Audi is maintaining its successful efficiency strategy: the new Audi
Q5, the sports car in the SUV cat­egory, is its latest model to com­bine high performance with low consumption. This progress is un­derpinned by an extensive pack­age of hi-tech solutions ranging from energy recuperation to en­gine downsizing.

German Motor Work will bring the new Audi Q5 onto the Thai mar­ket equipped with sporty engine 2.0 liter turbo FSI gasoline version which is a state-of-the-art unit fea­turing turbocharging and direct fuel injection. The perfect interplay of this technol­ogy paves the way for downsizing, which involves using supercharging as a means of trimming en­gine capacity. This enables the Q5 to achieve CO2 emissions of less than 200 grams per kilometer.

The new 2.0 TFSI, the successor to the engine that was voted “Engine of the Year” four times in a row, is an object lesson in efficiency. The perform­ance of this four-cylinder engine, which develops 211 hp and 350 Nm of torque, puts it in the same league as conventional six-cylinder engines. Yet its fuel consumption averages only 11.76 kilometers per liter – giving it a clear advantage over its competitors.

Audi has yet again made huge advances in gasoline direct injection, which it supplies badged as FSI. The Audi valvelift system (AVS) regulates the valve lift in two stages, gives torque an extra boost and improves fuel efficiency by around five percent. The 2.0 TFSI has fea­tured this technology ever since being launched.

The high torque values at low revs have allowed the engineers to select slightly higher transmission ratios without undermining dy­namic performance. The peak torque is achieved at a very early point on all engines in the Audi Q5 – the 2.0 TFSI, for instance, already achieves its 350 Nm at 1,500 rpm, barely above idle speed. The Q5 thus handles supremely well at low revs – with correspondingly good fuel efficiency.

Audi is forging ahead with its efficiency strategy in every area of the vehicle.

The Audi Q5 2.0 TFSI fits the new seven-speed S tronic – a state-of­the-art dual-clutch transmission. With its lightning-fast, ultra-con­venient gearshifts it is extremely sporty in response but also highly effective, with a broad spread of ratios from the lowest to the highest gear. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is currently the most efficient transmission technology.

The Audi Q5, the sports model in the SUV category, also redefines the benchmark for handling. The new reduced rolling resistance tires play a major part in its dynamic handling. They are virtually indis­tinguishable from conventional tires when it comes to lateral stability and stopping distance, but significantly reduce roll­ing resistance and therefore fuel consumption.

The exterior is another decisive factor. The basic version of the new Audi Q5 achieves a drag coefficient of just 0.33 – the best in its field of competitors. This is due not only to its basic aerodynamic form but also to technical features such as the underbody panel. The frontal area measures just 2.65 m2, ow­ing to the relatively low body; this, too, promotes a favorable airflow around the car. Although this is scarcely noticeable in consumption figures calculated on the test rig, it has a major effect when driving down the freeway.

Audi relies on a concept of holistic optimization of energy and has already proved on multiple occasions that efficiency and sportiness are not mutually exclusive. This was most re­cently evident in the impressive third victory of the R8 TFSI and the R10 TDI at the Le Mans 24 Hours. In the toughest en­durance race in the world, every drop of fuel matters – and as Audi once again demonstrated, whoever uses less will come out in front.