Happy Holidays, CL: Special Review: 2009 Audi S5 Quattro
12-04-08, 04:41 PM
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Happy Holidays, CL: Special Review: 2009 Audi S5 Quattro
Happy Holidays, CL. My traditional, special review, for this year's Holiday Season.....the 2009 Audi S5 Quattro.
(especially for rdgdawg....an S5 fan, great CL member, and one of my regular review readers)
http://www.audiusa.com/audi/us/en2/n...s/Audi_A5.html
In a Nutshell: A drop-dead gorgeous upmarket sports coupe, with enthusiast power, handling, brakes, and classiness inside and out.
Well, as we almost wrap up another year, it's time again for the annual Holiday review...my traditional Holiday-season gift, on a special car, to CL. I had originally planned to do it on another car but, for several reasons, decided not to. The Audi S5 coupe is in high demand, right now (even with the general auto-market recession) and short supply. Rdgdawg and a few others have indicated a strong interest in the S5, and, as he is a regular reader of my review column, I decided that, if possible, I would do the S5 this Holiday season.
The S5, however, has been relatively hard to find at Audi dealerships, especially unsold. Almost every one that comes off the truck is pre-sold. The few that are not pre-sold are usually not let out on general test-drives by their dealerships. Well, one came in at a local Porsche-Audi shop and went on the market, not pre-sold. It was black, with a 6-speed manual transmission, and a gorgeous brown leather interior. I asked if it was available for a review/test-drive. They said "Sure, come on up" (I guess the fact that several people there knew me didn't hurt). So, into my Subaru Outback and off to the review.
Audi sells the S5, in the American market, as a special high-performance version of the A5 coupe, itself derived from the A4 sedan/VW Passat platform. It competes closely with the Infiniti G35/37 coupes (now that the G37 coupe finally has AWD), the BMW 335xi AWD series, AWD versions of the Cadillac CTS (especially the upcoming CTS 2-door coupe), and 4Matic AWD versions of the Mercedes C-Class (4Matic is not offered on the Mercedes AMGs).
Two basic S5 versions are offered; a 4.2L DOHC, 354 HP FSI V8 with a choice of 6-speed manual or 6-speed Tiptronic Sport-shift automatic. Both come with standard Quattro AWD. Supposedly (?), an S5 Cabriolet (convertible) is coming, but Audi does not (yet) list it as an option in its literature. And, unfortunately, the superb DSG transmission, which I think is the best transmission VW/Audi ever offered, is not available in the A5/S5 series....it is no longer available in the A4/S4 series either. The regular Tiptronic is almost as nice (I've sampled it in the new A4), but nothing beats that DSG. Ah, the wonderful world of auto marketing.
This is truly a beautiful car, style-wise....IMO, perhaps the best-looking car Audi has ever done. It approaches the superb Jaguar XF in the sheer slickness of its body lines. Its leather inside actually, IMO, beats the Jag XF's standard leather. While not NHRA-powerful, it definitely has enthusiast power (Audi quotes a 4.9 second 0-60 time). It's sporty, refined, classy, and has excellent fit/finish......a fitting car for a special holiday review.
So............let's get on with it.
Model Reviewed: 2009 Audi S5 Manual Quattro
Base Price: $51,400
Major Options:
Premium Sound Package: $850
NAV/Tech Package: $2390
Federal Gas-Guzzler Tax: $1300 (manual transmission only)
Destination/Freight: $825
List price as reviewed: $56,765
Drivetrain: Rear-biased Quattro AWD, 4.2L DOHC FSI V8, 354 HP @ 6800 RPM, Torque 325 Ft-lbs. @ 3500 RPM, 6-speed manual transmission.
EPA Mileage Rating: 14 City, 22 Highway
Exterior Color: Brilliant Black
Interior: Tuscan Brown Leather (trust me.....this is handsome) with brushed-aluminum trim.
PLUSSES:
Gorgeous body styling.
Reasonably-priced for an AWD upmarket V8 German sports-coupe.
Smooth, torquey V8.
Tight but nice underhood layout.
Smooth-operating manual transmission and clutch.
Well-done brakes.
Good road and wind noise isolation.
Seamless Quattro AWD system rear-biased for spirited cornering.
Smooth, relatively quick steering response.
Good conering with lack of body roll.
Relatively good turning radius for a mid-sized AWD car.
Well-done, high quality exterior sheet metal.
Excellent paint job.
Classy (even beautiful) mildly-polished-silver side mirrors.
Well-done, solid exterior hardware.
Solid-feeling interior hardware and botons/controls.
Handsome, slick, high-quality brown leather seats/door panels.
Comfortable, form-fitting seat contours.
Excellent stereo sound.
Clear, easily readable gauges.
Split-rear seat has combination fold-down/lockable pass-through features.
Adequate headroom for tall adults if seats are adjusted low.
MINUSES:
Complex MMI system.
Oversized, awkward grille.
Small trunk opening.
Fairly small trunk capacity, and so-so trunk finish.
Temporary spare tire.
Transmission/drive-line whine.
Moderate exhaust drone.
Federal Gas Guzzler Tax (strangely, only on manual models)
Choppy (but not harsh) ride over bumps.
Summer-only performance tires not suited to slippery roads.
Tight rear seat, typical of many coupes.
Thin interior floor carpeting.
Confusing turn signal/cruise-control stalks on left side of steering column.
Tight fit of V8 engine underhood....but some components are accessable.
Extra-cost for Metallic/Pearl paint jobs.
Low-slung stance hampers easy entry/exit for tall people.
4/50 drivetrain warranty not compatable with upmarket non-German competitors.
Limited, repititious exterior paint colors.
Superb DSG transmission not available.
