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Beijing 2008: Audi Q5
By Yoann Besnard on 21 April 2008 | 
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Audi took the wraps of the long-awaited Q5 at the Beijing Motor Show. The hot SUV will reinforce Audi’s lineup and help to boost it sales to achieve its 2018 target.
Despite spy-photographers working hard on spotting the Q5, Audi will have almost succeeded to keep its latest model in the dark. Pictures had emerged recently, but interior details had remained unknown. The new A5 is exactly what was expected, a small Q7. At 4630 mm long and 1880 mm wide, the Q5 is shorter than the Q7 by 450 mm removing the ability to add a third seat row in the future. Like the Q7m the A5’s exterior styling doesn’t have the grace of the saloons, but at least, the new model will fit better on our British roads.
The Q5 is based on the company’s MLP platform also used by the A4 and A5. As expected the Q5 is only equipped with the in-house Quattro transmission unlike the new GLK. In normal running conditions, the transfer case distributes the power to the front and rear axle in a 40:60 ratio for a rear-focused style that enhances driving pleasure. When needed, the quattro driveline can deliver up to 65 percent of the power to the front axle and a maximum of 85 percent to the rear axle. In addition to the in-house transmission, the topping engines, 3.0 TDI and 2.0 TFSI, will be available the S tronic, a new twin-clutch transmission with seven speeds. The 2.0 TDI transfers its power to a six-speed manual transmission.
The engine range will offer three engines, one petrol unit and two diesel units. The entry level will be powered by the 2.0 TDI seen in the other brand’s models. Drawing on four cylinders and two liters of displacement as well, it delivers a power output of 168bhp and a torque of 258 lb ft between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm. Average consumption reaches 35mpg. The other diesel engine is the powerful 3.0 TDI. This V6 diesel engine delivers 240bhp, with 369 lb ft of torque available between 1,500 and 3,000 rpm. Audi claims this three-litre engine achieves 31mpg. The only petrol unit is the The 2.0 TFSI which has been entirely redesigned for the Q5. The power jumps to 211bhp and the torque is of 258 lb ft at 1,500 rpm and remains constant up to 4,200 rpm. The Q5 2.0 TFSI achieves 28mpg.
With the unveil of the Q5 and the GLK, the fight to dominate the premium small SUV is launched.