New Audi A5 Sportback at Dubai Motor Show

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Design
With the A5 Sportback, Audi has once again reinforced its position as the leader in automotive design. The five-door coupe features emotional and progressive styling to fascinate with powerful elegance and sporty proportions. It is 4.71 meters long and 1.85 meters wide, but only 1.39 meters tall - 36 millimeters shorter than the A4 Sedan, for example. With the long wheelbase of 2.81 meters, the short overhangs and the wide track (1.59 meters up front, 1.58 meters at the rear), the A5 Sportback cuts a powerful figure on the road.

The front is marked with horizontal lines. The horizontal bars come to the forefront in the single-frame grille, which is framed with a narrow strip of anodized aluminum. Two lateral edges underscore the presence of the single-frame grille and extend over the hood as a powerful V contour.

The wide headlights are like technical works of art. A strut vapor-coated with chrome - the "wing" - separates the individual lamp chambers and imparts an unmistakable look. Typical for Audi, the daytime running lights are standard -
as are the fog lights, which are mounted in the side air intakes and framed with
a tasteful chrome ring.

Audi uses xenon plus lights as a standard. The daytime running light is provided by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in an arched strip. The LEDs are characterized by their distinct appearance and particularly low energy consumption. The dynamic cornering light system known as adaptive light is optionally available.

The A5 Sportback's sporty character is also immediately apparent when viewed from the side. The large wheels - 17-inch wheels are standard with sizes up to
20 inches available as options - are framed by a powerful body with a slender window strip. The C pillar runs rearward in a long, elegant wave. The pillar integrates a narrow third side window with an upward pointing tip - a homage
to the Audi 100 Coupé S from 1969.

Typical Audi: the ratio of glass to sheet metal
The ratio of glass to sheet metal surfaces is between one-third and two-thirds,
a characteristic Audi proportion. The sharp edges in the sheet metal are also characteristic of the brand. They mark the edges of tautly muscular, convex/concave surfaces and subdivide the profile - the elegantly curving shoulder line runs below the window sill; the dynamic line above the door sills. The exterior mirrors with their LED turn signals add further fine touches.

Horizontal lines also emphasize the width at the tail. The spoiler lip on the large luggage compartment hatch has a contrasting look. The exhaust system's tailpipes run separately down the left and right sides.

The two-piece tail lights taper inward; the LEDs form a distinctive ring-like light pattern. The third brake light is integrated into the vehicle contour as a narrow strip on the upper edge of the rear window. 24 individual light-emitting diodes produce a homogenous light here rather than point lights. With this new technology, Audi once again underscores its leading role in the world of LED technology.

A5 Sportback buyers can choose from a palette of 15 paint colors. The solid colors are called Ibis White, Brilliant Black and Brilliant Red. The effect finishes go by the names Ice Silver, Amethyst Gray, Dakar Beige, Sphere Blue, Condor Gray, Aruba Blue, Lava Gray, Phantom Black, Garnet Red, Deep Green, Deep Sea Blue and Meteor Gray.

For many Audi customers, the design is a prominent factor, and often the primary factor, in the buying decision. This will certainly also be the case with the A5 Sportback. These customers enjoy a high standard of living, are oriented toward sport, prestige and lifestyle, and are often self-employed in creative professions. They are technology enthusiasts and appreciate new intelligent concepts.

The mid-size premium segment in Europe is stable - emotion-packed new models like the Audi A5 Sportback have very good prospects. Audi plans to sell the vast majority of the volume in Western Europe, with a good third of total sales expected to remain in Germany. Great Britain is expected to be the second-largest sales market, followed by France, Italy and Spain. In the Middle East the A5 Sportback is expected to be a fashionable extension of the Audi model portfolio.

