Audi A5 test drive since 2007
Updated Audi A5. A little pepper, a little powder
In Europe, sales of the updated Audi A5, in line and the Russian debut of the model have started. We arrived to the south of Spain to get acquainted with the top five: to evaluate the new steering wheel amplifier, the fresh gamut of the engines and, of course, admire the new headlights.Restyling is not so much technical as marketing. The scale of the facelift itself allows with high accuracy to determine the market fate of a particular model. If buyers met the car coolly, then during the modernization process the car is almost born again. But today is a rarity. Much more often manufacturers are easy to adjust the appearance, new power units and intriguing positions in the list of pre -equipment. And this suggests that the car was updated as such and was not required. And the restyling itself, in fact, is just an occasion to return to the first pages of the car press and again help customers.
Russian sales of the updated A5 are scheduled for November. Prices and configuration are still in the stage of approval. In the German market, a car in the base version with a 1.8 TFSI engine and 6-speed mechanics costs 33,350, 34,200 and 38 800 euros, respectively, for sportsback, coupe and convertible
So, the Audi A5 is fully laid in the concept number two. After all, from the very beginning, the car has been implemented from 2007 over 300 thousand compartment, convertibles and five-door sportsbacks. Today, five does not seem obsolete even against the backdrop of younger competitors and is one of the elegant cars of our time. Classic, unwilling forms, close to the ideal, the proportion is not large and not small, not high and not low create an image close to the ideal of a personal luxury compartment, as the specialists in body terminology would call this machine.
The restyled Audi A5 stretched by 1 mm. The length of the 5-door gym is 4.71 m, the compartment and convertible is shorter than 4.63 m
It is not surprising that such a successful appearance (by the way, the current Volkswagen chief designer Walter da Silva calls the five most beloved car), they did not touch, limited themselves to literally a couple of final strokes. A slightly changed pattern of the radiator grille at once and you will not notice. Take a look at the upper base of the inverted trapezoid now beveled corners, just like on the new A6 and A8. A much more noticeable new design of cast discs with knitting needles A la shoulder blades of a turbar, aircraft carrier. Well, where is the optics without her?! The headlights are generally a real fetish and silvas and companies. It is not surprising that almost all models of the concern are very original lighting, Audi is even at the forefront of the fashionable direction. The form of headlights itself has changed and now, rather, a triangle than a rectangle.
The corporate handwriting of daylight LEDs, outlining the entire perimeter of the headlight, became completely different. It looks spectacular even during the day, and in the dark, it is completely stunning! A recognizable strip of red diodes is and the lower edge of the rear lamps is also trimmed. In short, if the design of the machine has previously deserved five, now you need to add plusik to it.
In addition to the design of the front headlights and the rear lights, the fog -tummer pattern has changed
In the cabin, too, everything is recognizable, but everything is a little better. The machine gun selector is more convenient in the hand, the additional button to the right of the box lever simplifies the control of music blindly, and the proprietary system of complex settings Audi Drive Select can now be called not only through the MMI menu (by the way, it is logically built and, as always elegant), but simply by pressing it) button on the central console. Of course, you can recall the new backlight of the dashboard (now it is a white-lunar shade) or cool decoration materials. But is it only? To sing praises of Audi salon is as trite as to say that Mona Lisa is exhibited in the Louvre. Everyone knows about this. It is much more curious to find out that the newcomer is hiding under the contours of an elegant body.
The central console is slightly deployed to the driver, unequivocally hinting who is the main in the restyled Audi A5 salon
According to the mind, acquaintance with the car should start with the least powerful unit in order to feel the nuances of charged versions after. But it turned out the other way around, and as an aperitif, I came across a convertible with a 3-liter six TFSI novelty among the Audi A5 power units. How much can you find shortcomings in a 272-horsepower engine, which pairs with a 7-speeded SRTONIC box shoots up to hundreds in 5.8 seconds? Well, perhaps a relatively high fuel consumption ... Five, even in the usual mode of D of the Porelctic box, presses the back of the head into the headrest, and the second hundred on the speedometer appears frighteningly ... At the same time, the rejection-bass-bass-bass exhaust gear is impressive.
