<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/2370/a5-a6-side.jpg"></center><p>After my initial disappointment that the A5 bears no resemblance to the Nuvolari I'm beggining to warm up to the new design. The shorter front overhang looks great and with the engine pushed back a bit, should improve dynamic balance. I'm still not too keen on the chunky C pillar and bemoan the fact that there is a B pillar, and fixed rear windows no less. But the photos disguise the true size of this car. I've set the A5 next to an A6 for comparison, and if I've got the proportions right (I'm guessing 19" wheels on the A5), it would seem the wheelbase is about 108", the length around 185"-188", and no taller than 55". This would make the A5 about the same size as a Bentley Coupe, perhaps not as wide. Has Audi released actual specs yet?

Specs on the A5/S5 won't be released officially until the Geneva autoshow.

<center><img src="http://www.justsupercars.com/cars/mercedes_benz/2006_mercedes_benz_clk_63_amg_3.jpg"></center><p>has got to be noticably larger than the 335 and closer to the size of the CLK. I'm glad that the A5 is a large coupe but I hope that Audi put the car on a diet before tightening things down. Aluminum Space Frame would be nice because I'd like to see class leading performance considering prices that this vehicle will likely command at the dealership.

I prefer the look of the A5 over the CLK as well.

<center><img src="http://blogs.edmunds.com/.ee92b97/cmd.233/embedded..ee92b9a"></center><p>
According to reprts from some European magazine articles the A5 will be 185 inches long. Also Edmunds has some pics of a mule from last summer that they called the A7 but it was really an A5 mule. It has the A5 gauges. That mule had an 111 inch wheelbase.<ul><li><a href="http://blogs.edmunds.com/.ee92b98">http://blogs.edmunds.com/.ee92b98</a</li></ul>

After seeing these side by side, you get a better understading of where Audi is trying to position this vehicle....think A6, 5 series, or E Class Coupe.

In profile, the rounded shape of the front and the ducktail rear falls in line with the current A6.

I always thought the A6 was a beautiful car but the A5 next to it somehow appears more graceful yet athletic at the same time. Kudos Audi!!

From a product placement strategy a direct attack at the BMW 3-series coupe and M3 is not advantageous to Audi and the positioning of the A5/S5, based on dimension, seems to support that conclusion.

Seriously, any auto maker will have difficulties directly attacking the 3-series coupe. The BMW 3-series was the 17th most popular car sold in the U.S. in 2006. It actually outsold the Nissan Sentra and was the most expensive car in the top 20 list. BMW sold 120K+ 3-series; this is 30k+ greater than all Audis sold in NA in 2006!

Audi, it would appear, is neatly framing the 3-series coupe, between the TT and the A5. The TT appeals to the younger, more sports minded driver while the A5 appears to target a maturer audience and both takes sales away from the 3-series. The A4, thus, is directly positioned to challenge the 3-series sedan and MB C-class. Therefore, Audi effectively covers the 3-series product line with several unique niche vehicles That does not imply that I believe that Audi has neglected to make the A5 dynamically interesting.

I've considered the A5 as the "baby" Bentley Continental GT; however, I guess that A5/S5 is the more athletic cousin to the Bentley.

<img src="http://www.fourtitude.com/gallery/albums//Audi/A4-S4-RS4%20(B5,%20B6%20and%20B7)/A4%20Sedan%20(B7)/S-line%20Special%20Edition%20-%20UK/005.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/2370/a5-a6-side.jpg">

Direct from AudiUSA

<b>A5 Dimensions</b>
Wheelbase: 108.3"
Overall length: 182"
Overall width: 73"
Overall height: 54.1"

<b>A6 Dimensions</b>
Wheelbase: 111.9"
Overall length: 193.5"
Overall width: 79.2"
Overall height: 57.4"

<b>A4 Dimensions</b>
Wheelbase: 104.3"
Overall length: 180.5"
Overall width: 76.3"
Overall height: 57.2"

I've never liked the coupes of MB. I mean older and newer CLK's.

Like the A4 cabriolet. It just never quite looks right to me. Hopefully this time it will work out better with the B8 starting off as a coupe then morphing into a sedan for the upcoming A4.

So it's a reduction of 8.4cm.

<img src="http://www.audi.de/etc/medialib/cms4imp/audi2/product/a5/s5.Par.0141.Image.gif">

<img src="http://www.audi.de/etc/medialib/cms4imp/audi2/product/a4/a4_saloon/b7.Par.0092.Image.gif">

<img src="http://www.audi.de/etc/medialib/cms4imp/audi2/product/a5/s5.Par.0139.Image.gif">

<img src="http://www.audi.de/etc/medialib/cms4imp/audi2/product/a5/a5.Par.0146.Image.gif">

A5 is 1 cm longer. Odd. Rear overhang is also different.

It's not just the reduction in the length from the front axle to the front bumper that's important. As others have said it's more to do with engine placement which is supposed to be improved on the A5.

From your pics it can be deceiving. I know it's silly, but if the A5 had a 10cm larger front bumper then it would have a longer front overhang than the A4 but it would not make it worse than the A4 b/c the engine/trans is supposed to be farther back on the A5.

The assumption that I make here until there are newer photos to actually show the engine placement more accurately, is that Audi has reduced the front overhang as much as they could with the engine moved back with their new trick that they reused from the S8. But then there's the other consideration with the new EU requirements for pedestrian collision.