Audi A5 Sportback: Exterior dimensions
Length 4,711 mm (15.45 ft)
Width 1,854 mm (6.07 ft)
Height 1,391 mm (4.56 ft)
Wheelbase 2,810 mm (9.22 ft)
Track, front 1,590 mm (5.22 ft)
Track, rear 1,575 mm (5.18 ft)

Body
The foundation for the qualities that characterize the Audi A5 Sportback is the high body stiffness, which provides the basis for the precise, sporty handling, the superior ride comfort, the high crash safety and the tranquility on board. Oscillations and vibrations are practically imperceptible to the driver and passengers - including those transmitted through the steering wheel and the seat, which comprise the interface to the vehicle.

Audi uses a wide range of state-of-the-art technologies to build the body-in-white (body as referred to after completion of the Weld shop before Paint shop). These include hot-shaped steel sheets, most of which are fabricated in the Ingolstadt plant where the A5 Sportback is produced. The tailored blanks of boron alloy steel are heated to 950 degrees Celsius in a continuous furnace and immediately quenched and shaped in a water-cooled die.

This imparts them with an extremely high tensile strength. You could hang six Audi A5 Sportback cars weighing a total of ten tons from a strip of this material two millimeters thick and 30 millimeters wide. Hot-shaped steels are very light, and profoundly impact the weight balance. The A5 Sportback 2.0 TFSI weighs only 1,615 kilograms with quattro.

Consistent use of lightweight construction: aluminum front fenders
Hot-shaped steels are used in the side sills, the longitudinal members, the center console, the B-pillars and the front cross members. Audi uses the ideal material in each area. The front fenders of the A5 Sportback are made of aluminum, and they, too, reduce the weight and contribute to the finely balanced distribution of axle loads.

The joining technologies also underscore the state-of-the-art character of the body structure. A structural adhesive enhances strength in many areas. Innovative laser-beam welding is used at the sills and the doors.

The area below the luggage compartment hatch and the invisible joint between the side of the car and the roof, on the other hand, are joined with the utmost of precision by means of plasmatron brazing.

Unlike many of the competitors' cars, the A5 Sportback does not require an overlay on the roof. Here, Audi's high-tech character and quality approach are evident, complemented by close joins throughout the body.

The five-door coupe glides smoothly through the wind. The drag coefficient is 0.29; the front face measures a uniform 2.18 square meters. Painstaking fine-tuning in the wind tunnel, which includes a paneled aerodynamic underbody, are among the air flow optimizations implemented.

The Audi A5 Sportback protects its occupants with cutting-edge technology. Full-size airbags stand at the ready in case of a frontal collision. A sensor reports the seating position to the control unit so that it can adaptively trigger the belts and airbags - and that means the best possible protection for passengers large and small in all types of collisions.

The side airbags, which are optimally positioned in the front seats, and the large-volume head airbag system provide protection in the event of a side impact. The integral, specially developed headrest system stands at the ready on the front seat in the event of a rear end collision. This technology ensures that the headrests securely support the head early in the crash process and thus help to counter the risk of whiplash.

Interior and trunk
Thanks to its long wheelbase, the A5 Sportback has a spacious interior in which passengers sitting in all four seats will enjoy plenty of room. The A5 Sportback offers much better leg and shoulder room than the A5 Coupé, its dimensions being only few millimeters short of those of the A4 Sedan.

The long doors open wide to afford very easy entry and exit, and the car has a very unique, coupe-specific touch: All four side windows are frameless.

The Audi A5 Sportback is designed as a four-seater. Compared to the A4, the rear seats are mounted slightly lower and somewhat farther forward. A sliding center armrest with storage compartment is standard, with two additional cup holders available as options. The front seats are sportily low and sculpted for perfect ergonomics; they can be precisely power-adjusted, include four-way power-adjustable lumbar support and offer perfect control and support. Audi offers a fine array of options, including sport seats with large side bolsters, extendable thigh rests and a memory function. The greatest comfort is offered by the climate-controlled comfort seats, in which small fans with an automatic heating & cooling function ensure that the driver and passengers neither sweat nor freeze. There is also an optional storage package with additional nets and compartments under the front seats.

Also typical for Audi is the premium selection of coverings for the entire range of seats: Milano and Valcona leather. The range of colors includes black, pale gray, lunar silver, cinnamon and cardamom beige in various combinations.