Inserts made of porous ash with natural texture look luxurious
Five rides excellent. To feel all the charm of a coure chassis, it is best to translate the Audi Drive Selectic settings switch to Dynamic mode. Moreover, I would constantly go only in it. Firstly, the comfortable component decreases slightly on the high-quality roads of the Andalusia this difference almost does not notice this difference, but in the relationship of the driver and the car, complete unity occurs. The steering wheel is pleasantly heavy, becoming extremely sharp, although it is still not dangerous nervous. The box independently and is very arguing, and the reaction to an increase in the supply of fuel becomes lightning fast. Finally, the sports differential in the rear bridge is more actively redistributing the moment, literally screwing the car into turns. But in comfort, the car immediately seemed not to be disgusting, but more frivolous. No still, you need to ride in Dynamic mode!
And the five has become more economical and environmentally friendly. The steering hydraulic power steering is replaced by an electric power, which enters into force when there is a necessity. By the way, the drive is very honest, and the reactions to the rotation of the steering wheel are sharp. The start-stop and the system of intellectual exercise control also take care of fuel and from now on are required for all five, not only in Europe and the USA, but also on machines intended for our market.
Distant to mass use and many new -fangled electronic lotions, which migrated to the five with more expensive Audi models. Most of them function normally, as they say, on paper. For some reason, active cruise-control does not always adequately reacts to a reduction in the distance to the driven car in front, and the system that returns the car to its lane during rebuilding without the turning point on is relevant only in Europe with its perfect road markings.
On front -wheel drive versions, the system of dynamic stabilization imitates the work of a self -locking inter -long differential, slightly brakes the wheel inner to turn and, thus, condemning the car inside the turn
I managed to try other five executions in the case. By the way, the forced version of the 3-liter six of the TFSI is also put on the charged version of the S5 (earlier the atmospheric V8 4.2 FSI, which issues 354 hp). The 333-horsepower apparatus is good, it is more dynamic than its predecessor, and with a parallel start on the ESKA empty highway, it will furnish a 272-horsepower A5 in two counts, but will it deserve a winning in nine tenths when overclocking up to a hundred overpayment of 10-12 thousand euros? Believe me, deserves! The additional cost of reckoning for a combat chassis sharpened on the track.
In addition, the machine will be supplied to our market with a new six-cylinder 3.0 TDI turbodiesel with a capacity of 245 hp, which is outstanding breathtaking 500 new-meters, well known to 211-horsepower 2.0 TFSI gasoline, as well as a 1.8-liter gasoline gasoline gasoline gasoline at first glance Turbo-four with direct injection.
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It was this motor that made the most strong impression on me. Engineers shoveled the unit thoroughly. Audi Valvelift System was added to the phasor reflectors (at the inlet and release). The power system (in addition to direct injection) is now equipped with additional nozzles that spray fuel in intake pipes (so at idle and partial load mode to achieve the required composition of the mixture). Here, friction forces in the cylinder-piston group were significantly reduced and the heat voltage control was revised.
Gasoline engine 1.8 TFSI
Thanks to these tricks, the modernized 1.8 TFSI is more economical than the predecessor by 18%, it began to meet the requirements of Euro 6 and significantly added in traction. Already from 1,400 rpm, the regiment of a solid 320 nm of torque begins, which stretches up to 3700 rpm (previously it was 250 nm in a narrower range). By the way, the maximum 170 hp (earlier it was 160) The engine develops in the range from 3800 to 6200 rpm.
In life, all these numbers mean very convenient traction control and good accelerated indicators. Agree, 7.9 seconds to hundreds for the base version are very good! By the way, this motor is joined only with a mechanical box. But on the front -wheel drive version 2.0 TFSI, in addition to mechanics, the Multitronic variator can be available. A full-wheel drive 2.0 TFSI and a 245-horsepower modification of 3.0 TDI will already go in company with a seven-speed pre-sequential robot S Tronic.
It is a pity that not many of the potential buyers learn about the remarkable nature of the simplest five. After all, our dealers are accustomed to order powerful 6-cylinder versions, which are also refined to the ties, traditionally expensive for Audi options. It is not surprising that usually the prices for A5, which are in show rooms, start from a mark of two million. And they do not really like to order the car in production.
And in vain! Audi A5 is also good with the base engine, which also provides a very interesting, almost democratic price. In Germany, say, the cost of an updated five begins at 33,350 euros, which is only 200 euros more expensive than the pre -relief version.
Dmitry Anatolyev
Photo: Dmitry Anatolyev and Audi
Source: Auto.mail.ru