cars news 10: 2018 Audi SQ5 Debuts in Detroit With New Turbo Engine

Goodbye, supercharger. Hello, turbocharger. The second-generation 2018 Audi SQ5 made its world debut at the 2017 Detroit auto show, showing off its sharper sheetmetal and a new turbocharged engine that’s slightly more powerful than the outgoing model.

Like the Audi S4 sedan, the 2018 SQ5 will be powered by a 3.0-liter, turbocharged V-6 rated at 354 hp 369 lb-ft of torque. The new engine replaces the 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 powering the first-gen SQ5, which has the same horsepower rating, but makes slightly less torque at 346 lb-ft. We’ve praised the supercharged mill for its responsive and linear power delivery, but Audi promises the new turbo-mill should be even better.

The engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic and Audi’s conventional, full-time Quattro all-wheel drive system (the normal Q5 is fitted with the fancy Quattro Ultra system). Audi says the 2018 SQ5 will run from 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds. This is likely a rather conservative estimate as the first-gen SQ5 did the deed in the mid- to high-4-second range in our tests.

The 2018 SQ5 can be equipped with a number of performance upgrades to make it more agile. For starters, an air suspension is available with S sport package, which also includes a sport rear differential. The variable ratio Dynamic steering system is also optional.

In addition to being quick, the SQ5 is also available with Audi’s latest tech. The automaker’s Virtual Cockpit–a configurable digital instrument panel– is an option, and Apple CarPlay and Android auto are standard. Look for the SQ5 in showrooms by the second or third quarter of this year.

Source: Audi