Audi S5: the lowdown
It must be one of the worst-kept secrets of recent years: brochure pictures of the Audi A5, Ingolstadt’s new mid-sized coupe, have leaked all over the internet. And it doesn’t end there. CAR Online has now found official photos of the new high-performance S-badged car, too. Read on for all the juiciest details of the V8-powered S5.
So this is the range-topper of the new A5 range?
The A5, due to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on 6 March, is the culmination of the Nuvolari concept for a mid-sized coupe that’s been kicking around for a while now. This S5 is the range-topper – until a rumoured RS5 is launched later in the lifecycle. A beefed-up ‘goatee grille’ gives the S5 an aggressive snout and cool, shaped LED day running lights deliver an unmistakable face. Aluminium trim on the deep front spoiler, discreet S5 badging, chunky five-spoke alloys and quad exhuasts complete the visual makeover.
RS4, R8… could the S5 be the next great driver’s Audi?
Ingolstadt has finally started making some driver-focused cars and the S5 could be the next to wow enthusiasts. It will be powered by the company’s 4.2-litre V8 mounted up front, driving all four wheels through Audi’s quattro system for peerless traction. The interior shot on the next page makes clear there’s a six-speed manual gearbox on offer, and the redline is pegged to a pleasingly high 7000rpm. Power is put at 340bhp, so expect a 0-60mph dash in less than 6.0sec. Let’s just hope it’s as good going around corners as it is at hammering along the straights…
Can we see inside the Audi S5 yet?
You certainly can. Audi’s reputation for building special cabins won’t be dented one iota by this leak. Design flair isn’t on the cards with new Audis these days – even the R8 supercar’s cabin was redolent of the TT, A8 et al. The S5’s cabin won’t astonish anyone – but we’d have to admit it does look pretty good. So the switchgear and ambience is entirely in keeping with current Audi thinking, but you can bet it’ll be built with the sort of quality normally associated with a Las Vegas bank vault. Highlights include a starter button next to the gearlever, carbonfibre trim accents and the MMI multi-function controller moved up to the dash like on the TT.