EXTERIOR:
As you first walk up to this car, almost nothing outside of the A4-style headlights and awkward, oversized grille connects it with the rest of the Audi family...and even the grille doesn't look as bad as before, since it is intersected by a nice, thick gray trim band that divides it into two sections and breaks up that huge, fish-mouth-gaping look of recent years. Yes, though this car wears the four-ring company logo on it, rearward of the of the grille/headlights, it's nothing like the rest of the Audi series. It's MUCH better looking than its two-door TT cousin, which, IMO, looks chubby and awkward in comparison. No silly-looking boy-racer spoiler in the rear either, like some high-performance cars....the trunk lid shape is clean as a hound's tooth, except for a very small flip-up at the rear of the deck lid which is almost unnoticeable. theshape is clean and uncluttered from front to rear. A creaseline runs down the length of both sides, a couple of inches under the beltline, and divides the upper and lower halves. The silver-colored 19" alloy wheels, with 255/35 summer, dry-pavement, high-performance tires, have a handsome, mag-type, slotted, 5-spoke design. The side mirrors have durable, thick-plastic housings, snap/swivel easily and crisply, have turn-signals incorporated, and have a beautiful semi-chrome/semi-polished silver finish that really helps set off the outside of the body. The body sheet metal, doors, hood, and trunk lid, typical of VW/Audi, are solid, durable, and open/shut solidly. The exterior trim and hardware are all high-quality materials (even the plastic), and solidly attached. The paint job is smooth, slick, and well-done...the black on my test car showed only a very small amount of orange peel. The paint colors, though, like on so many other cars today, leave some to be desired. They are limited and repititious....three shades of silver/gray, two blacks, white, bright red, and two blues. Also, in the tradition of many German (and European) car manufacturers, metallic/pearl paint jobs are cost extra........most non-European car makers give them to you standard. The fairly low-slung stance and rather low roofline, typical of sport coupes, means some stooping. bending, contorting, or twisting to get in and out, especially for taller persons. bit it was not bad.....I've seen lots worse. Entry/exit from the rear seat, of course, was tight, like on almost any coupe, and required more bending/contorting than with the front seats, even with the front seats up all the way. Ground clearance between the lower-body panels and the pavement was rather tight, but again, not bad by sport-coupe standards...still, it's not easy to get a hose underneath for rinsing salt/dirt off the undercarriage, and you will have to be careful with speed bumps and curbs.
UNDERHOOD:
Lift the solid, well-made hood, and a single, heavy-duty gas strut on the right holds it up for you. There is a nice, thick insulation pad on the underside of the hood, and it indeed helps filter out engine noise...exhaust noise is another matter, as we'll see later. The 4.2L FSI V8 fits in very tightly, sardine-like, but the overall layout underhood is not bad at all. For one thing, Audi, to its credit, didn't put a big plastic engine cover on top of this powerplant like it does on some other models. As a result, most of the components and hardware on the top and upper-sides of the engine are fairly easily reached, though the fuel-injection plumbing for the 8 cylinders is rather complex. I didn't notice exactly where the battery was or if it was under a cover, but all of the reservoirs and dipsticks were easily reached (two of them were back on the right, under the plastic grate on top of the firewall, but the caps were easily reached for removal).
INTERIOR:
The interior, in my test car, was as classy as the outside was. It had the optional (at no charge) Tuscan Brown leather seat/door trim (Black and Magma Red are also available). This, folks, was leather....yes, LEATHER, not that crappy, textured, bumpy, imitation-leather stuff I've complained about on so many other new cars.....even the Jaguar XF and Audi's own A4. Smooth, silky, rich, chocolate-brown leather. Just gorgeous. The seats themselves were as nice as the leather looked and felt....they were comfortable, well-contoured for side cornering, held you in like a glove, although my big torso and butt were just about right on the limit of what the sharply-contoured side bolsters could comfortably hold without cramping. Headroom and legroom up front were fine for tall adults as long as you got the seat cushion lowered enough.....the standard sunroof, of course, cuts into headroom a little, and the roof itself on this car is not exactly SUV-height. The steering wheel was comfortable to hold with leather stiching that didn't protrude too much. Like on other Audis, it also included thumb-wheel controls and buttons for the Bluetooth phone, radio volume, and a couple of other functions. The gauges were the typical Audi-circular design, clear and easy to read. As on some other Audis (and BMW's I-Drive), I did not like the MMI dash-screen controller system at all....I found it unneccesarily complex and distracting to operate, especially while driving.
The brushed-aluminum door/dash trim in my car, like on other Audis, was first-rate.......classy, well-done, high-quality, and expertly-fitted. Carbon-fiber, Gray wood, and textured stainless-steel trim is also available if desired. The brown and black two-tone effect all throughout the interior was handsome and classy, although, as stated above, all-black and black/dark red is available if desired. The hardware, controls, and buttons were almost all of solid, high quality. The placement of the turn-signal and cruise-control stalks, together on the left side of the steering column, could confuse one for another until you get used to them. Legroom/headroom in the rear seat, naturally, is very tight, just as in virtually all sport-coupes.........cars of this type, of course, are not designed or meant to carry adults in the rear seat. The carpeting on the floor, while not exactly cheap, was rather thin and lifeless for a luxury-sport coupe of this class.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
The trunk, IMO, was not one of the car's better features, though it was probably not bad by coupe standards. The stylish roofline and its rake cuts deeply into the rear end and trunk lid, so the lid itself is pretty small, and covers only the very rear end of the trunk. The lid itself, of course, is good, solid sheet metal, just like the rest of the car, and closes with a solid "thunk". Inside, the trunk is adequate-size for some grocery bags and some smallish luggage, but not a whole lot else. The height is rather low, and the space between the two wheelwells rather narrow. The black carpet on both the floor and walls was rather thin, and the floor panel lifted up to reveal a typical temporary spare tire, instead of a real spare tire/wheel that would be more fitting in a car of this class. Fortunately, the rear seat has several features that help make up for the smallish size and and so-so finish of the trunk. Both seatbacks not only fully recline, but there is also a separate pull-down (and lockable) pass-through behind the arm rest in the middle, in case you want to carry something long and narrow without dropping the seats down. The rear seat release-levers are not remote or reachable from the rear end and trunk opening....you have to stoop back through the openings behind the front seat and B-pillar and pull them.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 4.2L FSI V8 with a plastic, box-shaped, electronic "key" inserted into a rectangular hole in the dash to the right of the steering column. Feet on both brake AND clutch, and push the key straight in. The dash-light show starts, dials and gauges twirl around for a few seconds, then the V8 fires up and settles into a smooth, quiet idle. But, being a sport coupe, the engineers made sure that the exhaust burbles noisily even at idle...you won't mistake it for a Lexus LS460 or Mercedes S-550. On the road, this car definitely gets out of its way, and then some. Its 325 ft-lbs. of torque, while not as powerful as the V8s in Mercedes AMG cars or the new Cadillac CTS-V, will pin you solidly in your seat, even with the test car's 4000-lb-plus curb weight with me in it (remember that the Quattro AWD adds pork to the chassis and increases drag). Audi, however, quotes a 4.9 second 0-60 time with the manual transmission.....well up in performance-car territory. Engine noise is well-muted on the road, but, like at idle, the four exhaust pipes in back, under the bumper, do let you know what you're driving.
