Audi SQ5 costs £43,870 in UK

The diesel Audi ‘RS’ Q5 – the Audi SQ5 – with 309bhp and 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds, will cost £43,870 when it arrives in the UK in spring 2013.

That means Audi’s 3.0 litre V6 BiTurbo TDI with a healthy 309bhp and 479lb/ft of torque, enough to deliver the SQ5 to 62mph in 5.1 seconds, on to a top speed of 155mph and deliver an official economy figure (although you’ll never get it) of over 40mpg. The power goes through an eight-speed tiptronic ‘box to all four wheels and you get a sound actuator in the exhaust to give you a non-diesely roar.

Audi has also dropped the suspension on the SQ5 by 30mm compared to the regular Q5 S Line for a more sporty manner, and if you opt for Audi’s Drive Select Adaptive Dynamics you’ll also get  Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Efficiency modes (and an Individual mode too if you opt for HDD SatNav as well) which alter the steering, transmission, throttle and even the exhaust actuator to suit.

Cosmetically, in addition to the regular S Line spec, the SQ5 gets 20″ five-spoke alloys covering black brake callipers, a platinum grey single-frame grill with aluminium-look double bars with the same finish on the door mirrors, roof spoiler, across the new bumpers and on the quad tailpipes.

Inside you get Nappa leather, matt brushed aluminium for the inlays, grey instrument dials with white needles, a plethora of ‘S’ badges and an S Design leather steering wheel.

The Audi SQ5 is a pretty convincing package, and even at £44k it offers a lot. If you want one, first UK SQ5s are due to arrive in Spring 2013.

By Cars UK