The end of an era has arrived for Audi enthusiasts in the United States as the A5 Coupe and Cabriolet have been officially phased out from the lineup, along with their performance counterparts, the S5 and RS5. Moving forward, Audi will focus on selling the more practical five-door A5 Sportback and its performance variants for the 2025 model year. This decision comes as part of Audi’s effort to streamline its portfolio and focus on more popular models.
### The Disappearance of Two-Door Models
The decision to discontinue the A5 Coupe and Cabriolet is a result of slow sales of two-door vehicles in the luxury car market. Audi has already phased out other niche models like the TT and R8 in recent years. With the popularity of crossovers and SUVs on the rise, coupes and convertibles are gradually being retired by many automakers. The A3 Cabriolet has been absent from the Audi lineup for some time, and even rival brands like Mercedes and BMW are scaling back on their two-door offerings.
### The Future of the A5 Lineup
As Audi moves towards a more electrified future, combustion engine vehicles will carry odd numbers in their names while electric vehicles will have even numbers. This means that the ICE-powered A6 will become the A7, leaving room in the lineup for an electric A6 E-Tron. The A5 Sportback will be joined by an A5 Avant wagon, replacing the outgoing A4 Avant. While there has been no official announcement on the fate of the A4 Sedan, it is possible that the A5 Sportback will serve as its successor.
### The Revamped A5
The all-new A5, set to debut this year, will be based on Audi’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), an evolution of the current MLB architecture. It will feature the latest gasoline and diesel engines developed by Audi, as the brand aims to transition to full electrification by 2033. The A5 will likely be the last iteration of Audi’s combustion engine models before the brand’s complete shift to electric vehicles. The A4 moniker is expected to return later this decade for an E-Tron electric sedan to compete with Mercedes and BMW’s electric offerings.
### Sales Performance and Market Trends
Despite the discontinuation of the A5 Coupe and Cabriolet, overall sales of the A5 lineup have seen growth, with a five percent increase reported through June in the US market. The A5 Sportback likely contributed to this growth, showcasing the popularity of practical five-door models over traditional two-door coupes and convertibles. As consumer preferences continue to shift towards larger vehicles like SUVs and crossovers, automakers are adjusting their product lineups to meet market demand.
### Conclusion
The retirement of the A5 Coupe and Cabriolet marks a significant shift in Audi’s product strategy in the US market. As the brand focuses on more practical and popular models like the A5 Sportback and its performance variants, the future of the A5 lineup looks to be evolving towards a more electrified and efficient direction. With the introduction of an A5 Avant wagon and the upcoming debut of the all-new A5 Sportback, Audi is positioning itself to meet the changing demands of luxury car consumers in a rapidly evolving automotive landscape.