The headlining is available in black, star silver and linen beige; the carpet in black, quartz gray and coriander beige. Inlays come standard in aluminum hologram and three types of wood - dark burl walnut, light ash and medium-brown laurel, a wood from Chile - are available as options.

Fine materials: luxurious interior
The interior of the A5 Sportback is a treat for the senses. Elegant design touches, perfect ergonomics, high-grade materials and uncompromising craftsmanship impart a harmonious overall impression. Teardrop-shaped chrome frames surround the two large instruments and secondary indicators. The high-mounted, central onboard monitor is standard, as is the three-spoke leather multifunction sports steering wheel.

Flowing lines link the cockpit visually to the door linings; the center console is inclined toward the driver. It always comes with the convenient and ingenious MMI operating system. With its intuitive, easy-to-understand menu system, the large buttons and the central control knob on the middle tunnel, it is the best solution on the market. There is a lot of room on the tunnel. Instead of a conventional mechanical parking brake, Audi uses an electromechanical system that gets by with just a small button. The control button for the starting assist function is also located here.

The luggage compartment is another of the Audi A5 Sportback's strengths. The long hatch with the electrically actuated lock opens to provide access to a large, very usable luggage compartment with plane walls lined with fine materials in the same color as the interior appointments. Its pass-through width measures exactly one meter, and the low loading lip is protected by a strip of stainless steel. In its standard configuration the luggage compartment has a volume of 480 liters. If you fold down the rear seat backs - an effortless procedure - this increases to 980 liters.

Among the practical details are the standard hooks for hanging up shopping bags and lugs for securing larger loads. A fixed cover shields the long luggage compartment from curious gazes. Audi has come up with a clever solution to prevent it from being a nuisance during loading: The cover is divided into two parts. The shorter part latches laterally into the mountings integrated into the luggage compartment lining; the longer latches to the hatch. When the hatch is opened, the cover moves upward with it and fits precisely with the shorter part when the hatch is closed.

Audi offers an entire range of additional solutions as options. One of these is a load-through hatch between the rear seat backs that also includes an integrated removable bag for skis and snowboards. The optional reversible mat is intended for the transport of soiled objects - one side is made of velour, the other is rubberized. The luggage compartment package includes a 12V outlet, a storage net, a tie strap, additional bag hooks and a luggage net.

With the optional removable trailer hitch, the A5 Sportback can pull loads up to 2.1 tons (braked, eight percent gradient).

Engines
Audi has also consistently turned to innovative technologies for the engines. The A5 Sportback will be available with a 2.0 TFSI engine at launch. It proves that efficiency and dynamic performance are not mutually exclusive, but rather build on one another.

The 2.0 TFSI gasoline engine uses state-of-the-art technologies - FSI direct fuel injection, the Audi valvelift system for the variable control of valvelift and turbocharging. The combination unites a free-revving character with pulling power and solves an age-old problem of turbo technology - the high temperatures and the resultant tendency to knock.

Because the directly injected fuel cools the combustion chamber by means of its profound swirling, Audi can use a higher compression ratio in the TFSI for improved efficiency. The package has so far convinced more than 1.3 million buyers worldwide, as well as the experts: Just a few days ago, an international jury of journalists awarded the four-cylinder unit the title of "Engine of the Year" in its class for the fifth year in a row.

The primary characteristics of the two-liter engine are the adjustable intake cam shaft and the two balance shafts, which provide for low-vibration operation. The 2.0 TFSI has been rigorously optimized in important areas such as the cylinders and the connecting rod bearing shells for minimal friction. The oil pump is operated under volumetric flow control and at two speeds, which also reduces the consumption.

The 2.0 TFSI also demonstrates the advanced state of Audi technology in the area of fuel injection. Six-port nozzles admit the fuel into the combustion chambers at a pressure of 150 bar - further support for efficient combustion is provided in the form of valves that swirl the charge. The turbocharger is water-cooled, and its turbine blades and vanes have been optimized for improved startup performance. The intercooler also combines high efficiency with low weight and small size.