The 6-speed manual transmission and clutch were not Honda-silky/short-throw, but generally well-done, and shifted smoothly. The clutch engaged smoothly, about where you would want it to be.....not too low or too high off the floor, and required little slipping from rest because of the engine's strong torque. The transmission linkage was a little on the vague side, but smooth and not particularly notchy. Shift throws were not as short as, say, a Mazda Miata or Honda S2000, but were short enough to be sufficient sporty. Some transmission/driveline whine, however, did make itself known on acceleration, increasing in pitch as you gained speed, but it was fairly quiet and not obtrusive.
Steering/Handling was noticeably better than on more bread-and-butter Audi products.The S5 comes with a standard Sport suspension and 255/35-19 tires; four pretty hefty patches of rubber for this class of car. That, combined with the sure-grip of the Quattro AWD system, made for a car that was pretty nice in the twisties. Steering response was smooth, fairly quick, with almost no body roll....cornering, under the conditions I drove it, was almost dead flat. Steering feel was not quite as tactile-superb/sensitive as a BMW, but then what else is? It was perhaps the best-handling/best-steering Audi I've driven yet (I haven't had a chance to drive the super-high-performance Audi RS models). Road noise and wind noise, despite the natural tendency of many summer-only, high-performance tires to be noisy, were both well-sealed off. Come cold weather and snow, however, or even rain, it might be a good idea to have a set of all-season tires or purpose-designed rain/snow tires standing by, as Audi warns that the the stock tires, even with Quattro AWD, are unsuited for slick conditions.
Ride comfort was generally good for a stiffly-sprung sports coupe, though the S5 was a little choppy on bumpy surfaces and, while very good, did not have quite as superb a ride/handling combination as the typical BMW, even BMW Sport-package models. Again, though, we're comparing it to the best chassis engineers in the world (BMW), which is not necessarily a bad mark on the Audi engineers. The Audi designers, overall, have done a pretty good job of chassis engineering here, and noticeably better then many American and Asian-designed vehicles.
Brakes were another strong point, and here the Audi engineers have almost equalled the BMW engineers in brake design. Big ventilated rotors on all four wheels haul the speed down in hurry (the calipers are unmarked, and the literature doesn't indicate if they are Brembos or not). The pedal is firm, with little or no sponginess, and no annoying after-drag like in Mercedes brakes. Response is smooth, immediate, even, and the pedals are spaced so that my big size-15 shoe doesn't hang up on the pedals going from gas to brake and back.
THE VERDICT:
While I have, admittedly, not yet driven Audi's supercars or RS-models, the S5, without a doubt, is the best Drivers' car I have seen yet with the four rings on the front. It is well-constructed (let's hope that shows up in better reliability than previous Audis), torquey, drop-dead gorgeous, has a generally well-done manual transmission/clutch, has brakes virtually the equal of the better BMW sport-sedans/coupes, and also gives BMW a good run for the money in the ride/handling department. It has a nice sick paint job, leather on the seats that (finally) is not an insult to one's intelligence, classy and well-done trim inside, and an engine compartment that, while tight, is not necessarily a nightmare to work in. While not cheap, it is reasonably-priced for an upmarket V8, German-designed sport coupe of this class.
Improvements? Yes, it could use some, just like any car. Give it a better-rounded selection of paint colors. Add a ****, like on the old Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR-4 and Dodge Stealth Turbo, that can change the tone and intensity of the exhaust noise.....not everyone, even sport-oriented drivers, wants to listen to exhaust droning. Put a REAL spare tire/wheel in the trunk. Extend the drivetrain warranty (a possible issue with the complex AWD system) to at least 6/70 to equal that of its American/Asian competitors. Separate the steering control-stalks on either side of the wheel, so that they don't confuse people inexperienced with the car. Get rid of the ridiculous extra charge for metallic/pearl paint...few cars outside of European manufacturers have it. And....most of all...try and find a way to bring back the superb DSG transmission and hook it to the AWD and this nice powerplant.
So............there you have it. The 2009 Audi S5, a NICE Drivers' car.
Happy Holidays, Everyone.
(especially for rdgdawg....an S5 fan, great CL member, and one of my regular review readers)
http://www.audiusa.com/audi/us/en2/n...s/Audi_A5.html
In a Nutshell: A drop-dead gorgeous upmarket sports coupe, with enthusiast power, handling, brakes, and classiness inside and out.
