 Sportback, Q5 Hybrid, RS5 Engine & New A8 November Unveiling
Audi A5 Sportback Artists Rendering / Copyright by Larsson

2010 launch date for the A1

Audi's Chairman of the Board, Rupert Stadler, has outlined the brand's upcoming product offensive at an annual shareholders meeting in Germany.

During his remarks, Stadler confirmed that the highly anticipated 2010 A8 will unveiled in November and that it will be "the sportiest luxury sedan in its class - and set new standards with regard to interiors."

As for the A5 Sportback, Stadler announced it will be revealed sometime this year and it will be a "genuine innovation in the B segment: a revolutionary vehicle concept offering the ideal blend of functionality and aesthetics."

Other notable announcements included a 2010 launch date for the A1 minicar, a Q3 crossover for 2011, and a possible hybrid version of the Q5.

In other Audi related news, Car magazine is reporting that a source has indicated that the upcoming 2010 RS5 will feature a naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 engine with 450 bhp and 332 lb-ft of torque. Available initially only in coupe form, a convertible version is expected to join the lineup later on.

 

Source: autocar and carscoop

Add a Comment

Comments (32)

Subscribe to comments
 Renegade Renegade
The wolfs are hunting in packs.
May 15, 2009 1:46 pm
 adz612 adz612
The rest of the model offensive I understand....but an A5 Sportback? So where does that leave the A4 Avant?
May 15, 2009 1:47 pm
 catchmyshadow catchmyshadow
the A5 sportback has less space than an A4 Avant in the back. it is principally like an A4 sedan with a hatchback and made for those who like the looks of a coupe but want great versatility as well.
May 15, 2009 2:10 pm
 lucifa lucifa
Hang on, "the sportiest luxury sedan in its class - and set new standards with regard to interiors"? So it'll be more fun to drive than a 7 Series and more luxurious than an S-Class? Good luck mate. Saying you'll beat arguably the two biggest names in premium automotive at their own respective games... it'll be one hell of a car, then, if they manage it. As for the A5 Sportback, I've heard someone successfully explain the point of a 5 Series GT, so can anyone manage that with the Sportback? I can't see a wagon's main selling point over say, the A4, being aesthetics, especially since the A4 Avant isn't exactly ugly, even if it is just an A6 Avant on a shorter wheelbase. I'm lost with the Sportback, can anyone enlighten me?
May 15, 2009 2:11 pm
 catchmyshadow catchmyshadow
The A5 sportback looks like a coupe-ish A4 with a hatch. here is a spy pic from the back: http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/5148/a5sportback.jpg so the WCF larson rendering above, which looks like an A5 Avant, is nowhere near the production form
May 15, 2009 2:17 pm
 genie genie
Its a more coupy looking wagon, basically. Very much like the 3 series GT.
May 15, 2009 2:15 pm
 catchmyshadow catchmyshadow
i think u mean the 5-series GT, anyway much more beautiful than the BMW.
May 15, 2009 2:23 pm
 ShinyG ShinyG
I like how lately "sport" has become used is everything but sports cars. We have "sportsbacks, sportwagons, sports utility vehicles, sports activity vehicles, etc. Basically everything without a clear purpose is "sports" now!
May 15, 2009 2:37 pm
 p0ssuid0 p0ssuid0
I believe that the A5 Sportback is going to be Audi's 4 door coupé, in a lower class than an hypothetical A7... And look to the "other" Sportback from Audi! The Audi A3 Sportback isn't exactly a wagon (OK, it isn't also a coupé, but I don't think that Audi will put on sale three different wagons with almost the same engines, size, etc...) So, I really don't think that the A5 Sportback is going to be an "A5 Avant"...
May 15, 2009 2:37 pm
 xenomorph xenomorph
I think everyone has been mislead by the "sportback" being used. Audi is calling all of its four door coupe's "sportbacks" (A5 and A7). The A3 started it, but they are using the name to differentiate themselves from the growing number of four door coupe's. Essentially the A5 sportback is a mini A7 as well, its not an avant in any way, its a four door coupe' with a back end that completely lifts up, that is, the rear glass pane and all, a bit like how the Aston Martin V8 Vantage's entire rear opens, for example.
May 16, 2009 3:03 am
 catchmyshadow catchmyshadow
that´s rite, the A5-sportback is like a smaller version of the upcoming A7 which has been shown as the "sportback concept" this year. The next generation A3 will feature a really coupeish version as well, so the next A3 sportback in 2011 might look similar to the upcomin A5, A7 sportback versions.
May 15, 2009 2:46 pm
 SebXX SebXX
Coupé-ish with a hatch says it all. It's like, say in a bit smaller, remembler the old Volvo 480ES And even better as it'll get 2more doors, I'm really looking forward this A5 SB
May 15, 2009 3:01 pm
 FP23 FP23
I hate WCF for attaching those inaccurate CGI rendering of the A5 Sportback. There is no need for that shit, production ready models are already on the street and beeing photographed since weeks, but never shown over at WCF ... Posting this immaginations let people give commentaries like "A5 Sportback is same as A4 Avant..."
May 15, 2009 3:03 pm
 Targa_Florio Targa_Florio
