The 2013 Audi A5 will pick up new A7 front end cues.
The popular Audi A5 coupe, as well as its sporty sibling, the S5, will get some modest updates for the 2013 model-year, the most notable changes designed to pick up some of the design cues from the newest entry into Audi’s growing stable, the A7 coupe.
Though by no means the brand’s best-seller, the A5 line has nonetheless served as a halo for the Audi brand since its introduction three years ago, underscoring the claim by Walter da Silva, the brand’s former design chief and now head of styling for all of parent Volkswagen AG, that it was the best design he ever came up with.
The 2013 A5 and S5 models will adopt the face of the new A7, with a new bumper, more angular fog lamps and redone LED running lamps.
The taillamps will also be revised, though it will likely only be noticeable to Audi aficionados.
The big news for the 2013 Audi S5 will be the shift from a big V-8 to smaller supercharged V-6.
Inside, the A5 and S5 models receive some additional, if modest, tweaking, such as a new steering wheel and revised finishes on instruments and gauges. The most noticeable addition, however, will likely be the Audi Connect – also borrowed from the new A7. It presents Google-based images, rather than traditional maps, on the navigation screen. It also lets passengers access the Internet by tying in, via WiFi, to an onboard hotspot.
Under the hood, the A5 maintains its current powertrain options, which are the choice of pairing its 211-hp turbo V-6 will either a 6-speed stick or CVT, and front- or all-wheel-drive.
But the big news for 2013 will be the loss of the S5’s 4.2-liter V-8, which will be replaced by a smaller new 3.0-liter supercharged V-6. Horsepower drops from 354 to 333, but performance is nonetheless expected to improve, as will fuel economy.
The current A5/S5 line starts at $37,100. Pricing for the 2013 models won’t be announced until closer to launch.