New Diesels And Trim Level For Audi A5

(Friday 3 February 2012)

Audi has added a pair of new TDIe two-litre turbo diesel engines to the A5 range. The first, available only in the Sportback, is the 136PS, which as its name suggests (when you convert from metric to Churchillian units) produces a maximum of 134bhp, leading to a top speed of 132mph and a 0-62mph time of 9.5 seconds.

Combined fuel economy is 64.2mpg and official CO2 emissions are 117g/km. Quirkily enough, the 161bhp version of the same engine has very similar figures of 62.8mpg and 118g/km despite being considerably quicker at 137mph flat-out and 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds.

As a further surprise, the more aerodynamically efficient Coupé TDIe - available only in 161bhp form - manages 64.2mpg and 115g/km. In real life the 134bhp Sportback is likely to be the most economical of the three, but the CO2 ratings mean that they all require payment of just £30 per year in Vehicle Excise Duty.

The 134bhp Sportback is available in standard, SE and S line trim (plus one other which we'll deal with in a minute) costing £27,320, £30,090 and £31,390 respectively. 161bhp versions cost £505 more. There's no S line version of the Coupé, which costs £28,775 in standard form and £30,545 as an SE.

These engines add to the list of diesels already in both versions, without replacing any existing ones. The Sportback is still available with 141bhp and 175bhp 2.0 four-cylinder TDIs and 201bhp and 242bhp V6s, while the Coupé gets all these except for the 141bhp one.

The new trim - already familiar in the A4 range, but new to the A5 - is called SE Technik. In addition to what's already provided with the SE it offers DVD satellite navigation, an iPod connection, cruise control and the Audi Parking Plus system with front and rear sensors, and it adds £1000 to the price of an SE Sportback and £500 to that of the equivalent Coupé.

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