New models from Audi

Audi has launched two new models to the Irish market, the New A5 Sportback (above) and the Q5 SUV, writes Trish Whelan.

The A5 was first launched in 2007 and has been a design icon for the Audi brand. The new model, built on a new platform, has been redesigned both outside and in.

At the car's recent Irish launch, Richard Molloy of Audi Ireland said one of the main reasons why people buy the A5 is for the exterior and interior designs and potential customers won't be disappointed with this latest offering which comes packed with connectivity, driver assist and safety features.

It is also some 85kgs lighter than the outgoing model.

Trims are SE and S Line, all come with more equipment as standard.

The SE entry gets xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, and LED rear lights, Audi MMI Navigation with 7-inch colour screen, Drive Select system, leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors, Cruise control, Keyless go, Pre-sense City, manual climate control, multi-function steering wheel, Bluetooth, Audi Smartphone Interface, heated front seats, and electric tail gate opening.

The S-Line adds exterior sporty styling upgrades, front sports seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, interior aluminium inlays and matt brushed aluminium.

All engines are, on average, some 22pc more efficient than before.

Petrols include a 1.4 petrol tronic 150, and a 2.0 190/190 S tronic and 252 S tronic quattro. OTR prices are from €48,440-€54,715 for the SE grade, and from €52,240-€58,515 for the S Line. Tax Bands are €270-€390.

The diesel is a 2.0 with 190bhp, available with a 6-speed manual, S tronic, and quattro options.

SE prices are from €59,600-€52,200; S Line from €53,400-€59,000. Annual Road Tax is from €200-€270.

The car I drove was the S Line 190bhp version which can do the 0-100km/h trip in 7.9 seconds and has a top speed of 238km/h. Road tax is €190-€390 per annum and the combined fuel consumption a claimed 4.2 L/200kms - 6.3L/100kms, and with a good 400Nm of torque.

An A5 Cabriolet will go on sale here next month priced from €60,730.

Meanwhile, Audi's New second-generation Q5 SUV has also gone on sale priced from €48,350-€72,150.

The first Q5 was for many years the world's best-selling SUV in its class, and the previous Q5 was a runaway success even in its final year.

The new car has been given sharper, more muscular and masculine styling and comes with a longer wheelbase giving the car a more spacious feel, comes with the latest Audi infotainment, connectivity, efficiency and has up to 30 driver assistance systems.

It launches here with a choice of 14 different exterior colours and five engines - four diesels and one petrol. All come with more power while reducing fuel consumption.

Diesel engines are a 2.0 TDI with 150/163/190bhp; a 2.0 190bhp, and a 3.0 286bhp. A 2WD 150bhp will follow in July priced from €47,500.

Trims for Ireland are SE and S Line which both have a more extensive list of standard equipment over the previous model.

Features include xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights and LED rear lights, the Audi MMI Navigation with 7-inch MMI colour display, Bluetooth and USB charging, Audi drive select, front and rear parking sensors. The LED interior lighting pack is now also standard across the range. Audi smartphone interface, Audi Connect, automatic boot lid and full body paint finish are standard on both trim line options.

Audi's virtual cockpit, with its brilliant graphics on a high-resolution 12.3-inch screen, is an option on both trims as is a head-up display which projects key information onto the windscreen.

The S Line trim includes LED  headlights, sport seats, 19-inch alloys, leather & alcantara upholstery along with an S Line exterior and interior pack.

Two new modes have been added, making seven in total. They are lift/offroad and allroad and emphasise the Q5's offroad character. The quattro on demand system moves all power to the front wheels in good driving conditions and only includes the rear wheels when extra traction is needed on difficult road, or poor terrain, conditions.

Drivers can opt for Audi connect, a permanently installed SIM card and can also avail of data packages for the car's Wi-Fi hotspot. The MMI connect app connects the car to a smartphone. Passengers can go online with up to eight mobile devices.

Basic luggage capacity ranges from 550 to 610 litres which is slightly more than in the previous model. This is expandable to 1,550 litres with the rear bench folded down.

At launch in Airfield, Dundrum, in Dublin, I enjoyed a quick drive in the 2.0 190hp, S Line with S-tronic 7-speed automatic transmission and with Quattro drive. It does from 0-100km/h in 7.9 secs, is in Band B2 of €280 per annum, and returns a combined fuel consumption of 5.3L/100kms or 56mpg.

While the Q5 range starts at €48,350, the RRP for the car I drove was €57,800. Options took this to €67,022.

Standard features onboard were Audi sound system, chrome roof rails, Front & rear park assist, Bluetooth interface, Audi Connect with Emergency/Service, Audi Drive Select, Cruise control, deluxe air con, electric parking brake, MMI Navigation, Sport bumpers, Sports suspension, and a tyre repair kit instead of a spare tyre.

The options were the rear seat bench plus (€510), flat-bottomed steering wheel (€166), Power lumbar support (€385), 3-zone deluxe climate control (€995), a 24-litre AdBlue tank (€74), a comfort key with sensor controlled boot (€1,528) and a City Assistance Pack (€1,034) which includes a reversing camera; and a Tech Pack (€2,550) comprised of the virtual cockpit, phone box, Audi connect with embedded SIM, and the MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch.

Metallic paint was another €1,294. It’s easy to see how easily the basic price can mount up when options are added in.