I’ve had the good fortune to test drive cars for the manufacturers for almost 15 years now, and often said that I’ve driven a lot of beautiful cars; cars that stir the imagination and get the blood going. The truth is, my acid test of a vehicle that costs let’s say, over $40,000 is, will that vehicle make it on my short list of cars that I’d spend lots of dollars for. Well, the Audi S5 easily makes that list. Like a lot of others I’d seen the pictures, but this car is so much more up close and personal.
The S5 is, of course, the performance iteration of the A5 that joins the 2008 lineup and is the big brother to the TT coupe and R8 sports car a trio that gives Audi a pretty solid complement of performance coupes. The S5 does in fact incorporate a lot of the features of the Nuvolari concept car that debuted in 2003, and it offers a beautiful balance of sport and elegance that prompet VW Group Design head Walter de’Silva to describe the S5 as “the most beautiful car I have ever designed.” Walt, I couldn’t agree more.
The powerplant is Audi's 354 horsepower 4.2-liter FSI V8 mated to a 6-speed manual transmission that delivers power to the renowned Quattro all-wheel drive system. There is a Tiptronic automatic coming but I really like this car with the manual. The asymmetric all-wheel-drive system applies power on a 60/40 split which puts more power to the rear wheels to maximize cornering and handling dynamics.The LED lights that frame the bottom and sides of the headlights are the daytime running lights and they give the S5 one of the coolest looks I’ve seen, and the stance on this car is perfect. It’s a great balance of form and function and while $57,000 is not inexpensive, you’ll get phenomenal bang for you buck if you buy this stunning car.
So, the word that describes the S5 for me is simply wow. It’s not the fastest or the edgiest car on the road and it’s not a classic beauty. But it is, paradoxically, a gorgeous automobile and a blast to drive. Check on out, I do believe you’ll like it.More on the S5, including some video I shot coming soon to our website; www.twofortheroadusa.com.
