Audi S5 Sportback at Frankfurt Motor Show

• Competes with: BMW 5 GT, Acura ZDX
• Looks like: Audi has the best-looking sport hatchback on the market
• Drivetrain: 333-hp, supercharged V-6, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission
• Hits dealerships: Spring 2010…in Europe

For some reason, automakers have fallen in love with a new bodystyle, the sport hatchback. Just having a hatchback version of a sedan isn’t enough for automakers, and obviously, there’s no one who wants a station wagon these days.

Companies are instead altering the design of their midsize cars to make them look sportier while adding the utility of a hatchback. BMW did it with the 5 Series Gran Turismo, Acura did it with the ZDX and Audi came out with the A5 Sportback. Audi is adding a high-powered version, the S5 Sportback, which boosts power to 333 horsepower and gets to 62 mph in an impressive 5.4 seconds. Audi says preliminary testing shows the combined mileage to be 24.5 mpg, as well. That’s better than a V-6-equipped Toyota Camry. The supercharged engine is also found in the new S4, S5 cabriolet and the A6 sedan.

It’s not a leap to say the A5 Sportback is the best looking of this new crop. If you disagree, there’s a comment form below. Overall, the S5’s added body cladding, 18-inch wheels and spiffy brake calipers make it more aggressive in terms of styling without crossing into the awkward looks of the BMW and Acura.

While both BMW and Acura are planning to sell their ungainly hatches in the U.S., Audi is keeping its babies in Europe for now. Check out more images below.

2010 Audi A5, S5 Cabriolets Priced

Many automakers seem to release convertibles throughout the year, which doesn’t make much sense to those of us who can only enjoy top-down driving for short portions of the year. Audi has already missed almost the entire summer driving season with its new line of convertibles, the A5 and S5 Cabriolets. The high-powered S5 will go on sale later this month with a starting price of $58,250. Unfortunately, lovers of the sun who are happy with the A5’s mere 2.0-liter, turbo four-cylinder will have to wait until fall to plunk down $42,000 for one.

The A5 will also feature a Quattro all-wheel-drive model with the same 2.0-liter engine, starting at $44,100. None of the prices include an $825 destination charge. 

Audi also announced pricing for the 2010 S4 sedan, which gets the same supercharged V-6 as the new A6 sedan, good for 333 hp. An RS4 will likely go on sale later in 2009 or early in 2010. Pricing for the S4 — which also goes on sale later this month — is below.

Cars.com Reviews the 2009 Audi A5

When considering the Audi A5, Cars.com reviewer David Thomas recommends thinking practically. Well, as practically as one can when buying a two-door luxury coupe. Is it a problem that the A5 falls into a gray zone between practicality and performance, or is it a competitive advantage that it blends the two well? Read Thomas' full review to learn about the curious dilemma the A5 presents to buyers.

2009 Audi A5 Review

2010 Audi A5, S5 Cabriolet

• Competes with: Convertible versions of BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G37, Lexus IS and Volvo C70
• Looks like: The sexy coupes get a droptop version that isn’t quite as good-looking
• Drivetrain: 211-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder or 265-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 with six-speed automatic in the A5; 333-hp, supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 with seven-speed double-clutch transmission in S5
• Hits dealerships: Fall 2009

The all-new A5 and S5 convertibles will hit the U.S. next year, replacing the current A4 and S4 Cabriolets in Audi’s lineup. The move isn’t surprising; the new A5 and S5 coupes have sold briskly and won over the Cars.com staff as well.

Like the outgoing A4 and S4, the new models will feature retractable soft-tops instead of the newly popular retractable hardtops, like we’ve seen on BMW and Infiniti. However, the move allows for 11.3 cubic feet of storage volume with the top down. In comparison, the Volvo C70, which is one of the Audis’ larger competitors, only offers 6 cubic feet of trunk space with the top down. 

One major difference between the new convertibles and the coupes is the engine in the S5 Cabriolet; instead of the V-8 in the S5 coupe, the S5 Cabriolet gets a supercharged V-6 that makes 333 hp. That means if you pick the open-air version you’ll lose 21 hp. We wonder how much of that power will be missed by convertible drivers, though. It’s also not a big drop-off in power compared to the S4 Cabriolet, which puts out 340 hp with a thirstier V-8.

A5 drivers will get a choice of front- or all-wheel drive in the base, 2.0T models. A5 3.2 models and the S5 come only with all-wheel drive.

Prices haven’t been announced, but we expect them to be higher than the A4 Cabriolet’s $40,750 and S4 Cabriolet’s $56,775 starting prices.  More photos below.

Cars.com Videos: 2009 Audi A5, 2009 Mazda 6, 2009 Chevy Aveo5

2009 Audi A5: The A5 is a sleek-looking luxury coupe, but its 265-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 fails to deliver performance thrills, David Thomas says.

2009 Mazda6: With its distinctive styling, roomy cabin and solid driving experience, the redesigned Mazda6 might be a great fit for your family; Mike Hanley investigates.

