Audi Readies Two World Launches, Expected to Be A5 plus... ?
Audi has shared a short brief announcing their press conference at the Geneva Motor Show at the beginning of March. Ingolstadt has already confirmed that the A5 would be one of the introductions, stated by Audi AG boss Rupert Stadler at a roundtable discussion in Detroit in January.
Just what the second launch will be has not been officially confirmed, though two hypotheses on the subject have suggested either and S version of the A5 dubbed S5, or a small SUV to position under the Q7 and going by the name Q5.
The official Audi text reads:
Two world premieres await visitors to the Audi Press Conference at the Geneva Motor Show.
Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management at AUDI AG, will unveil the new Audi models during the Audi Press Conference:
Tuesday, 6 March 2007, 8.00 am, Audi Stand, Hall 1, Palais des Expositions, Geneva.
Sources close to Fourtitude have mentioned that the S5 would be "launching immediately", though we now believe immediately does not mean Geneva. New York perhaps? Not the largest show on the docket, it is the only major show between now and Frankfurt in September and it's a strong market for Audi of America. Either way, solid and more recent information says no S5 at Geneva.
The second theory comes from several online blogs claim that the official Geneva Auto Show website listed the Audi Q5 as an introduction earlier today, along with a known computer-generated rendition that was originally published by WorldCarFans.com. There is no way to verify the presence of the Q5 on the Geneva site, as those same websites also report that the news was removed from teh site earlier today as well. While possible, the likelihood of the Q5 bowing in Geneva is unlikely based on what we've heard.
What will the second model be? Ingolstadt and Auburn Hills are staying mum. A new engine in an existing model is the only other information we can glean. RS 6? R8 V10? Unlikely on both counts, but who knows. Consider us eating our hat. We thought we had this one figured out. Apparently not.
The image above, a computer-generated impression of what the A5 will look like, is not the actual car that is expected to be shown. Instead, it is our best attempt to depict the car based on test mules spied in various parts of the world and known Audi design cues.
This website will be posting news from Geneva and thus will be covering the debut in its entirety.
© Source: article on fourtitude.com
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