New Audi A5 Sedan debuts in South Africa as A4 replacement - here's how much it costs
The new Audi A5 Sedan replaces the previous A4.
Image: Supplied
Until now you would have known the Audi A5 as a Coupe and Convertible, but thanks to the firm's new naming strategy that uses odd numbers for combustion models, A5 Sedan is the badge worn by the A4's replacement.
The new A5 has just landed in South Africa, with the 2.0 TFSI S-Line priced at R1,123,000 and the 2.0 TFSI quattro priced at R1,238,000. Audi is also offering these two in Black Edition guise, priced at R1,166,800 and R1,281,800 respectively. This places it at a premium over the BMW 320i, which starts at R963,000 in M Sport guise, and the Mercedes C200, which commands R1,095,000 in AMG Line guise.
The new A5 Sedan is the first Audi product to be underpinned by the new Premium Platform Combustion (PPC).
It's called a Sedan and looks like one too, but the new A5 is technically a hatchback.
Image: Supplied
Despite it being called a Sedan, likely to create a closer association with the A4 it intends to replace, the new A5 is actually a five-door hatchback. This makes it similar in concept to the previous A5 Sportback that it also intends to replace.
The A5’s cabin ushers in the new Audi MMI Panoramic display, which combines an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.5-inch central touch screen into a single curved panel with OLED technology. A 10.9-inch screen for the front passenger screen is optionally available.
Audi has also upgraded the configurable head-up display system, which can now be used to control vehicle and infotainment functions.
The interior ushers in Audi’s new MMI Panoramic display.
Image: Supplied
Detailed specifications for the local line-up will be revealed shortly.
Although an innovative mild hybrid drivetrain is offered overseas, South African versions are powered by a regular 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine that produces 146kW in the front-wheel drive model and 200kW in the all-wheel drive quattro. In both cases, these are linked to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
Also set to debut soon is the new S5, in Avant station wagon guise only. It features a 3.0-litre V6 turbopetrol that’s good for 270kW. The performance model also receives a quattro sport differential with torque vectoring.
Audi says it has extensively improved the chassis and steering on all A5 models, while the optional adaptive damping system offers a greater range between comfort and sporty handling.