Refreshed 2021 Audi Q5 Was Designed by a Canadian
Danny Garand from Sherbrooke, Quebec is a senior designer at Audi’s Ingolstadt headquarters in Germany and the man responsible for the new look of the refreshed 2021 Q5 crossover.
In 1978, Garand became enamoured with the Lotus Esprit Turbo that starred in the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me. He later made his debut with Bombardier before landing his dream job at Lotus.
While working for the British exotic car maker, the young designer enrolled at the prestigious Royal College of Arts in London. He made a brief stint at Honda Europe and then was hired by Audi.
During his career, Garand contributed to the design of the A8, Q7, A1, A3 and TT, among others. And now he’s the one who gets the credit for the styling update of the popular Q5.
Sportier Looks
So, what’s new on the 2021 Audi Q5? The Singleframe grille is wider and a bit less deep, while the front air intakes are larger and sport a trapezoidal shape.
The upper section of the front lighting units includes revised daytime running lights. At the other end, the taillights are now connected and the diffuser gets a new horizontal slat. The lower bodysides have a more streamlined profile, too.
Twelve exterior colours are available including new District Green and Ultra Blue. A Black Optics package can be added, as well.
MMI Touch Changes the Interior
Similar to many recent Audi products, the 2021 Q5 changes the human-machine interaction with the new MMI Touch system featuring a 10.1-inch colour touchscreen. The latter offers acoustic feedback and proves as easy to navigate as a smartphone.
No more rotary controller on the centre console; it’s been replaced by a storage compartment.
Meanwhile, the rear seats slide fore and aft whether you want more legroom in the second row or more space in the trunk. Speaking of which, folding the seats increases cargo capacity from 520-1,520 litres.
Same Engines
Two Q5 models are available starting with the 45 TFSI which uses a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine rated at 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The TFSI E-Hybrid model adds an electric motor and a 14.1-kWh battery for a total output of 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet.
Let’s not forget the sportier SQ5, which continues to rely on a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 that cranks out 349 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque.
In all cases, quattro all-wheel drive comes standard.
Production of the 2021 Audi Q5 models will remain in Mexico, with sales to begin this fall. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.