Audi Q5 2011 News

Audi built its first hybrid production car in 1996 - the Audi duo, driven by a TDI engine and an electric motor.  But it has taken until now for the German manufacturer to begin producing its follow-up hybrid. Audi group communications, product and technology manager Josef Schlossmacher says they will begin making the "first hybrid model of the present generation" in the next few months.  It will be the Q5 hybrid with a 157kW 2.0-litre TFSI engine and a 25kW electric motor. "Following, we will also bring into the market hybrid versions of our big sedans, A8 early in 2012 and a couple of months later the A6," he says.  "At Audi we are convinced that hybrid cars are an important step to the fully electrical drivetrain of the future." However, Australia may not see hybrid Audis for some time yet.  Audi Australia corporate communications manager Nadine Giusti says the Q5 hybrid will only be built in left-hand drive, "so we cannot bring the car here".

The spread of the dealer network aims to keep up with demand caused by a booming population and Australia's strong economy.  Within two years, BMW will see $40 million spent on new or refurbished outlets as it shoots for 50 national dealerships.These include a second dealership in Perth ($15 million), expanded Doncaster (Victoria) premises ($10 million), a North Shore Sydney franchise ($8 million) and a new dealer at Tweed Heads.  The Perth dealership, to be built this year by the existing franchisee, is in the city's expanding northern suburbs.BMW Australia managing director Stavros Yallouridis says the expansion reflects the mechandising concept that takes the product closer to the buyer.  "We are, to a degree, a product for the impulsive buyer," he says."We have to go to the buyer and that redefines the distribution of our products. In many cases, as we expand our products with smaller cars, we have to be in city areas that demand small cars in order to sell to our target market."Yallouridis says the car market was aiming for record highs and, in BMW's case, highlighted by the 1-Series, X1, 5-Series and 7-Series."The X3 comes in next year and there's the 1-Series hatch and coupe, so sales will expand further," he says.The Audi Centre in Perth is more than doubling its floor area, taking over a neighbouring property in the high-end car retail suburb of Osborne Park. The suburb also hosts Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz.The additional building will accommodate the new 26-car showroom - effectively 2.5 times bigger than present - to display one of each of Audi's models.  Dealer principal David Collins says the investment of about $15 million was necessary."The customers demand it and we desperately need the space because of the growth in Audi sales," he says.  "In 2004 we had 120 new car sales. Now we have 1050."Audi's sales are higher than BMW's when you take out the SUVs.  "I've ordered 250 units of the A1 for 2011 because of demand."  Collins says the Q5 was "the most successful car I've ever been involved with".He says it reflects the growing trend of buyers seeking to downsize their cars yet retain quality and luxury.  BMW has recorded a 10.4 per cent national sales growth year-to-date and, with global sales this calendar year of 775,000, has surpassed Mercedes-Benz (735,000) and Audi (726,000).It has since January sold 1156 of its baby X1 SUV - now its third most popular single-body seller after the 3-Series (3326) and X5 (1955) - for 2 per cent of Australia's passenger-car market.Audi has 1.7 per cent of the car market, primed by sales year-to-date of 1458 A3s and 2521 A4s, and Mercedes-Benz has 2.6 per cent thanks primarily to its E-Class stranglehold of the $70,000-plus large luxury car sector and the robust 4242 C-Class sales.

The car in these photos has been given the supercharged 3-litre V6 from the S4, S5 Cabriolet and A6, stoked up an extra 55kW to give it peak power of 300kW – and apparently a 0-100km/h time of 4.4 seconds and top speed of 250km/h. The Q5 concept is on show for the Wothersee Tour, the annual Volkswagen/Audi GTI meet in Austria, and has also been given the appropriate bling for the occasion from the accessories department. The matt grey body paint is set off by red 21in versions of the RS4’s seven-doublespoke wheels, and red-accented nudge plate, roof rails and spoiler. The SUV is also 90mm wider and rides 60mm lower than the standard Q5. A hot version of the Q5 could be a fair contender against the M version of BMW's compact X3, and might get a nod in a world that is looking more towards downsizing. The Audi stand at the Wothersee Tour will also feature coupe and roadster versions of the TT RS with a 254kW 2.5-litre five-cylinder, which promises a 0-100km/h time under five seconds. Audi’s hero R8 supercar is also there in a special GT3 race version and in the ten-cylinder 5.2-litre production model that will top the range, with a 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 315km/h.

