SAIC-Audi officially launched its all-new mid-size vehicle, the Audi E5 Sportback, on September 16, 2025. The model comes in four configurations with official pricing ranging from 235,900 to 319,900 yuan (32,500-44,000 USD). The E5 Sportback is built on an intelligent digital platform jointly developed by SAIC and Audi, and is manufactured at the SAIC Audi Smart Manufacturing Base.
The exterior design draws inspiration from Audi’s E concept version while maintaining the brand’s core design elements. According to official sources, the vehicle incorporates the classic rounded wheel arches of the first-generation Audi TT, the clean surfaces of the RSQ concept car, and the dynamic stance of the RS6.
The E5 Sportback features a ring-shaped headlight cluster paired with an integrated closed front grille that houses lighting function modules and an illuminated Audi logo at the lower edge of the hood. Both front and rear logo lighting assemblies use dark chrome material with 3D floating illuminated designs.
The vehicle comes equipped with a roof-mounted LiDAR system, providing Momenta EBM end-to-end large model assisted driving capabilities. The hardware suite includes 27 perception devices: LiDAR for long-distance detection, three long-range millimetre-wave radars, 12 ultrasonic radars, and 11 cameras, all powered by Nvidia’s Orin-X chip to handle various scenarios, including city roads, highways, and automatic parking.
From the side profile, the slightly raised front and rear wheel arches are combined with clean body lines. The vehicle also features hidden door handles and electronic side mirrors (integrating BSD, DOW, and RCTA functions) for enhanced tech appeal. The sloping roofline with the Sportback hatchback design ensures interior headroom while offering the practicality of a wagon.
The rear showcases a through-type taillight assembly with vertical elements at both ends, echoing the front lighting design. According to official information, the car features 942 LED light beads in the front and rear, utilising infrared micro-hole laser engraving technology to project nearly 2,000 triangular elements.
Dimensionally, the new car measures 4,881mm in length, 1,960mm in width, and 1,479mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,950mm, positioning it as a mid-size sedan.
The interior features a simple yet premium design with a through-type “ultrawide” screen composed of a fully digital instrument cluster, central control screen, and passenger entertainment screen. The “ear flaps” on both sides of the screen serve as displays for the electronic side mirrors. The vehicle is equipped with the new Audi OS operating system, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 cabin chip. The in-car Audi assistant is deeply customised based on Volcano Engine’s large language model “Douban,” offering semantic understanding, multi-round dialogue, and vehicle control interaction.
Power options vary by configuration, with single-motor models offering either 220 kW (299 hp) or 300 kW (408 hp). Dual-motor versions deliver either 525 hp (386 kW, with 155 kW front and 231 kW rear) or 787 hp (579 kW, with 200 kW front and 379 kW rear).
For battery configurations, the entry-level model features a 76kWh LFP battery from SAIC/CALB with a pure electric range of 618km. The remaining configurations use CATL’s NCM lithium batteries with capacities of 83kWh and 100kWh, offering ranges of 623km, 773km, and 647km, respectively. A 10-minute charge provides over 370km of additional range.
The E5 Sportback is equipped with Audi’s quattro intelligent all-wheel-drive system, enabling 0-100km/h acceleration in 3.4 seconds. Additional features include active air suspension (adjustable by 45mm up and down) and CDC continuously variable damping.
As SAIC and Audi’s collaborative venture into the Chinese market, the E5 Sportback enters a niche but growing segment, competing with models like the Zeekr 007GT and Nio ET5T.
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