Official photos of Audi's upcoming A5 coupé, scheduled to be unveiled at the Geneva motor show, have been leaked from the automaker's dedicated microsite.

The A5 coupé shows how Ingolstadt plans to take on the BMW 3 Series coupé and Mercedes-Benz CLK, and in the process fill the void left in the automaker's luxury coupé offering since the departure of the Quattro coupé years ago.

An elegant and understated design is brimming with characteristic Audi design cues: the front-end styling and headlamps bear a strong resemblance to the Audi TT coupé and the rear of the car indicates an A4-inspired deck lid and evolutionary tail lamps that are reminiscent of the 3 Series. A deep and characterful groove runs the length of the wheelbase, and the wheelarches are flared for a purposeful sporting stance.

The new coupé will be built on Audi's 'B8' architecture, a platform which is likely to be shared with the forthcoming A4 and A6 replacements. According to the photos, Audi's 3-litre turbodiesel powerplant from the A4 and A6 saloon will find a home under the A5's bonnet, but should be pushed further to the rear for better weight distribution and handling characteristics.

A range of petrol and diesel four- and six-cylinder engines will be available in the A5, and be accompanied by versions of the V8 powerplant from the RS4 in the S5 and RS5 models. As rival BMW plans to unveil the next generation M3 in Geneva, it's fair to assume that the S5 variation of the coupé will be alongside the A5 on Audi's show stand, though it is customary for Audi to hold off for the fire-breather's reveal until a later date.

Transmission choices for the new coupé will likely include the six-speed manual and Audi's DSG gearbox currently on offer in the TT. There is also speculation that the carmaker's renowned quattro system will drive the wheels on most models, presumably with a rear torque bias.

The interior of the new Audi A5 is familiar, with supportive leather seats, a stitched leather steering wheel and gear shift, and a reworked driver-oriented dash layout. The instrumentation is a variation of the gauge design first seen in the Q7 SUV, while the next-generation telematics - incorporating Audi's MMI system - also features prominently.

Further details will become available when the car launches on March 6th at the Geneva motor show, and we'll be there to share them with you.

Eric Gallina - 23 Feb 2007