Nonetheless among the many most weird selections Audi has ever made, its AUDI sub-brand (sure, that’s simply Audi in all caps) has lastly launched its E5 Sportback, some 5 months after it made its debut at Auto Shanghai. The timing could have been tardy, however this primary three way partnership mannequin with SAIC wasted no time racking up the orders, with 10,153 pre-sales achieved inside simply half-hour of the launch.
Constructed on the co-developed Superior Digitised Platform (ADP) and sharing componentry with the likes of the IM L6 and LS6, the E5 Sportback is offered in 4 variants, with costs starting from 235,900 yuan (RM139,000) to 319,900 yuan (RM188,500) – about the identical as an A5L. For that cash, you get a alternative of both rear- or quattro all-wheel drive, each in commonplace and lengthy vary variations.
In commonplace trim, the E5 Sportback makes 299 PS (220 kW) and 420 Nm of torque, getting it from zero to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds. With a 76 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, the claimed vary is 618 km on China’s lenient CLTC cycle.
The quattro variant boosts the rear motor to 314 PS (231 kW) and 475 Nm and provides a entrance motor making 211 PS (155 kW) and 250 Nm. This leads to a complete system output of 525 PS (386 kW) and 725 Nm, rocketing the automotive to 100 km/h in simply 3.9 seconds. Regardless of this, a barely bigger 83 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery allows the automotive to eke out barely extra vary at 623 km.
Stepping as much as the RWD plus mannequin will increase the battery capability nonetheless additional to a spherical 100 kWh, enabling a powerful 773 km of vary – very barely greater than beforehand predicted. It additionally boosts the rear motor to 408 PS (300 kW) and 500 Nm for a zero-to-100 km/h time of 5 seconds flat.
On the high quality sits the lengthy vary quattro that turns the ability to 11 – the rear motor to an astonishing 515 PS and the entrance motor to 272 PS (200 kW) and 300 Nm. All in all, this factor produces a heady 787 PS (579 kW) and 800 Nm, blitzing the century dash in simply 3.4 seconds. With the identical 100 kWh battery, the vary is barely shorter at 647 km.
When it comes to DC quick charging, the E5 might be topped up from 10 to 80% in below 13 minutes for the bottom mannequin and 17 minutes with the most important 100 kWh battery. One outlier is the mid-tier quattro model, which takes a yawning 35 minutes for a similar metric; we suspect that this variant has a 400-volt electrical structure quite than the standard 800 volts. Additionally disappointing is AC charging pace that’s capped at simply 6.6 kW for the lower-rung fashions, and even the 100 kWh battery solely maxes out at 11 kW.
Below the pores and skin, the E5 rides on double-wishbone entrance and five-link rear suspension, with air suspension, adaptive dampers and rear-wheel steering fitted to the flagship quattro variant. A 6.6 kWh vehicle-to-load (V2L) operate is fitted commonplace.
Primarily the manufacturing model of final 12 months’s E idea, the E5 has been catered particularly for the Chinese language buyer. It being spun off from the primary Audi model means it could ditch Ingolstadt’s iconic design cues, such because the “quattro” field flares and the singleframe grille.
Of their place are rounded haunches and a brand new Mild Body – a black ring that encircles all the entrance finish, incorporating the slim LED headlights with non-compulsory matrix expertise, the AUDI script, driving help sensors and air inlets. That is framed by an illuminated tessellated sample made up of greater than 1,000 lighting parts, which include a welcome animation on the top-spec mannequin.
Transferring additional again, you’ll discover a black roof and a kinked window line that leads as much as the thick body-coloured D-pillars, whereas the rear finish receives the identical Mild Body because the entrance, right here forming the taillights. A entrance spoiler, flush pop-out door handles, an elongated rear wing and non-compulsory digital rear view mirrors enhance aerodynamic effectivity, with a drag coefficient as little as 0.252.
Step inside by way of the also-optional powered doorways and also you’ll discover that the E5 Sportback adopts a number of design cues already widespread in Chinese language autos. These embody a full-width 27-inch panel that comes with a driver’s show and a single infotainment touchscreen for the centre and entrance passenger, in addition to headrest audio system (related to an out there Bose sound system) and an expansive centre console with storage for 2 telephones and a 50-watt Qi wi-fi charger.
You additionally get ambient lighting strips constructed into the wooden inlays – imported from North America, no much less, AUDI claims – and an non-compulsory electrochromic glass roof. Explicit consideration has been paid to the entrance seats, which function a nine-layer composite construction for optimum assist and an eight-point therapeutic massage operate with 4 modes and three pace settings.
The E5’s infotainment is underpinned by a brand new AUDI OS, working on the most recent Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chip and coming with an AI-powered AUDI Assistant – this, as is common for Chinese language automobiles as of late, can settle for a number of instructions without delay, and is visualised by way of a 4.29-inch AUDI Good Island contact panel with 24 “personalities”. There’s additionally an app retailer that comes with facial recognition, plus a zonal electrical structure that enables next-generation connectivity and over-the-air updates for all car programs.
It is a automotive designed for China, so in fact the E5 will get highly-automated metropolis and freeway driving within the type of AUDI 360 Assisted Driving. Because of a lidar sensor, Adaptive Cruise Help can evade obstacles, establish pink lights and carry out automated lane modifications and U-turns; it could even detect tricycles and supply riders, Audi says. Autonomous emergency braking, rear cross visitors alert with auto brake and a door opening warning all come as commonplace.
GALLERY: AUDI E5 Sportback at Auto Shanghai 2025
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