You will know that the restyling of the Audi Q5 2012 has been very shallow, but it has given us a nice novelty. Where is? It is in the 313 hp of the new member of the family ‘S’, the Audi SQ5 which has a price of 61,800 dollars.
It’s the first one I see. Or the first one I look at. The new SQ5 exudes aggressiveness from all sides. More than his brothers. It is striking, mine at least. Its design is something different from the rest. Among its specific details, it emphasizes a grill in gray platinum, a spoiler in the edge of the ceiling and modified bumpers. The exterior mirrors are in aluminum and in the rear, the exhaust system with four tubes.
But the novelties of this very special Audi SQ5 are not left alone on the outside. Inside, the seats are sportier and engaging, and the pedals and cams of the shift are gleaming aluminum. The letter ‘S’ also looks on some emblems arranged in the change lever or the access moldings. Everything seems to welcome you to a different driving experience. Without too much delay in time, I press the start button. The sound is nothing out of this world. It sounds like diesel. The first thing I do is tell Audi that I’m going to want it all: I press the Audi drive select button (it comes standard, not bad) and I choose the ‘Dynamic’ position, the sportiest one.
The engine of the Audi SQ5
This agile and refined diesel engine of the new Audi SQ5 could not be other than a six-cylinder V of almost 3,000 cc of displacement, powered by two compressors arranged in line. That makes the thrust of the SQ5 so linear and progressive that you do not notice the typical fainting that in many supercharged cars is detected just before the entrance of the turbo. The eight-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox is not as fast as the S tronic dual-clutch, but contributes to reach 100 km / h in 5.1 seconds in an efficient way and with a very perceptible little leap between gears . And with an average consumption of something more than 7 liters per 100 km.
Of course it would not be possible to transmit all this force to the asphalt without a good transmission. The Audi SQ5 also dispatches at ease with this theme. The central component of the quattro traction is the central self-locking differential. Under normal running conditions it distributes engine power by sending 40% to the front axle and 60% to the rear axle. If one of the wheels of one axis skids, most of the forces are directed to the other axis; up to 70% can be diverted to the front and up to 85% to the rear.
But, in addition, the SUV adds an individual torque management for each wheel. When moving quickly through a curve, this intelligent software is able to detect if one of the wheels located inside the curve is about to lose the grip. This makes its turn by turn more safe and effective than any other Audi Q5 and more typical of a sports car.
Knowing all your credentials, it is time to test it thoroughly.
Do not be fooled if I tell you that the Audi SQ5 3.0 TDI I really liked. There is no doubt that it is a good product, which overflows quality, engineering and technique by its four sides but … Is it worth it if you compare it with a Q5 TDI of 245 CV? This is the question that I ask myself when I start the many kilometers that I will go to your controls.
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When I look at it from a distance, I realize that it is not a normal Audi Q5. The bumpers give it a very striking image and, above all, the huge 20-inch aluminum wheels suggest to me that this is a very special model. It is clear that the designers wanted to distinguish it from their brothers of range and, undoubtedly, have succeeded. However, if you like to ride on tracks, even if they are in good condition, you should keep in mind that this Audi SQ5 is three centimeters lower than the rest of Q5. So few country adventures because of its free height and, above all, because it does not even have an emergency wheel to get out of the way. It conforms to a sad kit anti punches.
But the potential buyer of this car does not buy it because of its offroad capabilities. It does so because of its behavior on asphalt. On this surface you will find one of the most dynamic compact SUVs. The secret of its performance lies in the well-known diesel engine of 3.0 liters that has received the help of another turbocharger to raise its power of the 245 to the 313 hp that this version offers. In addition, its torque figure is bestial: 650 Nm at 1,450 rpm.
I have also been very impressed in this test how uncomfortable the SQ5 can be. Passing through the bumpy areas my kidneys remember the old sport damping of the first BMW X3 . Of course, the car offers a dynamism never seen in this segment: it enters the curves in a very direct way, always maintains the trajectory and is nothing understeer. No doubt, Audi engineers have done a good job with a body that, even if you do not believe it, rubs two tons of weight.
Are we talking about money? They say it is something that gentlemen do not usually talk about, but when we talk about cars … Audi wants for its SQ5 3.0 TDI no less than 61,800 euros. It’s a lot of money, but for example BMW asks for an X3 35d with the same power 61,900. You should also know that the guys from Ingolstadt have fully equipped this Q5 so special and its standard equipment does not lack the precious 20-inch wheels, the navigator, leather upholstery in sporty seats with electric adjustment, headlights bixenon and slope starting system. So, if you take out the calculator you will see how its price, at least in front of the competition, is not that expensive.
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