2009 Chevrolet Aveo5: Bill Jackson checks out a $14,000 Aveo5 hatchback. It gets you from here to there, but doesn’t do a lot more than that.

View and share all of Cars.com’s videos via YouTube.

2008 Audi S5: Through Ian's Lens

Like its big, bulky cousin, the Audi Q7, the S5 is first recognizable by its beast-like headlights and grille. The four rings of the Audi badge shine through the small chrome crossbars, and a tiny S5 badge sits snugly in the lower left corner, making people “in the know” aware that you’re driving a high-performance machine. The design team at Audi loves to play off the dichotomy of the curves in the logo and the vertical and horizontal straights of the grille and bumper. Small LED strips accent the main headlight housing like eyelashes and stay engaged as bright daytime runners. The rest of the car is designed with subtle lines that are smooth but fairly anonymous. I think the design mash-up of both European and Japanese exteriors is what I like most about the S5. It could fly by you on the road, and if you weren’t paying attention, you wouldn’t know what kind of car had just burned you.

Audi Announces A5, S5 Prices, Availability

Audi’s all-new A5 and S5 coupes have a price, but they won’t arrive at U.S. dealerships anytime soon. Manual S5s will show up in November, but Audi fans hoping for any other model under the Christmas tree will be a bit bummed out. All A5 models and S5s with the Tiptronic automatic transmission won’t be available until the spring of 2008. That makes their pricing announcement a bitter pill to swallow.

The A5 will start at $39,900 and the S5 will start at $50,900, both with manual transmissions. Destination is another $750, and automatics will cost an additional $1,300. In comparison, the BMW 335i coupe starts at $40,800, but we’ve heard from some buyers that those 335is are hard to find anywhere near that price — or at all. Perhaps Audi is wise to get people in the mode of ordering a new A5 or S5 now.

Related
2007 Geneva Motor Show: Audi S5 Photo Gallery (KickingTires)
2007 Geneva Motor Show: Audi A5 Photo Gallery (KickingTires)

Audi Diesels: No V-12, but V-6 Could Show Up Elsewhere

Diesel fans, time to start saving up. Audi could unleash its latest diesel V-6 on future versions of the A4 and A6 sedans, among others. Asked Saturday at a racing event in Elkhart Lake, Wis., about the production likelihood of a V-12 TDI, spokesman Chris Bokich instead pointed toward Audi’s smaller TDI V-6, which held “possibilities” for usage in the A4, A5 and A6. We would have liked to have seen the V-12 — it made a Herculean 738 pounds-feet of torque in a Q7 concept last winter — but the V-6 will have to do.

The engine makes its official U.S. debut in the 2008 Q7 TDI. It cranks out an unexceptional 233 hp and, more importantly, 369 pounds-feet of torque, the long overlooked performance statistic. That’s a healthy figure for a 5,300-pound SUV. How it will transform a 3,500-pound sedan like the A4 is anyone’s guess. Compare for yourself: The A4’s turbo four-cylinder makes 207 pounds-feet of torque; the optional V-6 makes 243.

The official word from Audi is mum. Spokesman Andrew Lipman says Audi will test the market for a diesel in the Q7 and “make a determination about putting it in other models.” But considering diesel engines’ pulling power and efficiency – mileage can be 30 percent better than regular gas, and thanks to modern exhaust treatment, sooty particulates are a thing of the past — we like the chances.

2007 Geneva Motor Show: Audi A5 Photo Gallery

We brought you early word on Audi’s all-new sport coupe last week, and today the world gets to see it in person. There’s nothing new to report about the 265-hp coupe, besides a slew of new photos in the gallery below. Interested shoppers will have to satisfy themselves with the eye-only-candy until the A5 goes on sale in the U.S. in November.

Cars.com’s Full Report on the Audi A5

Audi A5 Coupe World Debut

Automotive journalists knew this all-new two-door coupe was coming from Audi, but it will probably come as a complete surprise to most car shoppers. The A5 — debuting at the Geneva Motor Show — is based on an all-new car platform that will serve as the basis for the next A4 sedan. The A5’s size is similar to the current A4, and it will compete with the BMW 3 Series coupe.

The design follows much of what we’ve seen from Audi lately, with its big-mouth-bass grille, but the curvy line down the side and two-door body style is unique to the A5. Audi decided against calling the new model an A4 coupe, which may confuse some shoppers.

Powering the A5 in Europe will be two gasoline engines, a 265-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 and a 170-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder turbo. The V-6 sees a 10-hp increase over the power plant in the current A4, while the four-cylinder is actually a smaller engine than what’s in the current base A4. Audi has confirmed that the U.S. will only get the larger V-6, first with a manual transmission, then later with an automatic. There are also two diesel power plants in Europe, but they’re not going to be brought to the U.S. The A5 we’ll get here goes on sale in November.

We’re not sure how well the A5 will be received in the states, but the A4 has held up well and this new platform should be a significant improvement. Either way, it gives us a glimpse of the future of Audi’s most popular model. We have a full photo gallery below.