SEVERAL journalists from Latin America, and the French- and English-speaking Caribbean jetted to Mexico recently to witness the veils being pulled from the 2018 Audi Q5. The occasion was held at Hotel Casa Reyna in Puebla, Mexico.

Gabriel Ramirez, product and price specialist – Audi Regional Office, said the new Audi Q5 is redefining boundaries for his company’s best-seller.

“The Audi Q5 is completely new; new from the ground up. It’s larger in every dimension — both interior and exterior… the vehicle is 90 kilogrammes (198.4 lb) lighter overall and the occupant cell is 20 kg (44.1 lb) lighter than the previous version, even though the car is 34 mm (1.3 inch) longer. This is due to extensive use of aluminium and intensive steel,” Ramirez told Jamaica Observer’s weekly Auto magazine.

“The Q5 is the only car in its segment to offer air suspension, so it can be adjusted to five different levels. It even has the feature, if you open the tailgate, the rear suspension lowers; so you have a lower height in the cargo area,” he continued.

According to Audi, the new SUV takes a sporty and taut stance on the street. A sculpturally flared singleframe grille with a solid frame dominates its aerodynamically flat front end. It is available with headlights that are either in LED or high-resolution Matrix LED technology with dynamic turn lights.

The new Audi Q5 comes in two engines: 2.0-litre TDI and 2.0-litre TFSI.

The four-cylinder TDI has a displacement of 1,968 cc with an ouput of 140 kW (190 hp) sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds, with a top speed of 218 km/h (135.5 mph). Maximum torque of 400 Nm (295.0 lb-ft) is available between 1,750 and 3,000 rpm.

The 2.0 TFSI produces 185 kW (252hp) and delivers 370 Nm (272.9 lb-ft) of torque between 1,600 and 4,500 rpm. It accelerates the new Audi Q5 from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 6.3 seconds, and up to a top speed of 237 km/h (147.3 mph). NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) fuel consumption is just 6.8 litres per 100 km (34.6 US mpg), which equates to 154 grams CO2 per km (247.8 g/mi).

The vehicle boasts assistance systems, the quattro drive system with ultra technology, and air suspension with damper control.

“Both of these engines have a seven-speed S Tronic transmission, dual transmission and dual-clutch transmission… It has an electric clutch that can decouple the rear wheel that if you don’t need the quattro all-wheel drive, you can drive with front-wheel drive; and when you don’t need the quattro’s traction, it automatically activates… It’s proactive; there’s no wait, it will couple in milliseconds before it’s needed,” said Ramirez.

In its drive assistance systems, the new Audi also tops its segment with a broad range of high-tech options. In their intelligent interplay, the systems represent a next step towards piloted driving. They are bundled into three — tour, city and parking.

The predictive efficiency assistance helps the driver save fuel by specific information on the car’s surroundings. Adaptive cruise control (ACC), including traffic jam assist, makes it easier to stay in lane. Distance warning alerts the driver when the distance to a vehicle drops below a safe distance.

“The first-generation Q5 was the best-selling compact SUV in its segment for six years. It’s really the benchmark in its segment, so it was really a good job to improve on such an excellent car. So we’re convinced this takes the Q5 to another level… The new Q5 is built and designed to still be the benchmark,” Ramirez added.