"We are still investigating but we are pretty certain that the leaks are the result of stress and impact pressures from the cars being driven dynamically over rough roads during the media launch," Audi Australia's Anna Burgdorf says. "The repeated impacts and stress weaken the hose and it leaks." Two of the four 3.0 TDIs driven over a 32-kilometre bush track through the Snowy region lost steering assistance and were retired with fluid leaking from the front of the cars. Burgdorf says that a third car, also a 3.0 TDI used on the launch drive, suffered a similar failure while being driven on Sydney roads earlier this week. "The problem has been reported to Audi AG (head office in Ingolstadt) and a solution has been identified. All 3.0 TDI cars will now be fitted with an optimised servo hose." The potential for failure is restricted to the 3.0 TDI as it is the only model which uses the particular hose that leaked, Burgdorf says. "It is not something that has happened anywhere else during testing, development or launch programs. As far as we know it is unique to Australia but it will be addressed world-wide. "There are 120 cars (for Australia) that could possibly be affected and they will all have those hoses changed before being delivered. If any owner is inconvenienced while waiting for their car we will arrange a loan vehicle for them."  

Introducing the new Q5 off-roader, it was clear that showgoers were far happier to cast their eyes over Miss Hawkins’ curves rather than those of the new Q5 off-roader.The newest Audi joins the Q7 and arrives in March with prices starting at $59,900 for both the 2.0 TDI quattro and 2.0 TFSI quattro models. A powerful V6 3.2 FSI quattro follows at just $69,900 and the mighty $71,900 3.0 TDI aimed squarely at the BMW X3.Audi’s managing director, Joerg Hofmann, says there is plenty of room in Audi’s model portfolio for the Q5.“It is priced very competitively, and offers strong performance from each of its four direct injection engines,” he said.The 2.0 TDI engine also has another ace up its sleeve as it is exempt from Luxury Car Tax due to its low consumption of less than 7.0 litres per 100km.Hofmann said he expects the Q5 to follow in the footsteps of the Q7, luring buyers from other luxury brands.The Q5 will come with four engine variants, all with direct injection turbo-charged engines and quattro permanent all-wheel drive.At launch, both the 2.0 TFSI and 3.0 TDI will be available, closely followed by the 2.0 TDI and 3.2 FSI models in April. All Q5 models are equipped with an economical 7-speed S-tronic gearbox.This has super-slick gearchanges that take only a few hundredths of a second and deliver virtually uninterrupted power flow.The Q5 is the first model to feature this innovative dual-clutch transmission mounted to a longitudinal engine layout.It is matched to Audi’s quattro permanent all wheel drive system with a 40:60 torque split.The Q5 also boasts a luggage capacity of 540 litres with the rear seats up and 1560 litres with the seats folded.Innovative driver assistance systems such as a new MMI Plus Navigation system with 7-inch colour monitor and 40 GB hard drive with storage for up to 10,000 music files; blind spot warning system and “lane assist” to detect and prevent wandering out of your lan are among the car’s features.Also available is adaptive cruise control with a collision warning system that warns the driver and brakes when the car is too close to the car in front and an adjustable suspension system. ,p> The 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show... 

Everything from an A5 cabrio, A5 Sportback, A4 Allroad wagon, A7 four-door sports coupe, A1 Sportsback, Q3 off-roader and R8 convertible is on the books.But Audi Australia is not revealing just what is likely to head to Australia.Audi Australia general manager of marketing, Immo Buschmann, is giving little away on the new arrivals, only confirmed the early 2009 launch of the Q5 off-roader.However, he hints that an A5 Sportsback and maybe an A4 Allroad were on the cards."But we have not decided," he says.He says he is unaware specifically what the Germany headquarters has in store for Australia regarding new models.Recently, Audi AG's product development chief, Michael Dick, revealed to European media that Audi's range of 22 vehicles will grow with another 18 "in our heads".It is believed the A5 convertible will be unveiled in Europe before the end of the year with an A5 Sportback arriving next year, followed by the Q3.The A5 Sportback will be designed to fill a gap between the A4 Avant and A6 Avant.Performance derivatives are believed to be among the mix, with an R5 and RS5 mooted.One thing is clear though, the huge investment local dealers have taken in new "Terminal" showrooms will pay off.The first "Terminal" dealership cost $12 million and is located in Sydney's Five Dock.It is the first of a design that will be adopted globally."Our dealers have invested heavily to be able to display and sell these new cars," he says."The Q5 is our next big launch."Audi is expected to launch the car with a tough Trans-Continental drive through Outback Australia like the successful Q7 launch.Speaking at the launch of the RS6 Avant, Buschmann, says although the focus on RS is to maintain exclusivity, he admitted that in the future, the company may have to broaden the RS thinking."If there is demand to broaden the RS portfolio then we will look at it," he says."The ethos of the RS is entirely up to our product strategists."But I imagine we would look at a top-down approach when we look at eligible RS cars, those that have the necessary DNA."