Well, as we almost wrap up another year, it's time again for the annual Holiday review...my traditional Holiday-season gift, on a special car, to CL. I had originally planned to do it on another car but, for several reasons, decided not to. The Audi S5 coupe is in high demand, right now (even with the general auto-market recession) and short supply. Rdgdawg and a few others have indicated a strong interest in the S5, and, as he is a regular reader of my review column, I decided that, if possible, I would do the S5 this Holiday season.
The S5, however, has been relatively hard to find at Audi dealerships, especially unsold. Almost every one that comes off the truck is pre-sold. The few that are not pre-sold are usually not let out on general test-drives by their dealerships. Well, one came in at a local Porsche-Audi shop and went on the market, not pre-sold. It was black, with a 6-speed manual transmission, and a gorgeous brown leather interior. I asked if it was available for a review/test-drive. They said "Sure, come on up" (I guess the fact that several people there knew me didn't hurt). So, into my Subaru Outback and off to the review.
Audi sells the S5, in the American market, as a special high-performance version of the A5 coupe, itself derived from the A4 sedan/VW Passat platform. It competes closely with the Infiniti G35/37 coupes (now that the G37 coupe finally has AWD), the BMW 335xi AWD series, AWD versions of the Cadillac CTS (especially the upcoming CTS 2-door coupe), and 4Matic AWD versions of the Mercedes C-Class (4Matic is not offered on the Mercedes AMGs).
Two basic S5 versions are offered; a 4.2L DOHC, 354 HP FSI V8 with a choice of 6-speed manual or 6-speed Tiptronic Sport-shift automatic. Both come with standard Quattro AWD. Supposedly (?), an S5 Cabriolet (convertible) is coming, but Audi does not (yet) list it as an option in its literature. And, unfortunately, the superb DSG transmission, which I think is the best transmission VW/Audi ever offered, is not available in the A5/S5 series....it is no longer available in the A4/S4 series either. The regular Tiptronic is almost as nice (I've sampled it in the new A4), but nothing beats that DSG. Ah, the wonderful world of auto marketing.
This is truly a beautiful car, style-wise....IMO, perhaps the best-looking car Audi has ever done. It approaches the superb Jaguar XF in the sheer slickness of its body lines. Its leather inside actually, IMO, beats the Jag XF's standard leather. While not NHRA-powerful, it definitely has enthusiast power (Audi quotes a 4.9 second 0-60 time). It's sporty, refined, classy, and has excellent fit/finish......a fitting car for a special holiday review.
So............let's get on with it.
Model Reviewed: 2009 Audi S5 Manual Quattro
Base Price: $51,400
Major Options:
Premium Sound Package: $850
NAV/Tech Package: $2390
Federal Gas-Guzzler Tax: $1300 (manual transmission only)
Destination/Freight: $825
List price as reviewed: $56,765
Drivetrain: Rear-biased Quattro AWD, 4.2L DOHC FSI V8, 354 HP @ 6800 RPM, Torque 325 Ft-lbs. @ 3500 RPM, 6-speed manual transmission.
EPA Mileage Rating: 14 City, 22 Highway
Exterior Color: Brilliant Black
Interior: Tuscan Brown Leather (trust me.....this is handsome) with brushed-aluminum trim.
PLUSSES:
Gorgeous body styling.
Reasonably-priced for an AWD upmarket V8 German sports-coupe.
Smooth, torquey V8.
Tight but nice underhood layout.
Smooth-operating manual transmission and clutch.
Well-done brakes.
Good road and wind noise isolation.
Seamless Quattro AWD system rear-biased for spirited cornering.
Smooth, relatively quick steering response.
Good conering with lack of body roll.
Relatively good turning radius for a mid-sized AWD car.
Well-done, high quality exterior sheet metal.
Excellent paint job.
Classy (even beautiful) mildly-polished-silver side mirrors.
Well-done, solid exterior hardware.
Solid-feeling interior hardware and botons/controls.
Handsome, slick, high-quality brown leather seats/door panels.
Comfortable, form-fitting seat contours.
Excellent stereo sound.
Clear, easily readable gauges.
Split-rear seat has combination fold-down/lockable pass-through features.
Adequate headroom for tall adults if seats are adjusted low.
MINUSES:
Complex MMI system.
Oversized, awkward grille.
Small trunk opening.
Fairly small trunk capacity, and so-so trunk finish.
Temporary spare tire.
Transmission/drive-line whine.
Moderate exhaust drone.
Federal Gas Guzzler Tax (strangely, only on manual models)
Choppy (but not harsh) ride over bumps.
Summer-only performance tires not suited to slippery roads.
Tight rear seat, typical of many coupes.
Thin interior floor carpeting.
Confusing turn signal/cruise-control stalks on left side of steering column.
Tight fit of V8 engine underhood....but some components are accessable.
Extra-cost for Metallic/Pearl paint jobs.
Low-slung stance hampers easy entry/exit for tall people.
4/50 drivetrain warranty not compatable with upmarket non-German competitors.
Limited, repititious exterior paint colors.
Superb DSG transmission not available.