The Audi valvelift system in the two-liter TFSI ensures that lift of the exhaust valves is switched in two stages depending on need. This reduces flushing losses in the combustion chamber and also ensures that the optimal flow of the exhaust gas is directed to the turbocharger. The driver notices this effect in the form of instant development of torque, increased performance and reduced fuel consumption.

The 2.0 TFSI puts out 155 kW (211 hp) and 350 Nm of torque over a wide range between 1,500 and 4,200 rpm. Coupled with the seven-speed dual clutch S tronic transmission and the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system, it accelerates the five-door coupe to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds and can keep going up to a top speed of 241 km/h. The average fuel economy of 7.4 liters of fuel per 100 km testifies to the high efficiency.

Recuperation: energy recovery standard
Audi uses its new technologies from the modular efficiency platform in the A5 Sportback. All models are equipped with a recuperation system that makes use of the kinetic energy during deceleration. During the coasting and braking phase, the alternator can convert the kinetic energy into electrical energy that is stored temporarily in the battery.

When the five-door coupe accelerates again, the battery feeds the energy back. This improves fuel efficiency by reducing the load on the alternator, which is driven by the engine.

Drivetrain
The 2.0 TFSI rolls off the assembly line with a seven-speed S tronic transmission. The high-tech dual-clutch transmission changes gears within a few hundredths of a second and does so with such serenity that the driver barely notices. Its high efficiency and long gear ratio in seventh gear benefit fuel consumption. The driver can let the seven-speed S tronic shift automatically or interact, if desired, via rocker switches on the steering wheel.

The seven-speed S tronic comprises two separate transmissions and integrates two nested multi-plate clutches that control the various gears. The outer clutch directs the torque via a solid shaft to the gear wheels for the gears 1, 3, 5 and 7. The inner clutch directs the torque via a hollow shaft revolving around the solid shaft to the gear wheels for the gears 2, 4 and 6 as well as reverse.

Both transmission structures are continuously active, but only one is connected to the engine at any one time. For example, when the driver accelerates in third gear, the fourth gear is already engaged in the second transmission structure. The change of gear occurs by changing the clutches. The mechatronics module, a compact block comprising controllers and hydraulic actuators, controls all shift and clutch operations with extraordinary precision, even when maneuvering centimeter by centimeter.

The power flows from the output shaft to the center differential of the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system, which distributes it in two directions. Normally 60 percent flows to the rear differential and 40 percent to the front differential - a sporty characteristic. When a wheel begins to slip, the mechanical center differential instantly and automatically transfers most of the power to the axle with the better traction. Up to 85 percent can be directed to the rear wheels and up to 65 percent to the front wheels.

Chassis
The Sportback draws on all of the high-end skills of the A5 series for the chassis as well. The five-door coupe shines with sporty handling, superior stability and good ride comfort. The Audi A5 Sportback turns in quickly and willingly, takes all manner of corners at high speed and with great stability, finding good traction at the exit point of the curve.

There are a number of good reasons for these strong points. Among the most important are the high body stiffness and the balanced distribution of axle load. As in the entire A5 series, the front axle is moved far to the front of the Sportback as well. This was made possible by the unusual arrangement of the powertrain components. The differential, which determines the position of the axis, is mounted directly behind the longitudinally installed engine and thus in front of the clutch or torque converter. The battery was moved to the luggage compartment for better balance.

A lot of technology went into the chassis itself. All major components of the front and rear suspensions are made of aluminum, which greatly reduces the unsprung masses. The front wheels are mounted on a five-link axle that can absorb separately the longitudinal and lateral forces acting upon it. Bearings are stiff in the lateral direction for sporty precision and soft and supple in the longitudinal direction.

The front axle and the engine are fastened to an auxiliary frame that is rigidly bolted to the front section of the car. The high rigidity facilitates the spontaneous generation of steering force. The steering box, mounted low and far forward, transmits the steering commands directly to the wheels.

