The Audi A5 was initially released in 2008 and the only update it has received since was in the 2012 model year. It now appears that BMW’s decision to offer a 4 Series Coupe and Convertible has forced Audi into also developing a new-generation A5. The new A5 Coupe will arrive in 2015 and it will be followed by a Convertible version six months later.
First details on the second-generation Audi A5 suggest the model will be put on a strict diet, as Audi hopes to shave a total of 220 pounds from the car’s weight. This move will also help reduce the car’s fuel consumption, without needing to downsize engines to a 1.4-liter level.
In order to obtain this drop in weight, Audi will use lighter engine ancillaries, hollow-spoke wheels and aluminum panels. Under the hood, Audi will install the same engine lineup found in the current generation, but with an improved output level. For the S5, the V-6 will deliver a total of 340 horsepower - up from the current 328 horsepower, while the RS5 will drop the current V-8 in a favor of a new twin-turbocharged V-6 engine with an output of 475 horsepower. It is also rumored that the next A5 will be offered with an electric range for the first time.