EXTERIOR:
As you first walk up to this car, almost nothing outside of the A4-style headlights and awkward, oversized grille connects it with the rest of the Audi family...and even the grille doesn't look as bad as before, since it is intersected by a nice, thick gray trim band that divides it into two sections and breaks up that huge, fish-mouth-gaping look of recent years. Yes, though this car wears the four-ring company logo on it, rearward of the of the grille/headlights, it's nothing like the rest of the Audi series. It's MUCH better looking than its two-door TT cousin, which, IMO, looks chubby and awkward in comparison. No silly-looking boy-racer spoiler in the rear either, like some high-performance cars....the trunk lid shape is clean as a hound's tooth, except for a very small flip-up at the rear of the deck lid which is almost unnoticeable. theshape is clean and uncluttered from front to rear. A creaseline runs down the length of both sides, a couple of inches under the beltline, and divides the upper and lower halves. The silver-colored 19" alloy wheels, with 255/35 summer, dry-pavement, high-performance tires, have a handsome, mag-type, slotted, 5-spoke design. The side mirrors have durable, thick-plastic housings, snap/swivel easily and crisply, have turn-signals incorporated, and have a beautiful semi-chrome/semi-polished silver finish that really helps set off the outside of the body. The body sheet metal, doors, hood, and trunk lid, typical of VW/Audi, are solid, durable, and open/shut solidly. The exterior trim and hardware are all high-quality materials (even the plastic), and solidly attached. The paint job is smooth, slick, and well-done...the black on my test car showed only a very small amount of orange peel. The paint colors, though, like on so many other cars today, leave some to be desired. They are limited and repititious....three shades of silver/gray, two blacks, white, bright red, and two blues. Also, in the tradition of many German (and European) car manufacturers, metallic/pearl paint jobs are cost extra........most non-European car makers give them to you standard. The fairly low-slung stance and rather low roofline, typical of sport coupes, means some stooping. bending, contorting, or twisting to get in and out, especially for taller persons. bit it was not bad.....I've seen lots worse. Entry/exit from the rear seat, of course, was tight, like on almost any coupe, and required more bending/contorting than with the front seats, even with the front seats up all the way. Ground clearance between the lower-body panels and the pavement was rather tight, but again, not bad by sport-coupe standards...still, it's not easy to get a hose underneath for rinsing salt/dirt off the undercarriage, and you will have to be careful with speed bumps and curbs.
UNDERHOOD:
Lift the solid, well-made hood, and a single, heavy-duty gas strut on the right holds it up for you. There is a nice, thick insulation pad on the underside of the hood, and it indeed helps filter out engine noise...exhaust noise is another matter, as we'll see later. The 4.2L FSI V8 fits in very tightly, sardine-like, but the overall layout underhood is not bad at all. For one thing, Audi, to its credit, didn't put a big plastic engine cover on top of this powerplant like it does on some other models. As a result, most of the components and hardware on the top and upper-sides of the engine are fairly easily reached, though the fuel-injection plumbing for the 8 cylinders is rather complex. I didn't notice exactly where the battery was or if it was under a cover, but all of the reservoirs and dipsticks were easily reached (two of them were back on the right, under the plastic grate on top of the firewall, but the caps were easily reached for removal).
INTERIOR:
The interior, in my test car, was as classy as the outside was. It had the optional (at no charge) Tuscan Brown leather seat/door trim (Black and Magma Red are also available). This, folks, was leather....yes, LEATHER, not that crappy, textured, bumpy, imitation-leather stuff I've complained about on so many other new cars.....even the Jaguar XF and Audi's own A4. Smooth, silky, rich, chocolate-brown leather. Just gorgeous. The seats themselves were as nice as the leather looked and felt....they were comfortable, well-contoured for side cornering, held you in like a glove, although my big torso and butt were just about right on the limit of what the sharply-contoured side bolsters could comfortably hold without cramping. Headroom and legroom up front were fine for tall adults as long as you got the seat cushion lowered enough.....the standard sunroof, of course, cuts into headroom a little, and the roof itself on this car is not exactly SUV-height. The steering wheel was comfortable to hold with leather stiching that didn't protrude too much. Like on other Audis, it also included thumb-wheel controls and buttons for the Bluetooth phone, radio volume, and a couple of other functions. The gauges were the typical Audi-circular design, clear and easy to read. As on some other Audis (and BMW's I-Drive), I did not like the MMI dash-screen controller system at all....I found it unneccesarily complex and distracting to operate, especially while driving.
The brushed-aluminum door/dash trim in my car, like on other Audis, was first-rate.......classy, well-done, high-quality, and expertly-fitted. Carbon-fiber, Gray wood, and textured stainless-steel trim is also available if desired. The brown and black two-tone effect all throughout the interior was handsome and classy, although, as stated above, all-black and black/dark red is available if desired. The hardware, controls, and buttons were almost all of solid, high quality. The placement of the turn-signal and cruise-control stalks, together on the left side of the steering column, could confuse one for another until you get used to them. Legroom/headroom in the rear seat, naturally, is very tight, just as in virtually all sport-coupes.........cars of this type, of course, are not designed or meant to carry adults in the rear seat. The carpeting on the floor, while not exactly cheap, was rather thin and lifeless for a luxury-sport coupe of this class.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
The trunk, IMO, was not one of the car's better features, though it was probably not bad by coupe standards. The stylish roofline and its rake cuts deeply into the rear end and trunk lid, so the lid itself is pretty small, and covers only the very rear end of the trunk. The lid itself, of course, is good, solid sheet metal, just like the rest of the car, and closes with a solid "thunk". Inside, the trunk is adequate-size for some grocery bags and some smallish luggage, but not a whole lot else. The height is rather low, and the space between the two wheelwells rather narrow. The black carpet on both the floor and walls was rather thin, and the floor panel lifted up to reveal a typical temporary spare tire, instead of a real spare tire/wheel that would be more fitting in a car of this class. Fortunately, the rear seat has several features that help make up for the smallish size and and so-so finish of the trunk. Both seatbacks not only fully recline, but there is also a separate pull-down (and lockable) pass-through behind the arm rest in the middle, in case you want to carry something long and narrow without dropping the seats down. The rear seat release-levers are not remote or reachable from the rear end and trunk opening....you have to stoop back through the openings behind the front seat and B-pillar and pull them.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 4.2L FSI V8 with a plastic, box-shaped, electronic "key" inserted into a rectangular hole in the dash to the right of the steering column. Feet on both brake AND clutch, and push the key straight in. The dash-light show starts, dials and gauges twirl around for a few seconds, then the V8 fires up and settles into a smooth, quiet idle. But, being a sport coupe, the engineers made sure that the exhaust burbles noisily even at idle...you won't mistake it for a Lexus LS460 or Mercedes S-550. On the road, this car definitely gets out of its way, and then some. Its 325 ft-lbs. of torque, while not as powerful as the V8s in Mercedes AMG cars or the new Cadillac CTS-V, will pin you solidly in your seat, even with the test car's 4000-lb-plus curb weight with me in it (remember that the Quattro AWD adds pork to the chassis and increases drag). Audi, however, quotes a 4.9 second 0-60 time with the manual transmission.....well up in performance-car territory. Engine noise is well-muted on the road, but, like at idle, the four exhaust pipes in back, under the bumper, do let you know what you're driving.
