2007 Audi A5 Coupe 1.8L TFSI 6MT (170 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Audi unveiled the A5 Coupe at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, marking the carmaker’s comeback to the premium compact coupe segment with a vehicle designed by the famous Walter de Silva.

The German automaker ended production of the Audi Coupe (based on the 80 platform) in 1996, leaving the door open for the BMW 3 Series Coupe, the Volvo C70, and the Mercedes-Benz CLK to fill the premium coupe segment with their vehicles. Meanwhile, the four-ring brand was busy revamping its lineup and moving from numbers to an alphanumeric system. However, its customers were eagerly waiting for a two-door sporty vehicle able to keep up with the competition in terms of performance and comfort. Hence, the car manufacturer provided them with one that exceeded buyers’ expectations. The car came with a wide range of engines, front and all-wheel drive systems, with manual or automatic transmissions, and excelled at doing daily drives as well.

Walter de Silva penned the car based on the 2003 Audi Nuvolari concept. He created a broad, upside-down trapezoidal grille that dominated the front fascia. It flanked it with sharp-looking headlights that integrated the LED daytime running lights at their lower side. Furthermore, on the lower side of the bumper, depending on the grade and options, the automaker added a set of fog lamps underlined by horizontal slats integrated into the side scoops.

The car had a sporty stance with a hood that was almost a quarter of the car’s length. It was followed by a raked windshield for the greenhouse, which sported a roofline that slightly descended towards the back of the vehicle. Furthermore, a sloped-down rear window and a short deck adorned by a tiny lip spoiler emphasized the 2007 Audi A5 Coupe’s sporty character. The automaker tried to mix the feeling of a sporty vehicle with that of a grand tourer, and at least in terms of design, it succeeded. No wonder Walter de Silva said about this coupe, “The Audi A5 is the most beautiful car I have ever designed.”

Inside, customers can get the 20007 Audi A5 Coupe with a wide variety of options. Base models featured mild-bolstered front seats with fabric upholstery, while a leather-wrapped interior was available. Furthermore, a set of high-bolstered seats was also on the options list. Fronting the driver was an instrument cluster featuring two binocular-styled dials that housed the rev counter and the coolant temperature gauges on the left, while the speedometer and the fuel level gauges filled the right side of the panel. A TFT display for the car’s onboard computer took center stage. Atop the center stack, Audi installed a color screen for the infotainment system that could be controlled via a rotary knob on the center console.

Under the hood, besides the top-performing S5, the car manufacturer installed a choice of diesel and gasoline engines, ranging between 170 PS (168 hp) and 265 PS (261 hp). They were paired with either a six-speed manual or an automatic transmission with six, seven, or even eight forward gears. The power went to the front wheels only, or in all corners, via an electronically controlled quattro all-wheel drive system (quattro).