Precise and efficient: the steering
The rack-and-pinion steering with its 16.1:1 ratio is sporty and direct. It connects the driver with the road and provides precise and finely differentiated feedback. The system's regulated vane pump only provides as much hydraulic energy as is needed at the moment. The speed-sensitive servotronic is standard with the
2.0 TFSI.

The A5 Sportback has a self-tracking, trapezoidal link rear suspension. It is also mounted on an auxiliary frame and is very compact in the interest of luggage compartment space. The springs and shock absorbers - the latter with small supplemental stop springs - are mounted separately on the wheel carriers, making it possible to combine high ride comfort with sporty precision.

The Audi A5 Sportback has large, powerful brakes that can be very precisely metered. The 2.0 TFSI features front discs measuring 320 millimeters in diameter. The calipers are made of a composite material. The piston housing is made of aluminum and dissipates heat very well. The lightweight brake calipers are extremely stiff; the discs and cover plates are also very light.

The Audi A5 Sportback rolls standard on 7.5 J x 17, forged alloy wheels shod with 225/50 tires. Four additional 18-inch wheels, one of which in an A5 Sportback-specific design, and three 19-inch wheels are available as options. The top of the line is a 9 J x 20, seven twin-spoke cast wheel shod with 265/30 tires.

High-end technology: Audi drive select
A5 Sportback customers can also order an optional Audi high-end technology that is unmatched by the competition - the Audi drive select dynamic control system. It enables the driver to access all of the technical components relevant to driving dynamics and vary their function by switching between three modes - "comfort," "auto" and "dynamic."

If an MMI navigation system is on board, a fourth mode - "individual" - is available. This mode enables the driver to freely compose his or her own custom settings from a large number of parameters.

Audi drive select influences the engine's throttle response characteristic, the shift points of the seven-speed S tronic and the boost of the servotronic steering. The modular structure of the system means that it needs to be combined with at least one of two other technologies - adaptive shock absorber control or dynamic steering.

The electronic shock absorber control system uses CDC (continuous damping control) shock absorbers. Their electromagnetically actuated valves control the flow of hydraulic fluid between the inner and the outer tubes by opening orifices of different sizes. A large cross-section provides a soft damping characteristic, and a small cross-section provides a taut characteristic. A fast controller continuously analyzes the signals received from 14 sensors and calculates the optimal damping per wheel in extremely short intervals - 1,000 times per second.

The dynamic steering: always the perfect ratio
Dynamic steering is another pioneering technology from Audi that comes as an option on the A5 Sportback. It varies the steering ratio by nearly 100 percent as a function of driving speed and the mode specified by Audi drive select. The heart of the system is a superposition gear integrated into the steering column and driven by an electric motor. Known as a harmonic drive, the low-friction unit is compact and light, free of play in operation, and precise. It can transmit immense amounts of torque and is very efficient.

At low speeds, the system is very direct and boost is also very high, which makes parking extremely easy. At moderate highway speeds, the system becomes less direct and provides less power assist. At top speeds, an indirect steering ratio and low level of power assist facilitate steady tracking.

The dynamic steering works together with the ESP stabilization program to provide sportiness and driving safety. Because it can make steering corrections in less time than the brake system needs to build up pressure at the wheels, it eliminates the need for many braking actions, and driving therefore becomes faster and more fluid. Dynamic steering counters oversteer caused by load changes as well as understeer, and also provides valuable assistance when braking on surfaces with different coefficients of friction.

Equipment and trim
Audi did not design the A5 Sportback as a niche model, but expects solid volumes - a realistic outlook considering the complete package of strong qualities and the very competitive prices. The base version of the Audi A5 Sportback is already generously equipped. It comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, fold-down rear seat backs, an easy-to-use and highly efficient three-zone automatic air conditioning system, a leather sport steering wheel and the Concert audio system including a CD player and the Audi sound system with ten speakers. The concert radio with CD has a memory card reader for music files. Also included are a 6.5-inch color monitor with MMI operating logic and the Bluetooth mobile phone preparation.

