It has been a success since the first Audi S5 model touched down locally, which means that the German marque means business.
We had the pleasure of sampling the refreshed Audi S5 in its coupe glory. On the first face of it, the facelifted Audi S5 Coupe possesses a no-nonsense stance thanks to its new, sharper accents, flatter single-frame grille and larger air inlets.
Like the model it replaces, the rear of the refreshed Audi S5 features four tailpipe exhaust tips and diffuser insert, and our test unit came fitted with the standard LED taillights, 19-inch S-style contrast grey wheels, red brake callipers, aggressive S-model bumpers and an S-sports suspension.
Whichever angle you look at it, the S5 looks proper, and if you are familiar with Audi’s latest products, you will generally understand where the brand is headed in terms of design.
The interior is not really that different from the standard A5, yet Audi added sporty bits to make up for its S nature, such as tight-hugging sports seats with an S logo embroidered on the headrests.
As a coupe, you are probably thinking of a tight rear seating position, and you are right. As long as the rear passengers are not tall, the rear space is adequate with an acceptable level of headroom. What remains attractive to us is the large boot our test unit boasted. It was enough to gulp all our luggage during the long stint to Bushbuckridge.
The seats are graced with expensive Nappa leather while also providing unmatched levels of holding you firmly in place when cornering at speed. The front seats are electronically adjustable with four-way lumbar support as well as a massage function.
There is a large 10.1-inch MMI touch display with a new operating system that is very easy to use by connecting your phone via the wireless Apple CarPlay to play your favourite jams. The system has acoustic feedback that replaces the previous model’s rotary pushbutton.
The new Audi S5 also comes fitted with a full-HD 12.3-inch display that is fully customisable via the sexy standard multifunction steering wheel. Our test unit came bolstered with the optional Audi phone box as well as Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System with 3D sound.
The interesting part is the drive, for obvious reasons. The refreshed Audi S5 Coupe packs a 3.0-litre V6 mill that churns out 260kW and a significant 500Nm of torque sent to both axles via the familiar Quattro system. The S5 Coupe dashes off the line with little to no drama at all, to 100km/h in a claimed 4.7 seconds. We did not test the sprint times, so we have no grounds to dispute Audi’s findings, but it feels slightly quicker than that.
On the road, it cruises nicely while shuffling through a Tiptronic transmission that provides excellent gear changes. Although we found the Sports suspension to be a little firm, the driving modes really did justice. Do not be fooled by the four exhaust tips at the back; they do not sound as aggressive as you would want them to, especially when cruising on the highway. Excellent grip is provided by the Quattro system.
The Audi S5 is one car that is difficult to drive economically, simply because it is not built to impress you in that scenario. However, during our tenure with it, we achieved a fuel consumption figure of 10.2L/100km.
The updated Audi S5 Coupe blends in nicely in the performance stable where the likes of the Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe and BMW M440i play, thanks to its potent real-world performance, excellent handling, superbly constructed interior and spacious boot. If you are willing to spend R1 067 000 on a performance coupe, the refreshed Audi S5 makes absolute sense.
Photos: QuickPic