The 6-speed manual transmission and clutch were not Honda-silky/short-throw, but generally well-done, and shifted smoothly. The clutch engaged smoothly, about where you would want it to be.....not too low or too high off the floor, and required little slipping from rest because of the engine's strong torque. The transmission linkage was a little on the vague side, but smooth and not particularly notchy. Shift throws were not as short as, say, a Mazda Miata or Honda S2000, but were short enough to be sufficient sporty. Some transmission/driveline whine, however, did make itself known on acceleration, increasing in pitch as you gained speed, but it was fairly quiet and not obtrusive.
Steering/Handling was noticeably better than on more bread-and-butter Audi products.The S5 comes with a standard Sport suspension and 255/35-19 tires; four pretty hefty patches of rubber for this class of car. That, combined with the sure-grip of the Quattro AWD system, made for a car that was pretty nice in the twisties. Steering response was smooth, fairly quick, with almost no body roll....cornering, under the conditions I drove it, was almost dead flat. Steering feel was not quite as tactile-superb/sensitive as a BMW, but then what else is? It was perhaps the best-handling/best-steering Audi I've driven yet (I haven't had a chance to drive the super-high-performance Audi RS models). Road noise and wind noise, despite the natural tendency of many summer-only, high-performance tires to be noisy, were both well-sealed off. Come cold weather and snow, however, or even rain, it might be a good idea to have a set of all-season tires or purpose-designed rain/snow tires standing by, as Audi warns that the the stock tires, even with Quattro AWD, are unsuited for slick conditions.
Ride comfort was generally good for a stiffly-sprung sports coupe, though the S5 was a little choppy on bumpy surfaces and, while very good, did not have quite as superb a ride/handling combination as the typical BMW, even BMW Sport-package models. Again, though, we're comparing it to the best chassis engineers in the world (BMW), which is not necessarily a bad mark on the Audi engineers. The Audi designers, overall, have done a pretty good job of chassis engineering here, and noticeably better then many American and Asian-designed vehicles.
Brakes were another strong point, and here the Audi engineers have almost equalled the BMW engineers in brake design. Big ventilated rotors on all four wheels haul the speed down in hurry (the calipers are unmarked, and the literature doesn't indicate if they are Brembos or not). The pedal is firm, with little or no sponginess, and no annoying after-drag like in Mercedes brakes. Response is smooth, immediate, even, and the pedals are spaced so that my big size-15 shoe doesn't hang up on the pedals going from gas to brake and back.
THE VERDICT:
While I have, admittedly, not yet driven Audi's supercars or RS-models, the S5, without a doubt, is the best Drivers' car I have seen yet with the four rings on the front. It is well-constructed (let's hope that shows up in better reliability than previous Audis), torquey, drop-dead gorgeous, has a generally well-done manual transmission/clutch, has brakes virtually the equal of the better BMW sport-sedans/coupes, and also gives BMW a good run for the money in the ride/handling department. It has a nice sick paint job, leather on the seats that (finally) is not an insult to one's intelligence, classy and well-done trim inside, and an engine compartment that, while tight, is not necessarily a nightmare to work in. While not cheap, it is reasonably-priced for an upmarket V8, German-designed sport coupe of this class.
Improvements? Yes, it could use some, just like any car. Give it a better-rounded selection of paint colors. Add a ****, like on the old Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR-4 and Dodge Stealth Turbo, that can change the tone and intensity of the exhaust noise.....not everyone, even sport-oriented drivers, wants to listen to exhaust droning. Put a REAL spare tire/wheel in the trunk. Extend the drivetrain warranty (a possible issue with the complex AWD system) to at least 6/70 to equal that of its American/Asian competitors. Separate the steering control-stalks on either side of the wheel, so that they don't confuse people inexperienced with the car. Get rid of the ridiculous extra charge for metallic/pearl paint...few cars outside of European manufacturers have it. And....most of all...try and find a way to bring back the superb DSG transmission and hook it to the AWD and this nice powerplant.
So............there you have it. The 2009 Audi S5, a NICE Drivers' car.
Happy Holidays, Everyone.
Last edited by mmarshall; 12-05-08 at 06:23 AM.
12-04-08, 04:59 PM
#2
Thanks for the review!
I love the look of the A5/S5, but I have yet to try it out on the road. Your review makes me want to search for an unattached one here in SoCal, which is near impossible, and test drive it with absolutely no intention of purchase (hey, tough economy...).
Oh well. I can always put it in the Christmas Wish List and hope someone will be extra generous. Extra extra generous.
Happy Holidays Mike!
I love the look of the A5/S5, but I have yet to try it out on the road. Your review makes me want to search for an unattached one here in SoCal, which is near impossible, and test drive it with absolutely no intention of purchase (hey, tough economy...).
Oh well. I can always put it in the Christmas Wish List and hope someone will be extra generous. Extra extra generous.
Happy Holidays Mike!
12-04-08, 05:06 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Glad to do it for you guys. 
Audi may (?) offer a driving event in your area like some other companies do, just to try out their products.
And it's a good (or at least fair) bet that, down the road, there will be some people who sign up for this car, get in over their heads, and can't make the payments. Those cars may end up as Certified Used Models, if they aren't auctioned off.
Likewise.
I love the look of the A5/S5, but I have yet to try it out on the road. Your review makes me want to search for an unattached one here in SoCal, which is near impossible, and test drive it with absolutely no intention of purchase (hey, tough economy...).