A number of other fine features round out the standard equipment. These include an electromechanical parking brake, six airbags, belt tensioners and force limiters, Isofix child seat preparation, the recuperation system for the recovery of braking energy, fog lights, heated and power-adjustable exterior mirrors, four power windows and an intelligent ignition key that automatically stores service-relevant data. The 2.0 TFSI also features the servotronic steering, which automatically adapts steering boost to the driving speed, and xenon plus with LEDs for the daytime running lights and the tail lights, a light and rain sensor as well as the Audi parking system for the rear.

In addition to this attractive level of standard equipment, Audi also offers a long list of options that bring premium-class luxury to the five-door coupe. Adaptive light supplements the xenon plus headlights with dynamic cornering lights. The high-beam assistant automatically switches between the low and the high beam. The convenience key can now stay in the jacket pocket - the doors are opened by radio and the car is started by pushing a button.

Other interesting options include side airbags in the back, an interior lighting package with discreet lamps, and an alarm system. Wheels are available in 17, 18, 19 and 20 inch sizes.

The top-of-the-line MMI navigation plus is a high-tech media center. The high-resolution, seven-inch color monitor presents the map in either a conventional or a topographic view; city models and points of interest are shown in 3D. A 40 GB hard drive stores the map data, the music files and the user's contacts. The voice input system recognizes whole words. The radio module features a multiple tuner, and there is a player for audio and video DVDs that can be controlled very easily via a special joystick function for the MMI control unit. The A5 Sportback can be further upgraded to include a CD changer, an interface for the full integration of an iPod and the Bluetooth car telephone, which uses a radio link to copy the card data from the user's mobile phone if the phone honors the SIM Access Profile standard. The luxury sound system from Bang & Olufsen transforms the A5 Sportback into a rolling concert hall - a 505 watt 10-channel amplifier powering 14 high-performance speakers.

Radar and camera: the assistance systems
A whole range of optional assistance systems make driving even more relaxing, more controlled and safer. The adaptive cruise control with the integrated Audi braking guard uses radar technology to maintain the distance to the car in front. The integrated Audi braking guard provides the driver with advance warning of an impending collision and assists with braking. Audi side assist also uses radar to make lane changes safer. The Audi advanced parking system uses the rear-view camera to display the area behind the car on the onboard monitor.

AUDI AG sold a total of 1,003,469 cars in 2008 and thus achieved its 13th consecutive record year. The Company posted new record figures with revenue of €34.2bn and profit before tax of €3.2bn. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Györ (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). Aurangabad in India saw the start of CKD production of the Audi A6 at the end of 2007 and of the Audi A4 in early October 2008. The Company is active in more than 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG's wholly owned subsidiaries include Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A. in Sant'Agata Bolognese (Italy) and quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm. Audi currently employs around 58,000 people worldwide, including 46,500 in Germany. The brand with the four rings invests around €2bn each year in order to sustain the company's technological lead embodied in its "Vorsprung durch Technik" slogan. Audi plans to significantly increase the number of models in its portfolio by 2015 to 40. The Audi brand celebrates its 100th birthday in 2009. The company was founded by August Horch in Zwickau on July 16, 1909; he named it Audi after the Latin translation of his surname ("hark!").

AUDI AG's commitment to the region was confirmed through the foundation of its fully owned subsidiary in 2005: Audi Middle East. Sales in the Middle East rose by 21.2 percent to 7,732 cars in 2008 (2007: 6,380). The current Middle East model range comprises the A3 Sportback and A4, the A5, A6, S6 and RS 6, the TT Coupe and Roadster, the A8, S8, the Q5, Q7 and the R8.


For further information, please contact:

Rami Joudi
Audi Account Manager (ExtraCake PR)
Audi Middle East
Audi Volkswagen Middle East FZE
Dubai Airport Freezone
P.O. Box 27758
Tel: +971-4-2045-888
Dir: +971-4-2045-870
Fax: +971-4-2045-890