A5/S5/RS5 Audi A5 Official Pictures

[Choleric]

Design wise...

Meh, each is to his own, I guess...

 

[RICHBOY]

I'm totally with you Audiholic. 4 years ago the Nuvolari just screamed "This is the big, bold future of Audi" and we all swooned.

To cop a dumb analogy: Say you get a $2,000 bonus, and you're a spendthrift. You could 1 - Buy a whole bunch of fancy dinners, designer jeans and a night out at the casino, or you could 2 - Buy an expensive keepsake like a Swiss wristwatch or a nice piece of gear like a LCD TV or a new computer - something that really sticks.

I feel as thoughy Audi could have gone with option 1 and 2, but instead they just went with 1. They took little pieces of the Nuvolari and sprinkled them throughout the line, which was a good thing. But what the certainly didn't do was release the car that would make a very strong impact on fans, skeptics and the public at large.

With regard to Audi's brand image, the whole is not the sum of its parts. The Nuvolari would have been a headline grabbing icon, a serious fashion statement and a stark contrast to the German competition.

The time has already passed, and I think Audi has robbed itself of a great opportunity.

Sure, sure, that makes alot of sense. Audi should of put out a concept car we've all been looking at for four years! If you wanted to see pissed, then they should of done that!!

 

[chonkoa]

It seems they decided to unveil the S5 as well. Loving it.

http://www.left lane news/2007/02/20/2008-audi-s5/

 

[PanterroR]

It seems they decided to unveil the S5 as well. Loving it.

http://www.left lane news/2007/02/20/2008-audi-s5/

We already have a thread about it...

http://www.germancarforum.com/showthread.php?t=11293

 

[Sunny]

Man you guys are vicious, I Love this car.

I am glad it doesn't look like Nuvolari because than it would look old and bland. Of course it doesn't look like the R8 because that is a supercar, it is meant to look unique, but its shoulder line is very similar to the A5. You can complain about it all you want but I'm sure once it's out in the flesh you'll come around, I remember all the bitchin about the B7 when it first came out.

Dude, no way, the Nuvolari is a timeless design, the lines would make sense even 2 decades later - this on the other hand is a sad, shoddy, confused - let us change something for the sake of it - design. A coupe based on the A4 convertible would have looked better.

I think this is Audi's 7er - and hopefully it gets a severe facelift or a transplant soon.

 

[Osnabrueck]

Dude, no way, the Nuvolari is a timeless design, the lines would make sense even 2 decades later - this on the other hand is a sad, shoddy, confused - let us change something for the sake of it - design. A coupe based on the A4 convertible would have looked better.

I think this is Audi's 7er - and hopefully it gets a severe facelift or a transplant soon.

I wouldn't say 7er here, because the E65 really made waves. For the most part, people either loved it or hated it. It put BMW on everybody's lips and sparked passionate debate. The A5, on the other hand, will have its adherents - and everybody else will be indifferent. (I do agree, however, that an earlier than usual facelift is probably in the cards.)

The Nuvolari was a car with potential to create a lasting impression, like the TT did in the late 90s.

The A5 will be largely forgotten as a competent model that simply blended in with the rest of Audi's range. Like the A4 cabrio, it will seem dated after just a couple of years.

 

[RICHBOY]

I wouldn't say 7er here, because the E65 really made waves. For the most part, people either loved it or hated it. It put BMW on everybody's lips and sparked passionate debate. The A5, on the other hand, will have its adherents - and everybody else will be indifferent. (I do agree, however, that an earlier than usual facelift is probably in the cards.)

The Nuvolari was a car with potential to create a lasting impression, like the TT did in the late 90s.

The A5 will be largely forgotten as a competent model that simply blended in with the rest of Audi's range. Like the A4 cabrio, it will seem dated after just a couple of years.

You act like you know this car is and will be recieved. This give me the web address where you got this strange insight to the future!

 

[Zwiep]

I am so mad, so I made this.

Congrats Audi, you have made a BMW.

Except a BMW doesn't have Skoda tail lights!

Ok its not the same fore 100% but the "C-form" in the light is very Skoda if you ask me.

 

[Osnabrueck]

You act like you know this car is and will be recieved. This give me the web address where you got this strange insight to the future!

Sure, it's germancarforum.com - I'm smug enough to say that I already know how this car will be received. But we'll see... right?