Oh well. I can always put it in the Christmas Wish List and hope someone will be extra generous. Extra extra generous.
Oh well. I can always put it in the Christmas Wish List and hope someone will be extra generous. Extra extra generous.
Audi may (?) offer a driving event in your area like some other companies do, just to try out their products.
And it's a good (or at least fair) bet that, down the road, there will be some people who sign up for this car, get in over their heads, and can't make the payments. Those cars may end up as Certified Used Models, if they aren't auctioned off.
Happy Holidays Mike!
12-04-08, 05:08 PM
#4
thanks for the review, indeed it's for "me" as well!
i agree with most of the review in general. though i think the trunk size is very adequate for a coupe. it can fit quite a bit. i agree with the interior quality, the dash is very solid. we drove the a5 not s5, but i expect the s5 can only be better in terms of handling. the driving is very nice, the awd system is awesome, and i agree the steering and braking are very well done
one thing i would give a so-so rating is the price. granted it's a very nice car and the look is gorgeous, but the price tag is on the high side for what it offers imho. i don't know about the s5 you looked at, but most of the s5 i see here are around 64k. performance wise it's with g37, 335, etc... but price is up there with the m3. that's a pretty gap there. also, because of how audi controls the build and inventory, these cars aren't as common as 335 or m3, so deals are also not as common. as from what i got, the payments of s5 is noticeably higher than m3. on the bright side, that adds quite a bit of exclusivity of course
i agree with most of the review in general. though i think the trunk size is very adequate for a coupe. it can fit quite a bit. i agree with the interior quality, the dash is very solid. we drove the a5 not s5, but i expect the s5 can only be better in terms of handling. the driving is very nice, the awd system is awesome, and i agree the steering and braking are very well done
one thing i would give a so-so rating is the price. granted it's a very nice car and the look is gorgeous, but the price tag is on the high side for what it offers imho. i don't know about the s5 you looked at, but most of the s5 i see here are around 64k. performance wise it's with g37, 335, etc... but price is up there with the m3. that's a pretty gap there. also, because of how audi controls the build and inventory, these cars aren't as common as 335 or m3, so deals are also not as common. as from what i got, the payments of s5 is noticeably higher than m3. on the bright side, that adds quite a bit of exclusivity of course
12-04-08, 05:18 PM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Sure. It's for you and all of CL....and my non-CL mailing list.
The S5 definitely out-handles more mundane Audi models like the A4 and non-S models.
Yes, the trunk may adequate for a coupe, but that's not saying much in comparison. It's definitely no Suburban.
My test car was NAV-equipped version with a manual transmission and a few other goodies which, with the $1300 Gas-Guzzler tax, brought it to 56.7K. Even with the Tiptronic, extra-cost paint, and a couple of other options (and CA's high taxes), it's hard to see an S5 getting to 64K, unless the dealers are playing games with a second-sticker price mark-up.
i agree with most of the review in general. though i think the trunk size is very adequate for a coupe. it can fit quite a bit. i agree with the interior quality, the dash is very solid. we drove the a5 not s5, but i expect the s5 can only be better in terms of handling. the driving is very nice, the awd system is awesome, and i agree the steering and braking are very well done
Yes, the trunk may adequate for a coupe, but that's not saying much in comparison. It's definitely no Suburban.
one thing i would give a so-so rating is the price. granted it's a very nice car and the look is gorgeous, but the price tag is on the high side for what it offers imho. i don't know about the s5 you looked at, but most of the s5 i see here are around 64k. performance wise it's with g37, 335, etc... but price is up there with the m3. that's a pretty gap there. also, because of how audi controls the build and inventory, these cars aren't as common as 335 or m3, so deals are also not as common. as from what i got, the payments of s5 is noticeably higher than m3. on the bright side, that adds quite a bit of exclusivity of course
12-04-08, 05:20 PM
#6
sweet review! i love this car, i remember the first s5 we got at our dealer... i love the sound of the chaindrive v8's which is what i think you were hearing when you listed tranny/drivetrain whine? the v8 in the s4 q7 s5 and later a8's so basically all the fsi v8's and the first v8 s4 have this noise, they don't have a timing belt, the camshafts and waterpump and p/s pump run off gears run by chains on the back of the engine and it sounds like supercharger whine
p.s. this statement is false a4's never had the dsg, was only in the tt and a3 3.2 quattro.
.it is no longer available in the A4/S4 series either. The regular Tiptronic is almost as nice (I've sampled it in the new A4), but nothing beats that DSG. Ah, the wonderful world of auto marketing.
p.s. this statement is false a4's never had the dsg, was only in the tt and a3 3.2 quattro.
.it is no longer available in the A4/S4 series either. The regular Tiptronic is almost as nice (I've sampled it in the new A4), but nothing beats that DSG. Ah, the wonderful world of auto marketing.
Last edited by audi2nr; 12-04-08 at 05:27 PM.
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12-04-08, 05:37 PM
#8
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Great review MM!
How does it compare to the M3? I know you reviewed it not too long ago.
I was seriously thinking about S5 before the M3. IMHO, it's one of the most sexiest car on the road, and I love the noise it makes. But I am not sure about the performance/price.
How does it compare to the M3? I know you reviewed it not too long ago.
I was seriously thinking about S5 before the M3. IMHO, it's one of the most sexiest car on the road, and I love the noise it makes. But I am not sure about the performance/price.
12-04-08, 06:01 PM
#9
mmarshall,
Thank you for another great review and I wish you a happy and healthy holiday!
I agree this car is a head turner. I was driving to work on Tuesday and one came up behind me. The LED lights caught my attention in the rear view mirror and an as it passed the car looked 1st class. One thing I noticed and liked when driving behind it was it almost has a 'widebody' look to it stock, very cool Did you find the feel inside the car wider or more roomy up front then the A4 you drove?
