AUTO TIPS
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2008 Audi S5 Tom Collins
Vehicle Type: High Performance Luxury Coupe
Pros:
Cons: The S5 is the performance version of the A5 It comes as a large coupe with V8 power and all wheel drive standard. Stunning styling and a killer interior design combine with effortless performance to make the S5 a compelling choice. Base price is $50,500. Under the Bonnet: The 4.2 liter DOHC direct injection V8 is one of the smoothest and most powerful engines for it size on the market. Producing 354 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque, it propels the S5 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and tops out at a reported 155 mph. One of the joys of this car is how powerful and quiet it is. The torque is particularly impressive. On a hill near my house I was half way up before I realized I was still in 6th gear clocking only about 2000 RPM as the car ascended effortlessly to the top. Obviously, you should downshift under these circumstances but the car showed no signs of lugging down. Amazing. The S5 tips the scales at nearly 3900 pounds no doubt a result of the AWD hardware. While the extra weight does not hamper performance it contributes to increased fuel consumption. I averaged 15.5 mpg in mostly city driving. . I would like to try the automatic on an extended road trip to test highway mileage. For the record, the S5 is rated at 14 city 21 highway. Our test car came with a 6 speed manual making for an entertaining driving experience although it took me a few miles to get used to the tranny and clutch. I was a little jerky there for awhile (insert joke here) until I got used to the long clutch travel and somewhat notchy stick. After a few miles it was a snap. The clutch take up is actually very liner once you get the hang of it. A 6-speed Tiptronic automatic is now available. The AWD Quattro system distributes 40 percent of the power to the front wheels and 60 percent rear under normal driving but can redistribute power to the wheels with better traction if needed.
Killer Interior: Once again, Audi does not disappoint. Nobody does interiors like they do. As beautiful as the car is on the outside it’s a stunner in the cockpit. Our test car was ‘Meteor Gray over Magma Red and those red leather seats were just gorgeous. They are, of course, heated and feature 10 way power adjustments. Front seating is very comfortable and while adults could ride in the rear of this coupe they may not like it much. Leg room would be an issue as it usually is with a 2 door. Dual zone climate control is standard. Navigation is a $2,390 option but it also includes a driver information center providing outside temp, fuel economy distance to empty, the $1,700 optional ‘Technology Package’ adds a back up alert and rear camera, along with adaptive headlights and advanced key. The one thing I do not like is the idrive like interface for the stereo and navigation. Like the BMW system, there is a knob on the center console to control what would normally be simple procedures like setting and scanning radio stations, adjusting audio etc. Instead, you have to scroll through an unnecessarily complex menu and make your selection. It is aggravating, but not as bad as idrive. Speaking on the stereo, our car had the optional Bang and Olufsen Premium system, an $850.00 option. Sound quality was outstanding. Safety: Front passengers get threshold airbags with side and keen airbags standard. Anti-theft system is included and ABS and Stability control are all standard equipment. The S5 comes with a 4 year/50,000 miles limited warranty. See you local Audi dealer for details and while you are there test drive this car!
Tom Collins |
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