 

[RICHBOY]

Meh, each is to his own, I guess...

Well Choleric I guess we stand alone on this car, with all the bad designs out this is the one they choose to sh!t on!

 

[NarutoRamen]

Except a BMW doesn't have Skoda tail lights!

Ok its not the same fore 100% but the "C-form" in the light is very Skoda if you ask me.

Not just the skoda but the previous Civic Coupe in the US had the C-shaped lights as well. I'm trying to find a pic but it's not a very popular car...LOL

 

[Sunny]

You act like you know this car is and will be recieved. This give me the web address where you got this strange insight to the future!

Well, this is the internet and it doesn't cost anything to make predictions and here is my worthless both foot in the mouth prediction on A5: this car will end up like the A4 convertible, few Audi fans will buy it and that is bout it. It is not going to set any sales chart on fire or seriously threaten E92 sales, heck, even G35 will sell better.

Audi, seriously had a golden chance to create an icon with the Nuvolari and they let it slip away.

 

[Osnabrueck]

Well, this is the internet and it doesn't cost anything to make predictions and here is my worthless both foot in the mouth prediction on A5: this car will end up like the A4 convertible, few Audi fans will buy it and that is bout it. It is not going to set any sales chart on fire or seriously threaten E92 sales, heck, even G35 will sell better.

This car will do a tick better than the A4 cabrio, and will receive some cirtical acclaim, but that's about it. "Sex factor" is of utmost importance in this segment, and the A5 lacks that. This car would already be crippled by the Audi badge in North America, so it's a double-hit that the profile is so hatchback-like. This needed to be a car that changed perceptions about Audi, but instead it's the status quo - and maybe even a watered-down iteration of the status quo.

The new G35 coupe will sell huge in the states because it delivers the goods and carries a pretty strong value proposition. Power, looks and a rear LSD at a price that appreciably less than the BMW. No doubt the A5, once specced out to your liking, will be a very expensive animal.

Audi, seriously had a golden chance to create an icon with the Nuvolari and they let it slip away.

Amen. Audi had a mandate to take advantage of the excitement surrounding the Nuvolari, and they totally squandered it. Heck - Audi would be still be in a perceptually better spot if they axed the new TT, axed the R8 and forged ahead with the Nuvolari. Once again, VAG product dev biffs it.

 

[Alwing]

To be honest I feel a bit underwhelmed.
It's still a handsome car though but not really special.
I bet it'll look better in reallife.

It's kinda strange to see that the Audi A5 is a different looking car than any other current Audi's.
I'll probably will get shot in the face by Audi-fans for saying this but here's how I look at the new Audi A5. It's just my opinion, let see how many people will share my opinion.

• General design
All the current Audi models are easily recognizable as a typical Audi design like the A3, A4, A6, A8, TT and the Q7. You just have to look at the design and you can already distinguish.
I really like the Audi's designs because the use of solid, clean, simple yet powerful and straight lines. That's how I would describe Audi's design.
Its simplicity and cleanliness is easy on the eyes and yet it looks so modern and classy.

The new Audi A5 however looks like a BMW in some angles and kinda un-Audi like in others.
It looks like they started losing the simplicity and the use of straight lines. Instead it seems like they are headed for complicated/complex lines like those can be found in a BMW 3, 5, 6, 7, X3, X5 and Z4.



In the Audi A5 the side profile is kinda wavey instead of Audi-ish straight. In photo's below you can see it quite clearly.
Also look the second picture below or the right one depending on your screenresolution, just focus on the doors and let everything else blur away in your thoughts. It's almost too scary how much it resembles the doors of a BMW 5 series.



It's kinda pity in my opinion because the Audi Nuvolari conceptcar looked very promising and also very Audi-ish.
Clean, simple, classy, modern, powerful and very......Audi...

• Coupe rooflines
What strikes me is that the Audi TT and the Audi A6 which is a sedan has an elegant sweeping smooth coupe-ish rooflines, comparable to a Mercedes CLS or CL in a certain extent. Which I find it quite attractive. The Audi Nuvolari as shown above has it as well.

