Introduction
Are you looking to upgrade the exterior of your Audi A5 and give it a fresh new look? Maybe you’re just looking to throw on some new alloys or perhaps upgrade it to make it look like a more modern higher-spec A5.
The good news is there are plenty of options to choose from, whether you’re working with a tight budget or have some extra cash to spend. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the best exterior mods for the Audi A5, ranging from simple and affordable cosmetic upgrades to more extensive and expensive modifications.
Whether you want to enhance the style of your car with a sleek new grille or give it a sportier look with a body kit, we’ve got you covered.
So let’s dive in and explore the best ways to take your Audi A5’s exterior to the next level!
Wheel Upgrades & Spacers
The Audi A5 has had a variety of different wheel options over the years since it’s introduction in 2007 in different styles depending on the spec and year.
These range between 17 inch and 20 inch, usually coming in a rotor style alloy.
If you aren’t wanting to purchase aftermarket wheels, then you could first look at other wheel options from the Audi A5 range. If you are looking for a sportier look, consider upsizing if your wheels are on the smaller side (17 inch for example).
Upsizing to a larger wheel can make your A5 look more slick and modern, however you may lose some ride quality and comfort if you go too big on the wheels.
If you decide OEM isn’t for you, then there are countless aftermarket wheel options out there. With so many styles and options to choose from, it can be quite overwhelming.
A lot of it is going to come down to your budget, preference, styles of your car and the fitment of the wheels.
Wheelbasealloys is a great resource and can show you a list of all the aftermarket wheels that are directly compatible with your particular year and model of A5.
Coilovers/Lowering Springs
Lowering your Audi A5 can be a great way to improve the look and performance of your car.
From a cosmetic perspective, lowering will give your A5 a more aggressive stance that makes it look sportier. From a performance perspective, a lowered car benefits from a lower centre of gravity and increased stability.
The two main options you have for lowering your A5 are normally coilovers and lowering springs. There is also air suspension kits but we wont touch on that on this article.
Lets take a quick look at coilovers first.
Coilovers allow you to lower your Audi A5’s ride height further than lowering springs and offer greater adjustability.
Coilovers are known for offering improved handling as well as stiffening up the ride. If you use your A5 as a daily driver and want to maintain the comfort of it, then opt for a set of coilovers and setting that isn’t too stiff or overly harsh. If performance is your main goal, then a stiffer setup will likely benefit you more.
Lowering your Audi A5 with lowering springs is a great way to get the cosmetic and performance benefits of lowering your car, but at a lower cost than coilovers.
The downside is that they don’t offer as much adjustability as coilovers do when it comes to adjusting ride height and settings like rebound and compression. They also don’t tend to go as low as coilovers do so if you’re wanting your A5 sitting very low, coilovers are what you’re after.
However, if you’re looking for some extra style points without breaking the bank, then lowering springs may be just what you need!
Regardless of whether you decide on coilovers or lowering springs, ensure your suspension is in good condition before fitting them as lowering your car can put additional strain on various other suspension components.
Painted Brake Calipers
Painted brake calipers bring a sharp, sporty edge to the A5 that is immediately noticeable, adding a pop of colour peeking from behind the wheels.
As an integral part of the braking system they often go unnoticed, but when painted they add a touch of high-performance appeal.
There are various colour options out there, with the most popular being red, yellow and blue to reflect the car’s sporty nature.
Some owners also opt for something more subtle and instead paint them silver or black to give them a fresh makeover but not draw too much attention to them.
If you’re unsure of what colour, consider the colour scheme you have going on with the rest of the car. If you have a certain colour scheme going on in the interior or have any coloured accents on the exterior, consider going with this for some harmony.
Remember when painting your brake calipers you need to use high temperature brake paint designed for brake calipers. This is to ensure that the paint doesn’t crack or fade when exposed to heat like standard paint will.
Red Brake Caliper Paint
Sideskirts
Sideskirt extensions lend a more aggressive and sports-enhanced look to the car, emphasising the sleek, streamline design.
