A New Member of the Audi A5 Is Coming

When the next-generation Audi A5 arrives in the U.S. sometime in the second quarter of 2017, it will feature a new body style.

“I feel confident that there will be another variant of the A5 that will be a real home run. There’s one we don’t have,” said Audi of America President Scott Keogh to Automotive News.

While Keogh didn't say what the variant would be, Automotive News speculates it will be the A5 Sportback. Launched in Europe back in 2009, the A5 Sportback offered slightly more practicality than the standard A4 or A5, and featured similar styling to the larger A7. Audi has never sold the A5 Sportback in the U.S.

Why is Audi planning to sell the Sportback?

The most likely reason is to give BMW some direct competition. A few years ago, BMW launched the 3-Series Gran Turismo which takes a standard 3-Series sedan and adds a hatchback. This increases space for passengers and cargo. Unlike Audi, BMW decided to sell the 3-Series GT in the U.S. when it launched back in 2014 model year.