2017 Audi A5 & S5 launched

Among the slew of launches lined up for this year, Audi had the A5 Cabriolet, A5 Sportback and S5 Sportback planned for the Indian market. Finally, the three cars have hit our shores and are priced to bridge the gap between the mainstream Audi A4 and the understated A6. The new offerings provide fresher styling wrapped in a better package, with a starting price of Rs 54.02 lakh for A5.

In India, the Audi A5 is available in two body styles, namely Cabriolet and Sportback, while the sportier S5 comes in a Sportback form. While the Cabriolet offers a clean and seamless design, the Sportback versions look radical due to their raked rear windshield and sloping roof. The S5, with its quad exhausts, brushed aluminium touches and five-spoke wheels, provides an even purposeful stance.

Equipped with a 2.0-litre TDI engine, the A5 comes mated to a seven-speed S-Tronic gearbox to develop 190 HP of power and 400 Nm of torque. The S5’s 3.0-litre TFSI V6 motor comes paired to an eight-speed unit and belts out 354 HP of power and 500 Nm of torque. True to its energetic design, it is faster than the A5 by over three seconds in the 0-100 km/hr sprint.

While the A5 does the sprint in 7.9 seconds, the S5 does it in 4.79 seconds. The longitudinally placed engines utilise the quattro all-wheel drive system in the A5 Cabriolet and S5, while the A5 Sportback gets a front-wheel drive layout.

On the inside, things are unmistakably similar to what we have seen from Audi in the past. The well laid out and precisely crafted dashboard gets false aluminium highlights in the S5. Equipment on offer includes a MMI infotainment unit, Bang and Olufsen sound system, smartphone integration suite, Audi’s Virtual Cockpit and some other niceties as well. LED headlamps, frameless doors, DRLs, 18-inch wheels and a sunroof spice up the exterior.

While an independent wheel suspension has been deployed at each corner, braking duties are taken care of by disc brakes aided with electronic help from ABS, traction control, electronic stability control and EBD systems. The S5 and A5 Sportback also get a start-stop system.