As part of Audi's new strategy of using odd numbers for combustion vehicles, the B10-series A5 replaces the B9-series A4 in the German automaker's lineup. Coming to the US market for the 2026 model year, the all-new A5 is available in most of the world in five-door Sedan and five-door Avant flavors.
China, however, gets the only B10-series A5 with four doors in the form of the A5L. The long-wheelbase model could soon be joined by a locally-produced Fiver. The carparazzi have recently spotted a peculiar A5 prototype testing in Germany, with said prototype being a five-door liftback akin to the A5 Sedan.
Tentatively dubbed A5 Sportback, this fellow is clad in camouflage wrap that Audi uses only for vehicles that are meant for Asian markets. Derived from the regular-wheelbase A5 Sedan rather than the long-wheelbase A5L for China, the newcomer is likely tailored for China.
In addition to a more sloping roofline, changes from the A5 Sedan and A5L further include a rear license plate affixed to the bumper instead of the trunk lid. We also notice wider exhaust finishers and slightly different shut lines for the liftgate, which curve inward as they meet the rear window. The rear quarter windows are different as well, although the recessed exterior door handles, front end, and front plate location mirror those of the current B10 lineup.
Seen here with generic-looking alloys that frame red brake calipers, the purported 2025 Audi A5 Sportback carries over the rear LED strip and front lights of its platform siblings. The B10 is Audi's first series-production vehicle series based on the Premium Platform Combustion, which is best described as a development of the Modularer Langsbaukasten for longitudinal applications.
Photo: Baldauf
Think of it as the MLB with a few notable improvements, beginning with an electronics architecture developed by Volkswagen Group subsidiary Cariad for the Premium Platform Electric. Said architecture sweetens the deal with a new type of mild-hybrid system that combines a BSG with a powertrain generator mounted on the transmission output shaft.
Connected to a lithium-iron phosphate battery with a capacity of 1.7 kilowatt hours, the powertrain generator contributes up to 18 kilowatts (24 horsepower) and recuperates up to 25 kilowatts through regenerative braking. The MHEV plus mild-hybrid system equips the 2.0-liter TFSI, 2.0-liter TDI, and the S5-specific EA839 single-turbo V6.
If there's no case to be made for an S5 Sportback, the A5 Sportback for China will rely on the 2.0-liter TFSI exclusively. More specifically, the EA888 Evo5 in Volkswagen Group vernacular. Engine specs for the A5L are not available as of November 2024, but we do know that Audi promises 150 pferdstarke by default and 204 pferdstarke by choice.
That's 148 and 201 mechanical horses, respectively, which is a bit underwhelming compared to the standard 255-horse turbo I4 mills of the BMW 330i and Mercedes-Benz C 300. If the 2025 Audi A5 Sportback is meant for China only, production will be handled by the FAW-VW Changchun assembly plant, where the A5L will also be produced.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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