Audi A5-New premium coupé

THE CURRENT A5 is the one remaining dinosaur in Audi’s line-up. Originating from a time when Tony Blair was Prime Minister and you could happily puff away on a cigarette in a bar or restaurant, this four-seat coupé has roamed the earth for nearly a decade. Now it’s finally about to become extinct – and not before time because the current A5 is not only one of the least recommendable cars in Audi’s range, but it’s also long been outclassed by newer and more sophisticated rivals, such as the BMW 4 Series and the MercedesBenz C-Class Coupé.
In showrooms in November There’s an all-new A5 on the horizon, though, and we’re driving it here for the very first time. Based on the same underpinnings as the A4 Saloon, our Car of the Year 2016, it should be far superior to its predecessor thanks to a more upmarket interior, more powerful and efficient engines and more high-tech gadgets. It won’t arrive in UK showrooms until November, but when it does it’ll be available with a trimmeddown selection of the engines offered in the A4. The cheapest will be a 188bhp 2.0-litre diesel and the most expensive, at least at the outset, will be the 349bhp turbocharged V6 petrol in the S5. Depending on which engine you opt for, you’ll also have a choice of front- or four-wheel drive and manual or automatic gearboxes, and you’ll be faced with a myriad of suspension options. We drove the range-topping diesel model, which is powered by a potent 282bhp V6 engine and comes with Audi’s quattro four-wheel-drive system and an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard. The engine’s outright power is impressive enough, but it’s the amount of torque, or low-down pulling power, it produces that really takes your breath away. A gentle squeeze of your right foot is all that’s needed to build speed rapidly, but put your foot down hard away from some traffic lights and you’ll be doing 62mph in less than 5.5sec. The accompanying kick in the back is really quite savage, and the traction is so impressive that even damp roads provoke barely any wheelspin.

Quiet cruiser Just as impressive as the 3.0 TDI’s performance is its refinement. You barely hear more than a muted hum from the engine, even when accelerating hard, and you’ll have to really concentrate to feel any vibrations through the steering wheel or pedals. Minimal wind noise also makes the A5 a peaceful cruiser, although some road noise is noticeable over coarse surfaces; our test car’s larger than standard 19in alloys and the poorly maintained roads on our Portuguese test route probably didn’t help with this. Depending on which trim you choose there are three distinct suspension options. Our car had the sole adaptive set-up, which costs extra, but is supple enough to take the sting out of smaller ripples and bigger lumps alike. However, our big-wheeled A5 test car didn’t ride sharp-edged depressions quite as well the A4, particularly with the suspension switched to its sportier Dynamic mode. Audi says it’s intentionally made the A5 ‘sportier’ than its boxier four-door sibling because that’s what buyers will expect from a coupé. That’s sound enough logic, but the truth is if you’re looking for driving thrills from your coupé you’d be better off with a BMW 4 Series. Sure, the A5’s steering is always precise, but it never really involves you in the process of going round corners, which is a pity given how much fun to drive Audi’s smaller TT coupé is along a snaking B-road. That said, the A5 grips well and, if you switch the adaptive suspension to the firmer of its two modes, there’s little body roll through bends. We’ll need to try the two no-cost ‘passive’ suspension options before we can say if it’s worth spending extra on the adaptive set-up.

Swanky interior Audi is renowned for its classy, minimalist interiors that are both exquisitely finished and superintuitive. The new A5 doesn’t disappoint in this department, bettering its rivals from BMW and Mercedes with upmarket materials everywhere you look and a simple, user-friendly dashboard layout. Audi’s MMI infotainment system comes as standard and features a clear 7.0in display that’s mounted centrally on the dashboard and controlled using a rotary dial sited between the front seats. You twist the dial to scroll through the on-screen menus and press it down to select; there are also some handy shortcut keys to take you straight to specific functions. Sat-nav comes as standard on all trims, although the digital Virtual Cockpit shown in our photos – a 12.3in screen that takes the place of the standard analogue instrument dials – costs extra. The driving position is tough to fault, with plenty of seat and steering wheel adjustment and a comfortable seat that provides good upper back support. It’s a shame you have to pay extra for adjustable lumbar support, though. It’s an extra we’d advise you to fork out for if you do plan on doing lots of long journeys.

Clearly, you won’t be considering a coupé if space is your number one priority, but the A5 isn’t as impractical as you might imagine. A couple of six-feet tall adults will fi t in the back easily enough, although they’ll have to slouch to keep their heads from brushing against the roof lining. Offi cially, the A5 has more boot space than a 4 Series or a C-Class Coupé and, while the differences are small, the A5’s load bay is usefully squarer than those of its rivals. Split-folding rear seats are standard, and when folded down they leave only a gentle slope in the fl oor of the extended load bay.
Small price hike Prices haven’t been confi rmed, but expect to pay around £2000 more than you would for an equivalent A4 saloon. That means this range-topping 3.0 TDI quattro will cost from around £42,000, although the entry-level (and likely best-selling) 2.0-litre diesel should start at a more palatable £33,000. Whichever engine appeals, if you’re pondering whether to hold off on that 4 Series or C-Class Coupé order, there’s plenty about the new A5 that might make you do just that. It is plusher inside and also marginally more practical than these two key rivals, and the 282bhp V6 diesel engine in this version is an absolute belter. Pick the right BMW 4 Series and you’ll enjoy a more rewarding drive on a winding country road, but the A5 is the better all-rounder and, in the right spec, it should even come close to topping the similarly impressive all-round talents of the latest Mercedes C-Class Coupé.

*** Verdict:All-new coupé is a vast improvement, with powerful engines and high-tech gadgets.Great all-rounder that brings the fight back to German rivals