But the Audi A5 which is a true coupe doesn't has the smooth sweeping rooflines of a coupe like the A6 and the TT has.
The roofline looks okay until it reaches about the 3/4 to the end, after that 3/4 its roofline goes steeper downwards. Which makes the roofline doesn't flow as well as the Audi TT and the Audi A6.
It's as if the designer didn't knew where the C-pillar was when he was drawing the roofline. The designer must've thought "Oh, I've drawn so far already, ah well, I'll draw a steeper line to finish it to make it easier for myself." A kind of an afterthought.
Maybe they wanted to reincarnate some design elements of the legendary Audi Coupe Quattro like the rooflines into the new Audi A5.
But then again, it would be silly. The Audi Coupe Quattro was legend because of the Quattro technique. "Vorsprung durch Technik", it was a technical impressive car rather than a beautiful car.
Current Audi's has a modern and classy design and copying boxy rooflines from the 80s isn't really a modern and classy thing to do...in my opinion at least...
Also I don't know if it's just me but in some photo's it looks like the bottom of the windows are a bit wavey and going downwards a bit.

• Headlights
I'll try to make it a bit short.
The headlights somehow doesn't blend very well with the overal design in my eyes, not as well as with the Audi TT.
The headlights design itself is a bit dull, it'd be worse if it wasn't for the LED's otherwise the headlights would look even more boring.
It just isn't exciting and edgy as the Audi TT and the Audi R8, it simply doesn't flow as well with the design.

• Interior
This is the area where Audi really shines most of its time.
Even though the interior looks top notch and high quality, I just can't help thinking that the people at Audi held back with their design and inspiration on this one.
It just isn't on the same level as with the Audi A6, TT, R8 and the Nuvolari.
I'll let the photo's do the speaking.

• Conclusion
Now I may have sounded a bit harsh but it's just how I look at it and my opinion.
The car didn't fail me though, I'm sure it's a great car but I'm just left disappointed as it could've been so much more and better in terms of design.
I can't help but think that they held back with designing this new Audi model.
Maybe they didn't want to finance too much on this new car because it's just so new to Audi and didn't really know if it really will be a success.....

 

[Tumbo]

TNow I may have sounded a bit harsh but it's just how I look at it and my opinion.
The car didn't fail me though, I'm sure it's a great car but I'm just left disappointed as it could've been so much more and better in terms of design.
I can't help but think that they held back with designing this new Audi model.
Maybe they didn't want to finance too much on this new car because it's just so new to Audi and didn't really know if it really will be a success.....
[/i]

Alwing, just read thru the posts that have been written today, and you will notice that most of your poinst has already been told. For a true Audi fan like me for example, this A5 scares me to death. Why? Cause it doesn't look like an Audi. And for so many models to come very soon, I am very scared if ANY model will look near this A5....

 

[Yperion]

Look what heppens. I 'm away for a few days and Audi decides to leak the pictures of A5.

Anyway the car looks exactly as i had predicted so no surprise for me.

 

[LaArtist]

^BUT DO you really like it??

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

I don't know what to make of this car...if I like it or not.

But one thing is for sure, Audi's design leadership and 'academic' approach to design has gone out the windows! What do you make of this Rob? Hussein?

The Novulri was true to Audi's teutonic design language and came out stunning, while the A5 is trying so hard to be sexy, the teutonic theme has gone out the window. Its a mash up of Audi, BMW and Bentley.

Walter DaSilva probably said its his best looking car for the sake of publicity.

If this is any indication of the direction of future Audi's, I'm afraid to say they may have relinquished their design leadership much too quickly. The new MB's and BMW's look much more coherent.

*Disclaimer* - In typical Audi fashion the interior is stunning, though I do feel they held back on the design a bit, and I may yet eat my words after seeing more pictures or the car in person.

 

[bmer]

At first sight I was a bit scared that Audi had missed the goal with the design of this A5. But now after I've been looking at the pictures for some time I have to say that's it's really growing in me! The front has some similarity with A6, S3 and TT. The side profile looks better than I thought it would. The rear is refreshingly new although I think it's also the part that will take the most time getting used to together with the bending shoulder line. The interior is like a "facelifted A6 interior" so no weaknesses there. All in all I'm quite satisfied with it.

 

[Yperion]

^BUT DO you really like it??

Is there any reason for me not to?

I 'm sure it will look even better IRL. The TT looked good in the photos but it looks stunning IRL. Same with Audi Q7.