DON’T buy an S line Audi Q5 if you want the best fuel economy possible.
The Q5 scores a Cd drag coefficient of 0.33 – for all engines… fitted with 17-inch or 18-inch wheels. That’s standard and SE, then – not S line, with its great-looking standard 19”s.
In days gone by, this would have forced Audi to publish individual CO2 and economy figures for the S line version. Today, while eco rules are generally tougher, they’re also more lenient in areas like this.
It also means customers can really destroy the mpg, by taking up optional 20-inch wheels. There are air brakes that are less effective.
Me, I can’t deny they look great – but it still seems a shame to undo all the good work done my engineer insider, whom I met on the Q5 launch.
Boasting of the Q5’s low drag, he said it was all the more impressive, considering the 2.65 sq m frontal area. Not particularly aero, that.
How to overcome? ‘We designed in a V-shape, which helps,’ he told me. ‘We also have a smooth roofline and a tapered rear end. The underside is flat, too.’
But Audi prefers not to use complicated solutions such as BMW’s active aerodynamics. ‘We’ve managed to reduce fuel consumption by 15 percent without them,’ my engineer insider said.
Canny. Then, someone goes and ruins it all by bolting on a set of 22-inch aftermarket rims. Dammit…
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