Audi A5 45 TFSI (F5) Tuning Guide 2026

The Audi A5 F5 (2016+) on the MLB Evo platform is the sweet spot of Ingolstadt's coupe line-up: lighter than an S5, sharper than an A4, and with the 45 TFSI's 2.0L 245hp turbo it already has a tuner-friendly EA888 engine under the clamshell. Add ABT Sportsline, Caractere, Hofele or Prior Design, and an ordinary 45 TFSI becomes a genuine S5-beater on style and pace.

Specifications

Body Kits

ABT Sportsline — AS5-R headline

The ABT AS5-R is the definitive F5 package. ABT fits a carbon front splitter, sculpted side skirts, a widened rear apron with quad tips, a subtle boot spoiler and carbon mirror caps. The look is aggressive without crossing into widebody territory — ideal for owners who want a factory-plus stance. ABT also supplies AS5-R badging, embroidery and individually numbered plaques for full-build cars.

Caractere

Belgian specialist Caractere offers a cleaner interpretation: bolt-on front spoiler lip, trunk lip spoiler, chrome-delete kits and colour-matched side blades. Their advantage is precision fit — Caractere parts bolt directly to OEM mounting points without trimming, and their paint match is the closest in the industry.

Prior Design

For a more dramatic stance, Prior Design's PD600R-style widebody kit fits wide front and rear fender flares, a completely reshaped front bumper, vented hood, diffuser and ducktail spoiler. Hofele rounds out the catalogue with OEM-style upgrades (RS5 look conversions, grille swaps) for owners who want a factory-S5 aesthetic.

Wheels (19-20", 5x112)

The F5 lives comfortably on 19s and 20s — 21s require fender work and aggressive tyre sidewalls that compromise ride. Factory Audi Sport 5-arm 20s are a strong baseline, but the aftermarket leans heavily on ABT GR 20x9, Vossen HF-5 and S17-01, OZ Racing Leggera HLT, BBS CI-R and Rotiform LAS-R. Staggered 20s (9.0J front / 9.5J rear, ET35-45) give a planted stance without rubbing on coilovers. PCD is 5x112 with a 66.5mm centre bore. Pair with Bilstein B14 or KW V3 coilovers for the correct stance; H&R lowering springs are the budget option. Tyre of choice: 255/35R20 Michelin PS4S or Continental SC6.

Performance

The EA888 evo4 is famously cooperative with tuning. ABT's Stage 1 power kit pushes the 45 TFSI from 245hp to 310hp / 440Nm on pump gas with a plug-and-play control unit and retains the factory warranty through ABT's network. APR Stage 1 lands at 300hp, REVO and Unitronic in the same window. Stage 2 with a downpipe and intake nudges 330hp. Hybrid turbo builds at Stage 3 reach 400hp but require injectors, intercooler, clutch and fuel-system work. ABT's cat-back exhaust with valve control adds the S5-like soundtrack that the quiet factory 45 TFSI desperately needs. For chassis, KW V3 coilovers, H&R anti-roll bars and larger front brake discs (370mm) complete a quick-road spec.

Interior

A5 F5 cabins upgrade well. ABT supplies a carbon fibre interior kit (dash inlays, door inserts, shift surround), aluminium pedals and embroidered floor mats. Alcantara headliners, quilted leather retrims (Vilner, Neidfaktor) and carbon flat-bottom steering wheels with paddle shifters are common. Digital cluster animations, RS5-style seat retrims and ambient lighting upgrades are popular quality-of-life additions. A Bang & Olufsen 3D retrofit is possible from donor cars for owners who opted for base audio.

Why Tune Now

The Audi A5 F5 is in a strategic sweet spot for tuners in 2026. Residuals on 2019-2022 examples have stabilised after the first depreciation curve — a clean 45 TFSI is holding value far better than equivalent A4 saloons, and that matters when you're spending aftermarket money on the car. The MLB Evo platform is a known quantity with eight model years of data, TSB coverage and community experience; no one is finding new surprises about the EA888 evo4, so tuners can commit to long-tail parts runs with confidence. The aftermarket ecosystem is mature: ABT has stocked the AS5-R programme since 2017 and its Stage 1 package has been proven on thousands of cars. Caractere and Prior Design inventories are healthy, with no vapour-part listings. Parts availability is better than it's been in years and shipping lead times have normalised after the 2021-2023 supply-chain window. The F5 also benefits from quattro AWD, which means Stage 1 tunes don't run into traction-limited diminishing returns the way FWD alternatives do; every horsepower ABT adds translates into real-world pace. Finally, the S5 and RS5 F5 have appreciated enough that a well-tuned 45 TFSI genuinely closes the performance gap at a fraction of the build cost — and the F5 facelift means parts fit current cars without compromise. If you've been waiting for the right window to commit to a build, the platform maturity plus stable residuals make right now the optimal moment.

FAQ

Q: Does ABT Stage 1 affect the Audi warranty?
ABT's control-unit programme retains dealer warranty coverage in most EU markets when installed at an ABT partner — but policies vary, confirm with your dealer.

Q: Will the ABT AS5-R kit fit a Sportback?
Yes — ABT produces Coupe, Sportback and Cabrio variants; exterior panels differ only at the rear.

Q: What's the realistic 45 TFSI power ceiling on stock internals?
Around 380-400hp with hybrid turbo, supporting fuel and cooling — past that, pistons and rods become the limit.

Q: Are 20" wheels safe on stock F5 suspension?
Yes, but ride quality suffers on broken tarmac. Pair 20s with adaptive dampers or quality coilovers for balance.