22-s5_05.jpg2008 Audi S5 QuattroThe Audi R8 has been so much “the event” among factory street cars for 2007 that the arrival of the all-new S5 hasn’t shattered the earth as much as it would have in an R8-less year. What a swell dilemma for any company. After cruising along adequately for years with the Quattro brand and industry-best interiors helping to grow the sales ledgers, Audi is impetuously tearing open its sensible shirt and flashing its formidable man breasts. As you’ll see, the A5 and S5 help evolve the mainstream Audi reputation to a long-awaited next level—that of the possibility of true BMW-style handling from a Quattro-equipped car.
This first blow-out feature focuses on the S5, and we’ll hit the A5 3.2 FSI Multitronic with a Quick Drive article in the August issue of WINDING ROAD.
A sporting premium mid-size coupe has been missing from the Audi lineup in America ever since the Audi Ur-Quattro of 1980 went out of production in 1991. The stated original plan was to build and sell just 400 Quattros as a short-lived special-edition, but 11,560 units were created over the eleven-year run, U.S. sales between 1983 and 1986 accounting for just 664 of that total. Sixteen years later, we are at last seeing Audi invest big-time again in an impractical two-door five-seater, and we couldn’t be much happier about it. Audi’s new goal for 2015—which shall most certainly be reached and surpassed before then—is 1.5 million annual sales worldwide, and “nichers” like this S5 are a key part of how the company will do it.
As reported, Volkswagen Group head of design Walter de’Silva announced boldly at the official unveiling of the A5 and S5 at this past March’s Geneva Motor Show that we were staring at the most beautiful car he has ever designed. (He can think what he likes, and the car is beautiful, but he is wrong. His best looker and most original effort will forever be the Alfa Romeo 147 two-door hatchback. Anyway…)
De’Silva’s first big “calling card” show car as head of the now disbanded Audi brand group (Audi, Lamborghini, Seat) after leaving Alfa in 1998 was the impressive Nuvolari Quattro coupe seen at the 2003 Geneva show. This is significant since that concept led to what you see here. One of the lead exterior designers on Nuvolari was Boris Jacob, now chief of exteriors for GM Europe (Saab Aero X in 2006 and this year’s Opel GTC concept, among others), who told us recently, “We tried for two years to make the Nuvolari a production reality, but it was eventually abandoned in favor of basically starting over.”
We agree that the design on the S5 is beautiful work, despite the tail looking a wee too much like the tail on the BMW 335i Coupe and the doors seeming just a little not long enough, which in turn makes the rear seat proposition for adults dubious at best. Regarding any shoulda-coulda-wouldas about the original Nuvolari approach, though, we always found it a bit chunky and too much like a giant future TT. On that last point, little did we know…
So what we’ve got in the S5 is a blatant rival to the 335i, even though at 350 horsepower, the 3594-pound S5 would seem to trounce the 3571-pound 335i’s twin-turbo 300-horsepower inline-6. But while the S5 Quattro, with its standard six-speed manual, reaches 62 miles per hour in an estimated 5.1 seconds, the 335i with manual gets there in 5.3 seconds, so we’ll wait and see. The future head-to-head between a 2009 420-horsepower RS5 and the next M3 with 420 horsepower and 295 pound-feet already has us itching.
Our first go at the S5 on day one of our test drive left us wanting more in the sense that we felt the car lacked a really angry side. Apparently we hadn’t pushed the car quite hard enough and hadn’t tackled any really technical roads requiring all 7250 revs of the effective limiter (7000 indicated), because day two was angry as hell and liking it that way.
The challenge is that there is no multimode sport suspension involving either normal dampers or the outstanding Audi Magnetic Ride units we’ve experienced on the new TT. While we appreciate the uncharacteristic simplicity that this represents when dealing with a modern premium German chassis, not having the sensational dual-mode Magnetic Ride setup at all in the S5 mix is not good. Fortunately, an Audi contact at another recent launch responded to our mild S5 criticism by letting us know that this problem was on the Audi to-do list to be rectified promptly following the start of North American deliveries in October. As it is, however, the default sport suspension calibrations are sporty enough for everyman, also bearing up well under the most aggressive drive moments in hairpins at speed. Jerkiness is gone from all severe surface-impact moments.
The real marquee item making its debut in the S5 (and A5) is the new modular B8 architecture, or Modular Länge Bestandteile (MLB) for modular length architecture. This chassis technology will underpin the next A4, the next A6, as well as the next A8, not to mention the future Q5 and A7 coupe. So all of Audi’s fortunes literally ride on this investment. Besides all the benefits of modular flexibility, this B8 scheme allows for an ingenious solution to Audi’s longstanding inability to give us truly steaming-hot handling (with either front-wheel drive or Quattro), à la BMW 3-series. The front differential is now located ahead of the clutch assembly, which allows the front axle to be farther forward while also making a 50/50 weight distribution easier to come by. These key nuances of B8, together with the 40/60 default torque split here for Quattro, make handling as good as it gets up till now for a non-R8 Audi passenger car.
The light and flick-able steering weight with improved feel and optional nineteen-inch alloys with Dunlop Sport Maxx treads also helped considerably in making the S5 almost seem—with only a little over-exuberance now—rear-wheeldrive in those moments when that’s what we crave. This is a sensational technology moment for Audi and Audi drivers, though a default 30/70 torque split should be standard on all S models (and maybe 25/75 on all RS models) in our opinion. A short front overhang like never before on a larger Audi—thanks to the long 108.3-inch wheelbase from repositioning of the front axle—does wonders for the dynamics package. The quad exhaust tips raise just the right amount of hell without precluding cabin conversation, a 0.30 drag coefficient and flat underbelly panel keep wind noise reined in, and the larger rear spoiler lip adds noticeable downforce. For now there are no plans for big ceramic brakes as an option, but the newly designed ventilated lead discs cool more quickly and we felt only the slightest fading entering several tight corners during our photo marathon.
The exceptional 4.2-liter 350-horsepower FSI V-8 in the S5 is the same engine we first drove hard in the whole range of 420-horsepower RS4 body styles, followed soon after by the R8 also with 420 horsepower. Again, hold tight for the RS5 420-horsepower iteration. At this level of sporting grand tourer, however, the S5 with standard sixspeed manual delivers nicely with copious driver involvement. Coming in 2008 is a six-speed automatic, then the practically perfect sevenspeed S-Tronic dual-clutch box comes our way as the next decade starts. At an estimated $51,500 sticker price, though, is the S5 almost $11,000 more car than the 335i Coupe? You want an honest response? How about: yes and no.
22-s5_01.jpg2007 will go down as Audi's year. First the R8, now the A5 and S5, and then the all-important new A4 to be shown in September. Needless to say, watch your backs, Mercedes and BMW.
22-s5_02.jpgSome would say the S5 is the most striking car de'Silva has ever penned. It's definitely up there.
22-s5_03.jpgThe tail looks a wee bit too much like the tail on the BMW 335i Coupe.
22-s5_04.jpgThe capacity for driver engagement comes standard on the S5.
13 Jul 2007, 19:05
