Sporty A5 a neat trick

Sporty A5 a neat trick

IT looked as though Audi had - rather uncharacteristically - missed a trick. Long-running rival Mercedes had discovered a niche for a new model which is a bit like finding a seam of gold in a rock that's been scaled hundreds of times.

Then along came Audi's blood brother, VW, and jumped on the bandwagon too.

The two models I'm referring to are the four-door coupe-shaped Merc CLS and the copycat Passat CC with its rakish lines and sloping tail. Both saloon, with the looks of something more sporty but possessing the usability of a typical four-door saloon, have been runaway successes in an albeit fairly small sector.

But for the last three years Audi has been working on its own variant and the twist is that the new A5 Sportback has the added bonus of extra practicality thanks to a hatchback tail. Both the CLS and CC are traditional booted saloons with separate luggage compartments.

By effectively melding the A5 coupe with both the A4 saloon and the Avant, Audi has ended up with a five-door coupe that can hold nearly as much as the Avant when the rear seats are folded - 980litres.

There will be a choice of six engines and prices start at £23,710 when the range goes on sale next month.

To start with, there will be two petrol versions - a 2.0TFSI, 209bhp and potent 3.2litre V6 FSI delivering 263bhp. The diesel line-up will comprise 2.0litre TDI and three litre V6 TDI. Soon afterwards a less powerful 178bhp 2.0litre TFSI and a 188bhp V6 2.7litre TDI will be introduced. The usual quattro four wheel drive option is offered on some of the versions. Most expensive model at launch will be the 3.0 TDI Quattro at £34,020.

The first thing you notice about the Sportback is its wide, low stance. It looks very much the sports car and as a consequence getting in requires a bit of suppleness as you duck your head below the sloping roofline. Once seated, there's bags of space both in the front and the back and thanks to a relatively low seating position head room is more than adequate. Even in the back my hair was a couple of inches from the roof lining.

The facia and cabin are straight from an A5 which is no bad thing, although I sense Audi's lead in dashboard design and interior styling is being gradually chipped away at. It no longer feels as 'special' as used to be the case.

I first drove the 209bhp 2.0 litre TFSI which has one of my most favourite engines. Its eagerness to rev and the constant torque make everyday driving more pleasant than it deserves to be.

The figures stack up well, too. A 6.6sec spring to 62mph and a top speed of 150mph is enough for most drivers, especially when the emissions are a reasonable 172g/km which translates as 38.2mpg combined. In Quattro form the Sportback stays glued to the tarmac. On normal roads, even at higher than average speed it was not possible to detect any loss of adhesion.

Next was the 3.0TDI Quattro with its thumping 238bhp six cylinder which has enough torque to pull a train. Quiet and refined, it is limited at 155mph and trims a couple of fractions off the TFSI's acceleration to 62mph, managing it in 6.3secs. Combined fuel consumption is 42.2mpg.

Both cars are quite stiffly sprung, although the suspension settings can be adjusted to taste via the central computer system. If there's a criticism of the A5 Sportback it is that it feels rather soulless and lacking in personality - perhaps just too efficient.

Audi, who have already sold out of the first batch of A5s, reckon that 75 per cent of orders will be for diesel versions and that a similar proportin will be business sales.

Smooth-looking, and as practical as it gets for a low-riding coupe, the A5 Sportback is undoubtedly another chapter in Audi's success story.