Buying a fast car isn’t a particularly tough task these days. However, one that can blend in an evening party granting you an elegant entry yet give you a hair-raising experience on the weekend. Well, that’s a tough one and thanks to the Audi S5, there’s an answer to this situation. However, wearing multiple hats hasn’t worked well for many cars in the past including those from Deutschland. So is the Audi S5 any different or does it just bask in the glory of not having too many direct competitors in the Indian market? We found that out recently.
Design
Let’s get the most important thing out of the way first. Yes, the S5 looks very much like an Audi, I mean most of the other Audi sedans out there, all of which do not look very different from each other. Is that a bad thing? Not, particularly since the S5 does start to look different from the other Audis and the A5 once you move closer to it. The sharper 3D grille upfront combined with sleek headlamps, T-shaped fog-lamp surrounds and muscular and bold hood lines give the S5 an imposing front stance. The design clearly expresses the car’s desire to lunge forward and chase the horizon.
On the side, the attention-grabbing 18-inch wheels, a sloping roofline coupled with a long wheelbase and hood lend the S5 with the look of World War II fighter planes such as the RAF Spitfire or even the Luftwaffe’s Messerschmitt BF 109 (ME 109) since we’re talking about a German car here. This visual effect is primarily due to the increase of 34 mm in length and 14 mm in wheelbase along with a reduction of 5 mm in height. While this low-slung design left nothing to complain of, it did leave me extremely worried about the speed breakers that the S5 didn’t seem capable of driving over. More on that later though.
Overall, the design of the new Audi S5 is impressive and looks sophisticated but also has that hint of underlying brat character that seems to be waiting to be unleashed. It’s a car you can drive to the office or a party or to a golf course or even a weekend trip and at all of these places, the car would fit in nicely. That’s how versatile its design is.
Performance
This is definitely the main reason why you’d be thinking of buying this car as it can fulfill your need for speed better than most premium sedans. The new Audi S5 is powered by a 2.0 Litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine that develops 356 ps and 500 Nm of torque. Thumb the start/stop button and the S5 growls to life and gradually settles into a gentle rumble. Right from the word go, the S5 pumps up adrenaline. There’s hardly any turbo lag and once past about 1,800 rpm, the engine accelerates strongly and around 3,500 rpm is when it goes into ‘Glory’ mode. The sound from the exhaust after 3,500 rpm is appealing and addictive and even those not into cars will find it genuinely pleasant.
The performance too is electric and the engine revs happily to about 5,500 rpm, the point at which it’s advisable to upshift instead of riding a tapering curve of power. Decelerate or change a gear and the exhaust rewards you with pops and crackles, which can get very very addictive. The eight-speed automatic transmission does a good job of complementing the engine’s power but when pushing really hard it’s best to use the paddles as it connects you better with the machine. We were able to record a 0-100 kmph acceleration time of 5.1 seconds, which is proper sports car territory in a sedan!
In a nutshell, the S5 offers sportscar performance in the body of a mid-level luxury sedan. The best part about this powertrain is that when you want it to behave like a luxury car, it does so without batting an eyelid, especially with the help of multiple drive modes. Versatility served in heaps!
Ride & Handling
With the kind of performance the S5 packs in, I thought it would be extremely difficult for the car to deliver complementing handling with its sedan-like body and quite some bit of length. A spirited drive quickly proved how wrong I was as the S5 felt happy going around corners at high speeds and straight-line stability at triple-digit speeds was rock solid. The Quattro system did its job perfectly at every corner and ensured the S5 didn’t step out of line even with its tyres lit up and blowing smoke! That is how good the car was around corners.
With such handling, one would expect the car to have a ride quality that would treat your buttocks and back like hell. But hey, it’s the complete opposite and that’s despite the fact that the S5 doesn’t get Adaptive Damping in India, unlike Europe. With its low ground-clearance I was concerned about scraping the underbelly but even with three passengers onboard the car managed to navigate large parts of West Delhi and Gurgaon without any issues. Brakes too do a fine job of reining in the galloping German horses and the pedal provides good feedback too. The steering wheel is light to use at low speeds and gains weight with increase in velocity. However, it doesn’t offer much feedback and that is the only missing part in an otherwise brilliant driver’s car.
Round-Up
The Audi S5 offers a unique proposition at its price-point in the form of versatility without compromises. If you love driving, the S5 will keep you entertained and if you need to arrive at a party in style and sophistication, consider that done. The cabin of the S5 offers all luxuries one would expect at its price and is a nice place to be in. Only negative is that the sloping roofline makes it hard for tall occupants to not feel claustrophobic.
Overall, the biggest strength of the Audi S5 is its ability to wear different hats and also pass with flying colours. At Rs 72.41 lakh, ex-showroom, the S5 offers impressive performance and luxury without any considerable compromise. It is literally two cars in one as you do not have to buy two cars – one to quench your need for speed and another to go about your daily runs in comfort and style. This quality of it, to my mind, is something that sets it apart from most cars in this price bracket. As I said earlier, the Audi S5 is truly a champion of versatility.