The 2014 Audi SQ5 high-performance SUV will cost $51,900 when it hits showrooms later this summer. The first S variant of the Q-line makes power with a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 delivering 354 hp and 347 lb-ft of torque.
Audi first revealed the SQ5 at the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans race, and then again in production form at the Detroit auto show.
An eight-speed Tiptronic transmission will send power to all four wheels via Audi’s Quattro system, which will help it get to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. Top speed is 155 mph.
All Q5s, including the S, feature a roof-rack detection system that is linked to the stability control system. When the crossbars are installed, the system adjusts the parameters according to the new center of gravity.
The SQ5 will wear trim similar to other S models, including the flat-bottom steering wheel, gray instruments with white needles, aluminum mirror housings, S bumpers and quad exhaust tips.
Keyless entry and keyless ignition are standard, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system are optional.
The Q5’s closest competitors include the Infiniti EX37, Mercedes GLK and Volvo XC90, all of which sticker for less than the SQ5, though none offer a performance variant, and none match the power or straight-line speed.
Until we see a Sebastian Vettel EX or a Mercedes GLK AMG, the SQ lives in a class by itself.
-- Jake Lingeman
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