A FASTER FIVE (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Audi reinvents its S5 as a replacement for the old S4. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 53

This Audi S5 succeeds its S4 predecessor offering a more sophisticated package with a potent turbocharged 367PS 3.0-litre V6 beneath the bonnet. Offered in 'Saloon' five door or Avant estate forms, it's perhaps not the most engaging car of this kind you can buy, but it's arguably the most complete package out there.

Backgroundword count: 181

The Audi S5 was originally quite a different car, a sporty version of the Ingolstadt brand's mid-sized Coupe and Cabriolet designs, with a model lineage dating back to 2007. Today's S5 though, is rather different, either a five-door 'Saloon' or an Avant estate. In essence, it's a sportier version of the new-era A5, which in mid-2024 replaced the previous long-running A4 saloon and estate models, in line with Audi's change of combustion naming convention. That makes this modern-era S5 actually more of a direct replacement for the old S4 - which has a much longer model lineage, the very first S4 dating back in 1997. As this new S5 is today, the S4 was always a V6 (even when it was briefly sold as diesel in 2019), apart from a brief spell of V8 power between 2003 and 2009. That V8 was replaced by a supercharged V6 petrol S4 model, but in more recent times, the S4 used the kind of V6 turbo petrol powerplant that continues here with this modern era S5, launched in mid-2024. Let's take a closer look.

Engines and Tech Specword count: 288

As with the old S4, don't think of this S5 as any kind of super saloon or estate; its role is merely to be a very fast kind of A5, in keeping with the remit of its two most obvious rivals, the BMW M340i xDrive and the Mercedes C 43 4MATIC. The power output - 367PS from the 3.0-litre turbo petrol V6 - is much the same as it was from the previous S4 and usefully above the supercharged and V8-powered S4 models Audi sold in this sector a decade or so back. With 550Nm of torque on tap, rest to 62mph is dispatched in only 4.5s en route to an artificially-limited top speed of 155mph. Audi wants you to know that this modern-era S5 has more of an environmental conscience than its predecessors, apparently evidenced by the fitment of the brand's new 'MHEV plus' mild hybrid system, which is different from the old MHEV set-up in that in addition to the usual system-integrated starter-generator, there's also a second centrally-mounted powertrain generator. The result is dramatically increased levels of regenerative braking - and consequently, a bit more of a positive impact on efficiency. The frugality benefits though, are still relatively marginal. But Audi says it's worked to make this car more driver-focused, with stiffer suspension mounts, a more rigid front axle and more connected, progressive steering. Plus, there's a wider 'Audi Drive Select' mode spread between 'Comfort' and 'Sport'. There's quattro 4WD of course and the S5 also gets an electronic differential and torque vectoring. Under the skin, as with the ordinary A5, there's a new 'PPC' ('Premium Platform Combustion') architecture; almost revolutionary in an era where many other volume brands stopped developing combustion platforms some time ago.

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