Facelift to boost Audi Q5 sales

Audi Australia expects a thorough midlife facelift and the range-topping new SQ5 biturbo-diesel variant to cement the Q5’s position as its top-selling model Down Under.

Audi has sold 8083 examples of the mid-size luxury SUV in Australia since June 2009, including about 2800 last year, when it represented about one-fifth of the German brand’s local sales, eclipsing the sales of even the A4 sedan and making it the nation’s most popular luxury SUV.

In the first half of this year the Q5 has been outsold only by the Range Rover Evoque, but Audi expects the facelifted model – due in local showrooms in December – to boost Q5 sales and retain its volume status quo over the A4 (excluding the new A4 Avant).

“With any new or facelifted model you’d expect to have increased sales, at least in the first year,” said Audi Australia General Manager Corporate Communications Anna Burgdorf.

“Provided we can secure enough supply we’d expect to sell at least that number (2800) in 2013. The Q5 has been very strong for us at about 20 per cent of sales and the new Q3 is much smaller so it won’t impact wildly on sales.”

In Europe, pricing of the facelifted entry-level Q5 2.0 TFSI will increase by 150 Euros and Ms Burgdorf indicated Australian pricing would follow suit, although more standard equipment is expected to be fitted across the range.

“Pricing is not expected to change much but there should be more equipment across the range,” she said, adding that the 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and diesel models are expected to remain the top-selling Q5 variants and that the SQ5 will be cost less than the S4 sedan ($119,900) at about $110,000. .

From launch, the upgraded Q5 line-up will continue to comprise four automatic all-wheel drive models (Europe’s front-drive base model will not be available here, because of its similarity in price to the smaller Q3), each equipped with direct-injection engines and fuel-saving idle-stop systems.

Once again opening the Q5 range will be the 2.0 TDI S-tronic quattro, which currently costs $62,200 plus on-road costs. The revised 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel continues to be matched with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission but now produces 130kW (up 5kW) and 380Nm (up 30Nm), enabling it to sprint to 100km/h in nine seconds (down 0.9 seconds) and return combined fuel consumption of 6.0L/100km (down 1.0L/100km).

Next up is the Q5 2.0 TFSI Tiptronic quattro (currently $63,400), powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 165kW (up 10kW) and an unchanged 350Nm. Now matched with an eight-speed torque converter Tiptronic auto (instead of an S-tronic dual-clutch auto), the 2.0 TFSI quattro can hit 100km/h in 7.1 seconds (down 0.1 seconds) and return 7.9L/100km (down 0.6L/100km).

Opening the six-cylinder Q5 range is the 3.0 TFSI Tiptronic quattro, which replaces the 3.2 FSI S-tronic quattro (currently $73,500) and eschews the latter’s naturally aspirated 3.2-litre petrol V6 for Audi’s supercharged 3.0-litre petrol V6, which also powers the A5, A7, Q7 and, in top-shelf guise, the 245kW/440Nm S4.

In this case the blown V6 offers up 200kW (up 5kW) and 400Nm (up 70Nm), accelerating the Q5 to 100km/h a while second quicker in 5.9 seconds while reducing fuel consumption by 0.8L/100km to 8.5L/100km.

Topping the revised Q5 range, for now, will be the 3.0 TDI S-tronic quattro, which is motivated by an improved 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 delivering 180kW (up 4kW) and 580Nm (up 80Nm). The result is the same 6.5-second 0-100km/h acceleration, but 1.1L/100km lower fuel consumption, at 5.4L/100km.

While the Q5 hybrid quattro remains unavailable in right-hand drive guise, due on sale in Europe in early 2013 and in Australia by next March or April is the new SQ5, Audi’s first diesel-powered S model.

The top-shelf Q5 packs Audi’s all-new 3.0-litre biturbo diesel V6, increasing performance over the 3.0 TDI engine’s single-turbo V6 diesel by no less than 50kW and 70Nm, to a bullocking 230kW and 650Nm, which out-muscles the 230kW/630Nm twin-turbo 3.0-line inline six-cylinder diesel-powered BMW X3 35d that is so far unavailable in Australia.

Due to debut Down Under in the A6 and A7 ‘biturbo’ early next year, the new sequential-turbo diesel engine consumes just 7.2L/100km in the Q5, yet blasts it to 100km/h in just 5.1 seconds, making it quicker than the mighty V12 diesel-powered Q7 6.0 TDI.

Befitting its station at the top of the Q5 tree, the SQ5 rides as standard on 30mm-lower suspension and 20-inch alloys (21s will be optional) and is stopped by huge 380mm front brake rotors.

Apart from an exhaust ‘speaker’ to make it sound like a V8, the SQ5 also features double chromed grille slats, a rooftop spoiler and more aggressive front and rear bumpers.

Like all facelifted Q5s, the SQ5 also comes with electro-mechanical – rather than hydraulic – power steering, reaping fuel consumption reductions of about 0.3L/100km and making some models up to 15 per cent more efficient.

All Q5 models are now also differentiated by Xenon plus headlights with full wraparound LED daytime running lights and a revised front bumper comprising chamfered upper grille corners.

Inside, the Q5 scores a redesigned MMI infotainment controller, revised dashboard controls and, for the SQ5, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, aluminium and black woodgrain highlights and Alcantara headlining.

Also new to the Q5 is the latest-generation Audi Connect system, which incorporates Google Maps, Google Earth and Google Street View and will become available in Australia in the first quarter of next year.

Joining the larger seven-seat Q7 on sale in Europe in 2008, the Q5 has attracted more than 430,000 sales globally in 3.5 years, and has since been joined in Audi’s expanding SUV range by the compact Q3.

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