Spy photographers caught the Audi S5 Avant undisguised last spring and now we’re getting another look at the Sportback variant. Set to serve as a replacement for both the S4 sedan and current S5 Sportback, the redesigned model is heavily disguised but adopts a shorter and wider grille that is flanked by sweptback headlights. We can also see an aggressive bumper, which features vertical air curtains as well as a larger central intake.
Moving further back, there’s streamlined
styling and new flush-mounted door handles. They’re joined by an upward
sweeping beltline, a gently sloping roof, and what appears to be a familiar
greenhouse. The rear end is partially
obscured by snow, but we can see slender taillights that appear to be connected
by a thin illuminated strip. The car also sports a rounded rear bumper and a
familiar four-tailpipe exhaust system.
Spy photographers didn’t get a look
inside, but previous photos have shown the car will have a freestanding digital
instrument cluster and a larger infotainment system. We can also expect a new
flat-bottom steering wheel and a minimalist shifter. Audi has been tight-lipped
about the model, but it’s expected to ride on an updated version of the current
MLB Evo platform. It’s known as the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) and it
has been developed with electrification in mind.
That being said, the European variant will
reportedly use a familiar 3.0-liter TDI V6. It currently develops 337 hp and 700 Nm of torque, which enables the S5 Sportback
to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds before hitting a
limited top speed of 250 km/h. Less is known about the US-spec model,
but the current car has a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with 349 hp and 500 Nm of torque. It’s connected to an eight-speed
automatic transmission and a standard quattro all-wheel drive system, which
enables the model to run from 0-96 km/h in 4.5 seconds.
