Audi is conducting high-altitude testing of three vehicles in the Colorado Mountains. They appear to be the next-gen SQ5 and possibly two examples of the new S5 Avant. TFL Now was able to catch the trio leaving a hotel and getting onto the interstate.
All three vehicles have quad exhausts – a pair on each side. This suggests they’re all S variants.
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The gallery above depicts the Audi SQ5 testing in Europe. This video never provides a great view of the front of the vehicle testing in the Colorado Mountains, but they have a similar look along the profile and tail. The pointy taillights are one of the major correlations between them.
Photos of the standard, next-gen Q5 show it with a cabin featuring a rectangular digital instrument cluster. A square infotainment screen extends upward from the dashboard.
This will be the last Q5 available with combustion engines. The SQ5 would have some form of electrification.
Audi plans to change its model naming scheme by using even numbers for electric vehicles and odd numbers for products with combustion engines. This means that what we currently identify as the A4 would become the A5.
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The spy shots above are our only glimpse at the A5 Avant wagon so far. It has a single rectangular exhaust outlet, though. The quad outlets visible in this video add to the evidence that this is the S5.
An odd element is that the two wagons in this video have different taillights. The one in the middle has sequential indicators. The one in front has circular lamps without the animated turn signals. These may be two vehicles in slightly different stages of development.
The new S5 family would reportedly come with a hybrid powerplant. A next-gen RS5 variant would eventually arrive, too, and would also have electric assistance for the powertrain. Audi says the RS cars would not downsize to a four-cylinder engine, so expect there to be a V6 as the ICE component.
Audi is also working on the new A6 Avant if you prefer an electric wagon. Look for it to debut in 2024.
