This is the Audi you can't have

Audi has put out a string of hits over the past few years, ranging from the Q5 crossover to the R8 supercar.

But for many of the brand's fans, it's the A7 and its sleek rear hatch that sits at the top of the list.

However, with a starting price pushing $70,000, it's out of reach for many people.

That's where the A5 Sportback comes in.

Set to be introduced ahead of the 2016 Paris Motor Show later this month, the next generation A5 and high performance S5 variant will be able to bridge that gap.

Based on the new A4 sedan, the S5 offers a similarly stylish rear hatch design at a price point on par with the more affordable A4.

(The A7 along with its high performance S7 and RS7 variants are based on the pricier A6 sedan.)

Power for the new A5 Sportback comes from a 2.0 liter, 252 horsepower, turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine. The peppier S5 Sportback will get a 350 horsepower, turbocharged V6 engine. According to Audi, the flagship high performance S5 will be able to reach 62 mph in just 4.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 mph.

In addition, the A5 Sportback will be loaded with tech features such as Audi's Virtual Cockpit as well as a slew semi-autonomous safety features.

All of this sounds good, but there's one catch. The Audi A5 Sportback has not traditionally been offered for sale in the US. While the next generation A5 Coupe, released in June, will be sold here, it does not look like Audi has changed its thinking for the new car.

Press information for the upcoming introduction of the A5 Sportback is conspicuously missing from Audi's US media site.

A representative from Audi was not immediately available for comment on the matter.

The 2016 Paris Motor Show will be open to the public from October 1 through the 16th.

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