When Audi’s S5 coupe debuted for 2008 as the first model built on the company’s B8 architecture, we demonstrated little restraint in praising its sexy sheetmetal and the 4.2-liter V-8 nestled between its front fenders. Styled by Italian-born design chief Walter de’Silva, the S5 and its slightly less potent A5 stablemate ushered in a new era of Audi design, one that has seen exterior aesthetics elevated among company priorities to a position alongside performance and technology. The duo was joined shortly thereafter by a sassy pair of cabriolet doppelgängers—albeit with a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 in the S5 droptop rather than the S5 coupe’s hearty V-8—followed by the 2013 U.S. debut of the ultimate manifestation of performance within Audi’s 5 lineup, the quick but clinical RS5.
Strength in Numbers
Aligning with its droptop analogue, the 2013 S5 coupe has dumped its 4.2-liter V-8 for the increasingly ubiquitous 333-hp supercharged six. (This despite wearing “3.0T” badging that implies the presence of a turbo.) Down 21 ponies to the 354-horse V-8, the V-6 manages to hold the line on torque, equaling the eight-holer’s 325 lb-ft. C/D testing confirms further parity: Our six-speed-manual 2013 S5 exactly matched the 4.8-second 0-to-60-mph and 13.4-second quarter-mile times of the last six-speed manual V-8 S5 we tested. (Just for a point of reference, our 2013 RS5 kicked out 4.4- and 12.8-second figures.) And the V-6 delivers serious fuel savings, with the S5 now earning EPA ratings of 17 mpg city/26 highway versus 14/22 for the V-8. In real-world driving, we averaged 20 mpg, an improvement of 5 mpg over the thirsty V-8’s 15 mpg.
We also recorded improved roadholding numbers on the 300-foot skidpad, the 2013 delivering 0.96 g of grip compared to the V-8’s 0.88. Stopping distances from 70 mph were basically the same, with the pedal remaining firm but rather indifferent in terms of feedback. As for weight, our 2013 S5 tipped the C/D scales at 3895 pounds, 77 more than its eight-cylinder ancestor. Weight distribution, however, improved slightly (55.7 percent front/44.3 rear for the V-6 against 57.7/42.3 for the V-8), illustrating just how large a role balance plays in a vehicle’s handling. The optional, $1250 active sport differential fitted to our test vehicle, which continuously varies the amount of torque distributed between the rear wheels, doesn’t hurt either. Rolling stock on this car consisted of 255/35 Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT summer tires wrapped around optional 19-inch wheels ($800).
Anodyne Operation
The switch to an electromechanical steering system actually seemed to improve feel and communication over the previous car’s hydraulic setup, which is no small accomplishment. Our car had Audi’s three-mode (Comfort, Auto, and Dynamic) Drive Select system as part of the Driver Assist package ($3250). Comfort isn’t “too soft” so much as it feels inauthentic to the S5’s mission as a sporty alternative to the cushier A5. Auto mode would pass for a “sport” mode in most other cars, and it quickens the steering ratio and stiffens the dampers to what we consider appropriate, which is to say it delivers maximum control with slightly firmer—but far from punishing—ride quality. Dynamic adjusts the settings for changing road conditions based on input from sensors, and is transparent if nothing else; at no point does its operation induce inorganic responses or sensations. The six-speed manual transmission loves to play, its action firm but always precise. Clutch engagement is so unobtrusively smooth and linear that you only realize how refined it is once you climb into something else. Although the S5 is perfectly content to loaf all day, the tools are there to hustle when you want. Bottom line: The car moves with an ease that belies its size and weight.
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