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Audi S5 Sportback Review — Does It Justify Its Bratty Nature?
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Luxury cars are not supposed to be loud and fast, right? Well, for such thinkers, the Audi A5 will be the perfect conventional sedan, with its practical 2.0-litre diesel engine. But for those who want the same amount of show while wishing to go a notch higher, there's the Audi S5 Sportback.
The Audi S5 made its inception almost a decade ago. Now, the second-generation S5 has finally arrived and the wait was well worth it. The new model features a sleek styling, refined interiors and spirited driving dynamics. So, with the coupe' design, the hot ‘S' badges and the new technology, is the Audi S5 Sportback a performance-brat?
Let's find out!
Exterior
The S5 is a sportier avatar of the A5 which underpins the MLP platform. The exterior design of the S5 will surely turn heads. Up front, the car gets a huge bonnet which houses the turbocharged V6 engine. The bonnet looks rather muscular and has a lot of creases and contours running along it.
Our test car featured an exclusive black styling package. The chrome on the grille and around the DLO is replaced with a matte black finish. The horizontal grille looks really classy and also gets the small S5 badge.
Moreover, the bumper has been tweaked and gets ducts that channel air to cool down the engine and the brakes. The horizontally-placed ‘7-shaped' headlamps will arrest your attention upon first glance. To complement the looks even more, the ORVMs are finished in brushed aluminium.
Moving on to the side, the Audi S5 gets a coupe-like design as the roof slowly slopes down and merges with the boot. The boot also gets an integrated boot lip spoiler which channels air upwards producing some amount of downforce. This helps keeps the rear hunkered to the ground at high speeds.
The car gets quad exhaust pipes with a butterfly valve system which opens when the Dynamic mode is selected for a louder grunt. It also gets a rear diffuser which provides more grip at the rear. Overall, the Sportback body style definitely suits the S5 more than its sibling, the A5.
What's Inside?
The interiors are as exciting as the exteriors. The car came specced with S Sports bucket seats draped in Magma Red upholstery. Although being sports seats, they offer good comfort in addition to the excellent support. The dashboard layout is in typical Audi affair with a vent-like element running along its length. It also has a strip of carbon fiber running across and also a 'Quattro' badge.
There's a floating display for the infotainment setup and Audi's signature virtual cockpit. The multi-purpose steering wheel is wrapped in leather and has red stitching all around it. You will find an ‘S5' badge at the bottom of the steering wheel. The steering-mounted controls are really helpful and keep the driver focused on the road. It also helps scroll through the information on the fully-digital instrument console.
A seven-inch fixed screen is also present on the dashboard, which is apparently not a touchscreen. The screen is controlled by a rotor which is present right in front of the gear lever. The rotary dial features Audi's MMI with touchpad through which you can write and scroll things on the screen. The car gets a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio setup which supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, three-zone climate control, massage seats, panoramic sunroof, electric shut tailgate and a lot more.
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The rear seat is best suited for two adults and a skid. Rear passengers get less headroom because of the sloping roof. The 480-litre boot can swallow a decent amount of luggage too and overall the cabin of the S5 feels pretty well put up.
Power and Handling
Powering the S5 Sportback is a turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol engine that produces 349bhp and 500Nm of peak torque. All the power is transmitted to the Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system which also has a self-locking centre differential. The gearbox is an eight-speed tiptronic rather than a seven-speed S tronic as seen on the A5. There are four modes on offer: Efficiency, Comfort, Auto and Dynamic.
The performance of the S5 is just electric and there is so much of torque available. The car can punch 100km/h in just 4.7seconds with a claimed top speed of 250km/h. Throttle response is crisp with a strong power delivery in Dynamic mode between 4500 - 6500rpm. Also, a boost pressure gauge shows how much more torque is on reserve. The S5 Sportback also sounds wicked in Dynamic and the exhaust symphony is mesmerizing, with equal measures of pops and crackles thrown in!
Overall, the S5 Sportback feels well-balanced and the suspension set-up is good and stiff. The car does not lose out its balance when pushed harder. The bite from the brakes are phenomenal and will get the behemoth to a halt within a few seconds. Also, the front brake calipers get the S badge. The car gets big 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and runs on Pirelli tyres which proved excellent on both wet and dry conditions.
The could have been a bit more feedback from the steering but overall it does a good job. Flick it and the car will just turn into corners. A flat-bottomed steering wheel for the S5 would have complemented its sportiness more. We got an overall mileage of around 6km/l, which is a bit disappointing, but on the contrary, you have a massive engine and a lot of power to play with.
Audi Bratpack Comparison
Model |
S5
Sportback | A5 | A5 Cabriolet |
Engine |
3-litre
V6
tourbocharged
petrol |
2-litre
TDIq
tourbocharged
diesel |
2-litre
TDIq
tourbocharged
diesel |
Power |
349
bhp |
188
bhp |
188
bhp |
Torque |
500
Nm |
400
Nm |
400
Nm |
Transmission | 8-speed Tiptronic | 7-speed dual-clutch automatic | 7-speed dual-clutch automatic |
Acceleration (0 -100 km/h) |
4.7
sec |
7.9
sec |
7.8
sec |
Top Speed |
250
km/h |
240
km/h |
240
km/h |
Price (ex-showroom, pan India) | Rs 72.41 lakh | Rs 54.02 lakh | Rs 69.23 lakh |
Promeet Ghosh Thinks!
So, is the S5 a Performance-brat? Well, definitely YES!
With all the new tweaks and updated hardware, the second-generation Audi S5 Sportback is a balance between performance, styling and practicality. But all of this comes at a price of Rs 72,41,000 ex-showroom (Pan India), which is quite a bit on the expensive side.
The Audi S5 Sportback isn't a regular day-to-day car. But if you are looking for a capable companion which has a bit of a wild side for your long journeys, the S5 will be a perfect buy.