Audi S5: Germany’s battle has begun

The new luxury Audi S5 comes powered by a 4.2-litre V8 engine and quattro all-wheel-drive.

It seems every week there is something new from Audi and they're not just boring value-added specials destined for the showroom.

Germany's No.3 maker of prestige cars is going as fast as it can into a future where it will become more than just a nuisance to Mercedes-Benz and BMW. It wants a head-to-head rivalry.

That will happen only if it produces plenty of major new models, which is what Audi is delivering. And it plans to keep doing so.

The smooth Audi A5 coupe arrived in Australia in a double whammy with the R8 supercar, and will be followed next year by the A3 cabrio.

There is more to the A5 than just its good-looking body, because it's wrapped around the mechanical package for the all-new A4 sedan (which is also coming next year). So it's an important car on its own and even more vital as the first arrival in a new mid-sized Audi family.

“This new coupe is a stunning vehicle; we believe it's the best in its class,” Audi Australia managing director Joerg Hofmann says.

“With competitive pricing, advanced engine technology and elegant design, the A5 and S5 models will surely turn the heads of luxury-car buyers.”

The A5 range opens with a 3.2-litre V6 priced from $91,900, right in the line of the BMW 3-Series coupe and Benz's CLK. Next year there will also be a 1.8-litre turbo from about $70,000, which will really get things rocking.

The S5 sets the standard, from its 4.2-litre V8 and quattro all-wheel-drive to a long list of standard equipment that includes satnav, leather seats and alloy wheels.

It appears to be much the same as the rest of the A5 range, until you look closely at the wheels, brakes and exhaust pipe. Then you can see it's the muscular one.

But the basic looks of the A5 put elegance ahead of muscle, drawing Audi further away from the brutal industrial style of the latest BMWs and the conservative looks of the Benz line-up.

The new coupe goes much farther away from the A4 sedan than previous two-door designs in the Audi range, though it will look more at home alongside next year's A4.

Audi has been demonstrating the S5's ability at racetracks, alongside the R8, and is keen to emphasise the newcomer's importance.

“Audi is a brand on the move in Australia and this new model will help propel us towards yet another period of record sales growth,” Hofmann says.

On the road

Time with the S5 proves how quickly things are changing at Audi.

It's not just the car's body. The front suspension is noticeably better than that in any earlier Audi, and finally; it's rid of the rotten chatter and kickback over mid-corner bumps.

The worst Audi models before the S5 had noisy kickback through the steering and all were unsettled over the rippling corrugations that are far too common on twisting Australian country roads.

The S5 just turns, tracks and goes. No mess, no fuss, and finally a genuine level of refinement to match its rear-drive German opponents.

There is more. The 4.2-litre V8 in the S5 is sharp and responsive, with a mellow V8 burble, and the six-speed manual transmission and quattro drive means it can really go.

A 0-100km/h sprint is a five-second job and, even better, it has solid overtaking power in all its gears.

It is not as raunchy as the wonderful RS4 sedan, which shares its hotted V8 with the R8, but is nicely responsive, capable of calm commuting and has fairly good fuel economy.

The S5 is comfortable and roomy in the cabin. It has a big boot and the sort of final finish that Audi has made a trademark.

These days only Lexus does it better on cabin quality, but without the emotional quality Audi has put into its leather and plastics and chrome and switches.

The new Audi just gets better with time, and that is rare during a test-drive evaluation. Most cars just expose their flaws.

Not that it is perfect; as you find the first time you experience the awful blind spots in lane-change work and the difficulty in parking a car with almost zero rear vision. Thanks, again, for parking radar.

The S5 is quiet for touring, has good lamps and reasonable economy, and always looks smooth and elegant.

The difficult thing is rating it against its rivals. The S5 is extremely well priced and equipped, and has a V8 engine its opposition cannot match for the price.

The BMW 335i is wonderful, but without the grunter motor, and the CLK from Benz feels a bit dowdy in comparison, unless you can afford the 500 V8 or an AMG hotrod.

The Porsche Cayman competes on class and price, but not practicality or punch, and the Jaguar XK is just as new but feels much older.

All coupes are fashion items, which means the newest and cutest is always going to sell the best. At least for a while.

The S5 is much more than a looker and deserves to be added to any luxury sporty shopping list. It proves Audi knows its stuff and is improving all the time, and it has us genuinely excited about driving the new A4 sedan next year.

The bottom line

Smooth and enjoyable, with an impressive chassis for the A4.

78/100

All angles

Fast fact

There is no news yet from Audi about a potential RS5 coupe

Inside view

Audi S5

Price: $131,900 as tested

Engine: 4.2-litre V8 with twin-overhead camshafts and fuel injection

Power: 260kW at 7000revs

Torque: 440Nm at 3500revs

Transmission: Six-speed manual, all-wheel drive

Body: Two-door coupe

Seats: Four

Dimensions: Length 4635mm, width 1854mm, height 1369mm, wheelbase 2751mm, tracks 1594/1581mm front/rear

Steering: Power-assisted

rack-and-pinion

Fuel tank: 63 litres

Fuel type: Premium unleaded

Fuel consumption: Average on test 12.8 litres/100km

Weight: 1630kg

Spare tyre: Space saver

Brakes: Anti-skid four-wheel discs

Wheels: 18x8.5 alloy

Tyres: 245x40 R18

Safety gear: Front-side-head airbags, ESP, traction control, anti-skid brakes with brake assist

Warranty: Three years/100,000 km

Features

Airconditioning4

Cruise control4

Alloy wheels4

Climate control4

Leather seats4

Heated seats4

Parking sensors4

Automatic wipers4

4 standard equipment

8 nonstandard equipment

How it compares

BMW 335i: 80/100 (from $108,900)

Jaguar XK coupe: 72/100 (from $199,900)

Mercedes CLK 350: 76/100 (from $121,100)

Porsche Cayman: 88/100 (from $118,000)