I haven't driven one yet, but my brother did and had the same thoughts on the ride as you. Smooth but you can feel the chop sometimes. I chalked it up to him driving an LS and wasn't used to a sports car, but perhaps he was closer than I gave him credit for.
TripleL
Thank you for another great review and I wish you a happy and healthy holiday!
I agree this car is a head turner. I was driving to work on Tuesday and one came up behind me. The LED lights caught my attention in the rear view mirror and an as it passed the car looked 1st class. One thing I noticed and liked when driving behind it was it almost has a 'widebody' look to it stock, very cool
Did you find the feel inside the car wider or more roomy up front then the A4 you drove?I haven't driven one yet, but my brother did and had the same thoughts on the ride as you. Smooth but you can feel the chop sometimes. I chalked it up to him driving an LS and wasn't used to a sports car, but perhaps he was closer than I gave him credit for.
TripleL
12-04-08, 06:14 PM
#10
mmarshall,
Thank you for another great review and I wish you a happy and healthy holiday!
I agree this car is a head turner. I was driving to work on Tuesday and one came up behind me. The LED lights caught my attention in the rear view mirror and an as it passed the car looked 1st class. One thing I noticed and liked when driving behind it was it almost has a 'widebody' look to it stock, very cool Did you find the feel inside the car wider or more roomy up front then the A4 you drove?
I haven't driven one yet, but my brother did and had the same thoughts on the ride as you. Smooth but you can feel the chop sometimes. I chalked it up to him driving an LS and wasn't used to a sports car, but perhaps he was closer than I gave him credit for.
TripleL
Thank you for another great review and I wish you a happy and healthy holiday!
I agree this car is a head turner. I was driving to work on Tuesday and one came up behind me. The LED lights caught my attention in the rear view mirror and an as it passed the car looked 1st class. One thing I noticed and liked when driving behind it was it almost has a 'widebody' look to it stock, very cool
Did you find the feel inside the car wider or more roomy up front then the A4 you drove?I haven't driven one yet, but my brother did and had the same thoughts on the ride as you. Smooth but you can feel the chop sometimes. I chalked it up to him driving an LS and wasn't used to a sports car, but perhaps he was closer than I gave him credit for.
TripleL
12-04-08, 06:15 PM
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Fab review for a fab car. Its just overpriced. Its asking money for cars that are a CLEAR performance step above it.
Let alone comparing it to a CTS-V.
Thing is, its a looker inside and out and THAT counts for something. Sad we live in an era when its REFRESHING to get a classy, good looking car and not one that looks like its been in a wreck already.
Let alone comparing it to a CTS-V.
Thing is, its a looker inside and out and THAT counts for something. Sad we live in an era when its REFRESHING to get a classy, good looking car and not one that looks like its been in a wreck already.
12-04-08, 06:26 PM
#12
It sure looks it from the outside, glad it 'feels' like it translates to the inside.
12-04-08, 06:38 PM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
Nice review for the holidays mmarshal, I really like the Audi S5 and it is one of the best looking coupes on the market, unfortunately it is pretty overpriced which keeps me from seriously considering it new, it would make a great used car if you could get it at a really good price. I have only seen 2 on the road from far aways and they don't have any at the Audi dealer near me. Done right, brown leather can look really good in cars and it sounds like Audi chose the right shade of brown.
When you pushed the buttons in the S5 did you notice them making a loud click? I remember being really turned off by the cheap sounding loud click most of the buttons made when I sat in a few Audi's at a autoshow last year and was not really all that impressed with the rest of the interiors. Maybe I was expecting too much.
, I really like the Audi S5 and it is one of the best looking coupes on the market, unfortunately it is pretty overpriced which keeps me from seriously considering it new, it would make a great used car if you could get it at a really good price. I have only seen 2 on the road from far aways and they don't have any at the Audi dealer near me. Done right, brown leather can look really good in cars and it sounds like Audi chose the right shade of brown.When you pushed the buttons in the S5 did you notice them making a loud click? I remember being really turned off by the cheap sounding loud click most of the buttons made when I sat in a few Audi's at a autoshow last year and was not really all that impressed with the rest of the interiors. Maybe I was expecting too much.
12-04-08, 07:34 PM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
i love this car, i remember the first s5 we got at our dealer... i love the sound of the chaindrive v8's which is what i think you were hearing when you listed tranny/drivetrain whine? the v8 in the s4 q7 s5 and later a8's so basically all the fsi v8's and the first v8 s4 have this noise, they don't have a timing belt, the camshafts and waterpump and p/s pump run off gears run by chains on the back of the engine and it sounds like supercharger whine
That may indeed have been part of what I was hearing....along with maybe some tranny/driveline whine
p.s. this statement is false a4's never had the dsg, was only in the tt and a3 3.2 quattro.
The 2.0T has plenty of power and can easily handle AWD.I've also driven the 2.0T DSG on some VW products as well.
12-04-08, 07:39 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
i love this car, i remember the first s5 we got at our dealer... i love the sound of the chaindrive v8's which is what i think you were hearing when you listed tranny/drivetrain whine? the v8 in the s4 q7 s5 and later a8's so basically all the fsi v8's and the first v8 s4 have this noise, they don't have a timing belt, the camshafts and waterpump and p/s pump run off gears run by chains on the back of the engine and it sounds like supercharger whine
That may indeed have been part of what I was hearing....along with maybe some tranny/driveline whine
p.s. this statement is false a4's never had the dsg, was only in the tt and a3 3.2 quattro.
The 2.0T has plenty of power and can easily handle AWD.I've also driven the 2.0T DSG on some VW products as well.
Regardless of what it was or wasn't offered on, though, I think you'll agree with me, though, that that was a honey of a gearbox....IMO, one of the best transmission designs ever. It is expensive and complex to produce, though.....I suspect VW/Audi is cutting back on its availability to save money.
