Audi has impressed the auto world with the unmasking of a newly facelifted A5. The updated vehicle has increased its dimensions by one millimeter (0.04 inches) in each side, and that has made the A5 Sportback is now 4.71 meter (15.45 ft) long.

With less and less new models announced this time of the year, it’s the tuning houses around the globe that have kept the auto freaks entertained. Adding to the excitement is the Abt treatment for the latest Audi A5 Sportback.

Dubbed the AS5 kit for the A5 Sportback, the tuning includes a new front grille, rear wing insets, a rear skirt set and diamond cut edition wheels finished in high gloss (18, 19 and 20-inch sizes). Performance being a key for Abt, the engine has been modified to justify a thorough upgrade be it for the 2.0 TFSI variant or the range topping 3.0 TDI ABT Power S. That means that the 2.0 TFSI renders between 180 and 275hp, and 320Nm of torque, while the 3.0L puts out nothing less than 310hp and 610Nm of torque. Neat!

The 2010 Audi A5, the trendy Sportback based on the curvaceous A5 Coupe and Cabrio has finally been announced with a full set of details but sadly, this car will not make it to the American shores. A derivative of the mid-size, five-door liftback, it comes with an extra set of doors and tailgate to combine functionality with form. Come September, the European buyers will get to choose from a set of six different engines, three each for gas and diesel units. The first one hails from the A4 territory and with a 2.0-liter capacity it can either churn 180 or 211 horsepower depending on what you buy, plus, there is also a 3.2-liter V6 option available.

The ones who prefer diesel would get 2.0-liter inline-four, 2.7-liter V6 and 3.0-liter V6 motors under the hood. The 170 horsepower rendering 2.0-liter TDI is rated at 45.2 mpg (US) on the EU combined cycle. All the engines firing on four cylinders will get automatic stop-start systems and the flagship models for both gasoline and diesel will run on the four-wheel Quattro drive. Three additional engines will be added to the lineage in 2010.
[via Autoblog]