They also create an illusion of the vehicle sitting lower, adding to its sporty character.
Maxton who are a manufacturers of high quality aftermarket body kit parts have sets of sideskirts designed for the A5 that you can check out at the bottom of this section. These are already pre-measured and tailored to fit so you won’t have to trim and cut like you do with many universal sideskirts.
Made from ABS plastic, the material is lightweight and durable so you don’t have to worry about it cracking with the slightest bump like a lot of cheaper fibreglass products.
These extensions are fitted using self tapping screws and is something you may be able to do yourself at home with minimal technical expertise required.
Maxton Sideskirts
Audi A5 (2007-2016)
Boot Spoiler
This is a subtle yet extremely neat exterior mod that can really transform the rear of your A5, giving it a more aggressive and sporty appearance.
Depending on the A5 version you own, you may already have a boot spoiler. The BE and Special Edition Plus both came with the boot lid spoiler as standard. Even if you already have a spoiler from factory, there are also aftermarket options that extend on it and add a larger one if that’s up your street.
You have a couple of different options for spoilers, with most enthusiasts opting for a small ducktail styled spoiler. There are different manufacturers who offer these, and while mostly the same style they are slightly different.
Maxton Design offer various options on eBay for the different versions of the A5.
These come in the subtle style similar to the OEM spoiler on certain versions. Available in black, these don’t require painting and can be fitted with double sided 3M tape. If you order directly through Maxton you also have the opportunity to have a carbon fibre finish applied to the spoiler for some extra elegance. This is a good choice if you have other carbon styled elements on your exterior like wing mirror caps.
The RDX spoiler available through Mad Motors offers a slightly more bold approach with a raised classic spoiler that really makes the rear stand out. This will require painting so is one that is most likely best left to a body shop for installation.
Front Splitter
A front splitter is a solid piece of aerodynamic equipment that can be added to the front end of your A5. It’s designed to improve airflow around your vehicle, thus improving performance through reduced drag and increased traction.
The main benefit of a front splitter is improved aerodynamics. This means that when you’re driving at high speeds, air will flow more smoothly over your car more efficiently and push down on the splitter. The end result? Improved stability while driving fast or cornering hard, as well as increased downforce.
Aside from performance benefits, they also look great and make the front end of your A5 look a lot more aggressive and sharp.
You have the option of opting for a universal styled splitter on eBay that will usually need cut to shape and measured up etc.. This can sometimes work out a little cheaper however will result in more setup/installation time to get a clean result.
If you don’t want to go through the fuss of that, you can look at some of the front splitters that have been custom made to fit the A5. There are some different options depending on which year your A5 is, so ensure that you double check the splitter is compatible.
Maxton have options on eBay for a front splitter for various models of the A5 that you can purchase.
Universal Front Splitter
Fits all A5 Models
Grille Upgrades
The grille is a distinctive prominent feature on the front end of the A5. There are various OEM grilles for the A5 depending on the year and spec of the model. If you are looking at upgrading the grille, consider the rest of your car and the look you want to achieve.
The honeycomb styled grille is a popular mod which many enthusiasts do.
You can also get stylish with the Audi emblem on the front. If your car and grille is black, then you could go for the blacked out logo look. This is a simple mod yet one that really blacks out the front of the car, making for a mean and aggressive look. You can purchase these on eBay.
Honeycomb Grille
Audi A5 (2007-2011)
Honeycomb Grille
Audi A5 (2012-2017)
Finishing Thoughts
We hope by now you can see the possibilities are endless when it comes to customising the looks of your A5.
With the wide range of mods available, there is something for every budget and style preference. From simple upgrades like new wheels to extensive modifications like body kits and custom paint, the possibilities are endless.
Whether you’re looking to modernise your A5 with some subtle touches or transform it into a real head-turner, we hope this mod list gave you some guidance and inspiration.
Happy modding!
