Audi S5 Sportback 3.0 TFSI Quattro Tiptronic by Tony Yates
A more stylish car is usually a less practical one. A more powerful engine normally means bad fuel economy. Greater handling thrills don’ t typically come without less comfort or refinement, and a more exciting-looking, sporty interior is usually less luxurious. But why should anyone spending £ 50,000 on a new car settle for less of anything? It’ s a question that brings us to the Audi S5.
Power and Efficiency
The S5 I had on test was powered by a 354HP 3.0 litre V6 TFSi, turbocharged engine which produces sharp responsiveness with the added bonus of 500Nm of torque. The S5 also manages to complete the 0-62 mph sprint in just 4.7 seconds, yet returned a combined 37.7 mpg- which you have to admit is pretty good for a V6. I am also going to be bold here and say that the 3.0 V6 is a brilliant engine and Audi have done a fantastic job of wringing out every last bit of horsepower. So basically, the S5 is a missile that is capable of taking you all the way to its electronically limited ceiling of 155mph in a heartbeat.
The only negative point I want to raise is about the 8 speed Tiptronic gearbox. It is for me the worst aspect of the Audi and if I am honest, I hate it – because, every time I actually wanted to get a move on- or change gear when I wanted- the little brain in the S5 kept interrupting the flow of power that I wanted.
So, correct me if I’ m wrong here – but isn’ t the Tiptronic gearbox supposed to speed up gear changes giving a better flow of power to the wheels? Well, thanks to Audi – what it does do is shut off a lot of driver interaction and totally takes over your driving style. I am not sure about you – but I like to feel the gear changes as a driver- and hold the revs as I want; I don’ t want a nanny under the bonnet telling me off every time I do something naughty. Anyway rant over – let’ s move on.
On the Road
As you would expect, the handling on the S5 is brilliantly poised thanks to Audi’ s engineers crafting the suspension with such precision. Yes, the ride can be quite harsh, especially for those of you who want a softer approach, but you don’ t buy an S5 because you want to feel like you are in the back of a Datsun – you get one because you want the exact opposite of that. If you engage WARP drive and stick it into the corners – you will come out the other side still pointing in the same direction as you entered, no under steer, no over-steer, nada. It really is that good.
This is of course mainly due to the fact that it has Audi’ s excellent Quattro- permanent all-wheel drive system fitted, which happens to have a selflocking center differential and Electronic Stabilization Control( ESC) which helps keep it altogether.
Safety and Technology
As you would expect from Audi, the cabin materials are exceptional quality and you can see that there has been no penny pinching anywhere on the interior. Inside, there is even more good news. Gone are the days of the dull plastics that you expect from the old Audi designers. The quality and feel inside is excellent and the seats are so luxurious, they could have come straight out of a Bentley.
There’ s also plenty of standard kit- like Air-con, cruise control, duel zone climate control, automatic wipers, Bluetooth handsfree, reversing sensors, tyre pressure monitoring and a leather steering wheel. Plus, Thanks to the all-new operating and display concept, including free-text search, the driver can control all functions effortlessly and intuitively. As an alternative to the standard-fit analog instrument dials, there is the Audi virtual cockpit( option), which you can customise just by pressing the‘ view’ button on the multi-function steering wheel. Choose the‘ classic’ view, with prominent speedometer and rev counter, or the‘ infotainment’ view, which brings functions such as the navigation map or media to the fore – with crisp 3D graphics and highly detailed effects.
There are also an abundance of driver assistance systems that cover a wide range of functions in the S5 Sportback, all combining an intelligent combination of different technologies to enhance safety, comfort and efficiency. Plus, 19” x 8.5J‘ 5-spoke Cavo’ design polished alloy wheels,‘ S’ Sport suspension,‘ S’ model enhanced braking system. High-beam assist‘ S’ specific exterior body styling and badging,‘ S’ Super Sport seats with‘ S’ embossed logo in Fine Nappa leather upholstery. Pneumatic massage function,‘ S’ interior styling, MMI Navigation. Plus with 8.3” highresolution colour screen, MMI Touch control panel and Audi Connect( 3-year subscription required).
To sum up:
I like the Audi S5 a lot – I would buy one if I needed a car with this amount of power and equipment – but I don’ t, and I don’ t like the gearbox, but then, maybe I am just being a little bit picky.
Price from: £ 47,000
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