Audi confirms new A5 Coupe

Audi has announced it will stage the world debut of the next-generation A5 Coupe at its Ingolstadt headquarters on June 2.

Based on this year's new A4 sedan and wagon, the all-new A5 Coupe is expected to be revealed alongside its hotter S5 Coupe sibling, both of which are unlikely to arrive Down Under until early next year.

Like the new A4, the next A5 Coupe – which will again be followed by replacements for the two-door A5 Cabriolet and five-door A5 Sportback – will be powered by a range of four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines matched to front- and all-wheel drive engines.

And like the upcoming S4 sedan, which goes on sale here late this year, the S5 Coupe will come with a 260kW/500Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbo-petrol engine driving all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

If the S4 and this Automedia rendering are anything to go by, expect the next S5 Coupe to come with a sports body kit, alloy wheels up to 19-inch in diameter, quad exhaust outlets, a lower ride height, continuously variable dampers and a host of extra standard equipment.

Pricing should remain in line with the outgoing model, which ranges from $68,200 to $119,510 for the current S5 Coupe, as well as its most direct mid-size sports car rivals including the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe, BMW 4 Series, Lexus RC and Infiniti Q60.

Of course, the A5 Coupe will form the basis for the new RS 5 Coupe, Audi's answer to the Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe, BMW M4 and Lexus RC F.

When the new A5 makes its global debut in exactly a month, it will be the culmination of an extravagant 3D video mapping light show to be held over six consecutive evenings at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt from May 25, when a Munich DJ will open the celebrations with an after-work electronic music gig dubbed Summer Sounds.

The Audi Late Light Show will see the 2300 square-metre surface of the German car-maker's head office building on the Audi Piazza transformed into a unique work of art by 55 video projectors, each with a light intensity of 40,000 ANSI lumen.

Following the 10-minute light shows hosted by renowned Hungarian artists Maxin10sity, Audi employees and the public will also be invited to a 'Dynamic Sculptures' exhibition from May 3 to September 18, featuring 12 historic Audi coupes in the Audi Museum and two rotating exhibits with a pair of glass cubes on the Audi Piazza.

In addition, the Audi Owners Club will present numerous classic and collectible cars on the evening of May 29 and daytime visitors will be treated to food vans and film clips previewing the upcoming “20min|max” international short-film festival.

“This art experience is a thank-you to the Audi employees and the people of Ingolstadt," Toni Melfi, Head of Communications at AUDI AG.

"In Ingolstadt, we have developed the new Audi A5 Coupe, we produce it here, and we will present it here as a new design icon to the world press for the first time on June 2."

Computer generated image: Automedia