Correct, it will be a 5-doors "coupé", not a 5-doors wagon nor a 5-doors hatchback, if we dare call it a "coupé"... IMO it is only a 5-doors sedan version of the A4, the normal A5 is an A4 coupé... ShinyG, I'm fully with you, let's call a cat a cat, not a lion! For 10 years they're calling "Sport xxxxxx" whatever is not a sport car, now since 3 years we're calling "coupé" sedans that should have look like that on standard models. In the end we cannot find any decent sport car (i.e. weighting less than 1250kg) except the extreme and expensive Lotus Elise.
May 15, 2009 4:25 pm
 D12NAB D12NAB
Maserati Quattroporte anybody?
May 15, 2009 4:51 pm
 omardarwish55 omardarwish55
SHINYG IS RIGHT ! whats up with calling a 4 wheel drive a sport utility coupe for example ? while it isnt exactly sporty and isnt exactly coupe with these 4 doors ! it was kinda cool at the beginning when mercedes came out with the CLS as the first four door coupe and yea it looked really nice ... but now this is going way too far ! a 5 series has always been a sedan ... whats that 5 series GT !!! why change the whole point of a 5 series ?! I am not talking about the model itself being good looking or bad looking .... I am just commenting about the naming !! Calling that car a 5 series GT is like calling the X6 "X5 CC" for example !!
May 15, 2009 6:00 pm
 X6M X6M
RS5 sounds good, Mercedes C63 AMG also sounded good, than the E92 M3 came!
May 15, 2009 9:30 pm
 Swifty Swifty
you think that E92 M3 is best in class??? well what about CLK63 AMG Black Series??? ever heard of CLK-DTM-AMG??? Well let me tell you that Bimmer has nothing to show against those two!!!
May 17, 2009 2:21 am
 lucifa lucifa
Black Series and DTM aren't direct competitors to the M3 -- they'd be competing with the CSL, only BMW canned it.
May 17, 2009 10:28 am
 tootall tootall
A lot of talk about all these other models, but I have not been hearing about the new upcoming RS4 of late.... So is it deleted from the line up or something? I need to know if it's worth waitng around for it, or should I direct my intrests elsewhere.
May 15, 2009 11:22 pm
 norther norther
goooood nneeeeeewwwssss finallllyyyy. check it out guys. the rs5 wil have a NATURALLY ASPIRATED 4.2 which cranks 450 bhp. so it is not a biturbo. nice audi, very nice. i was starting to have nightmares. you must have read my comments, and felt my suffering. all nice and beautiful. an a5 sportback? say what? audi, do you really have to take one step back after taking 2-3 steps forward. pls, think of it.
May 15, 2009 11:30 pm
 tootall tootall
Uhhh.... Sure it dose, that's what the above article mentioned.
May 15, 2009 11:33 pm
 736939 736939
Hey and what about-new Audi A7 ????? (killer of CLS - class)???????
May 16, 2009 4:41 am
 fatter1 fatter1
I really hope this new A8 will deliver. I really like the current generation but it's starting to seem ever so slightly dated. And I hope they don't scrap the 6.0 W12 or the S8.
May 16, 2009 9:22 am
 isaacu isaacu
Congratulations to Audi on its 100 years "celebs" coming up this July. From "Horch" to "V16 Auto Unions" to "NSUs" to "Quattros" to "the quest for lower aerodynamic drag" to "best quality interiors" to "individualism across the range", it has been one beautiful journey of "vorsprung durch technik". Result? Audi sits up there alongside Mercedes-Benz and BMW. I cant wait for the new Audi "Ah-Acht" - A8. Should be a "thing of quality". Happy Birthday Audi!!
May 16, 2009 10:38 am
 leafy_bug leafy_bug
I love how some people are experts yet they've never driven audis, bmws, or mercs. Best case scenario, they drove one and they make a conclusion for all. I've had the opportunity to drive a few audis, bmws and mercs in my life. I drive on the autobahn everyday and I had a very shocking experience with Audi. Sunny day, 25 degrees, autobahn towards Koblenz, driving a nice TTs, 220 km/h, and , in a right turn, on the lane towards the wall, the rear started behaving fancy and the dashboard lit up like a christmas tree. ESP, all that whatknot kicked it. I controlled the car, not my first BBQ but I was shocked. I drive often on that highway and at greater speeds, sometimes in worse conditions and my 335i never behaved like that. There is a very clear difference between BMW and AUDI. BMW will always handle better. People who say Quattro rules, they've never driven a 535 xd to see what all wheel drive is all about. A merc I love is the C63 AMG. That thing flyes like a rocket but it is very docile. For my character and personality it is not aggressive at all :(. I want something to keep me active and alive at high speeds. The c63 AMG, is so comfy and well built that, you don't feel a thing. You see the tacho, 180, 220, 270 km/h and it feels like a bed on 4 wheels ;). When I am in my 50s I will look for a merc ;). Bottom line, people prefer audis because of FWD mostly. Many have this disgust for RWD because they heard from the neighbour, dog, poodle, etc that RWD is bad. If they heard from some dude who has tried RWD 100 m, never drove more than 100 km/h, that RWD is the enemy then it is the enemy.
May 16, 2009 12:30 pm
 BabyMilo BabyMilo
No i dont like the idea of an A5 Sportback, its all wrong... Are they trying to do a BMW and great new sectors??
May 16, 2009 4:26 pm
view more comments