Images from China have just surfaced
online showing the new Audi Q5 Sportback mostly free of camouflage and looking very similar to the
smaller Q3 Sportback. These photos from Autohome in China confirm that the new
‘Coupe-SUV’ looks quite different than the regular Q5.
At the front, Audi has ditched the
headlights of the standard Q5 in favor of ones more akin to those from the Q3
Sportback. This prototype also features a blacked-out front grille with a
chrome surround as well as some dashes of silver around the edges of the front
air intakes.
As the Sportback in its name implies, Audi
has overhauled the shape of the vehicle’s roof to give it that Coupe-like
appearance. There is no camouflage per say at the rear but there is some tape
over the taillights, hiding parts of their design. With that being said, it is
clear that they too have been altered from the taillights of the normal Q5.
The 2021 Audi Q5 Sportback will be offered
with many of the same powertrain options as the regular model, including the 55
TFSI e quattro model that uses a 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid with 362 hp. In
addition, an Audi SQ5 Sportback with 349 hp seems quite likely but a flagship
RS Q5 Sportback may not see the light of day.
The interior changes are expected
to be made for the Q5 Sportback. With that being said, the new roofline will
inevitably reduce headroom for rear-seat passengers while also reducing luggage
capacity.
