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THE upcoming Audi SQ5 will dump the old model’s torque-laden 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel engine for a slightly more powerful petrol one that’s slower, less fuel efficient and likely to cost a lot more.
The German luxury carmaker has revealed the next generation of its performance-honed SQ5 overnight at the Detroit Motor Show, and instead of the 250kW/700Nm diesel of the Plus version, the all-new S-badged Audi Q5 SUV will feature a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 making 260kW/500Nm.
However, the jump to a petrol engine – thanks to Dieselgate, the previous engine’s fuel of choice remains a dirty word in the US – means that despite the new MLB platform that underpins it, the petrol-engined SQ5’s 0-100km/h performance slows by 0.3sec to 5.4sec compared with the diesel-engined model.
Similar to the trend sweeping other luxury carmakers, Audi has tucked the turbocharger inside the engine’s 90-degree bank, placing the exhaust manifolds inside the block while the intakes sit on the outside.
According to Audi, the short gas flow path generates minimal flow losses, allowing the engine to respond “extremely spontaneously and directly”.
The SQ5’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system will feature a rear bias under normal driving conditions, while an active torque vectoring system using the car’s brakes will send “the lion’s share of the power to the axle with better traction” when necessary, the carmaker says.
Underneath, the SQ5 features a five-link suspension front and rear, offering what Audi claims are greater stability, agility and improved comfort. Dampers adjust on the fly as standard, with a “particularly wide spread” between its comfort and dynamic settings that also adjust the ride height.
The new Mexican-built SQ5 will tip the scales at less than 1900kg thanks to 35 kilograms of weight savings via the jump to the new platform.
