”Not another Audi…” I hear you muttering. Some people seem to think we’ve become a paid advertorial for the German marque. Alas, it has nothing to do with us, Audi are simply continuously bringing out new models and they are showing no signs of stopping in the near future.
I approached this car wondering if it really served any purpose in the Audi line-up. I was worried that it was a 3-series coupe competitor, just for the sake of being a competitor. I was wrong though – very wrong. Although this is the sports model – tagged with ‘S5’ – the underlying chassis and engineering effort will be the basis of the new A4, right through to a future ‘RS’ version of the A5 range, which will most probably be dubbed the ‘RS 5’.
After grabbing the key off the Audi folk, I walked out to the car park where my black S5 was sitting. I was love struck at first glance, I haven’t felt the same first glance impression since my first steer in the Chrysler 300C. It’s that feeling you get when you spot a car that you know is very special, that you know will make an impact wherever it goes.
As you approach the low-slung sports coupe, you pickup visual styling clues, starting with the curvy side design, right through to the chrome highlights on the doors and chrome window surroundings. The proximity sensing key allows you to climb inside without even needing to clutch the key, grab the door handle and you’re granted access.
No matter who it was – young or old – everyone I drove around in the car was instantly stricken with disbelief at the beauty of the interior. The test vehicle was fitted with the optional Nappa red leather interior which was a visual sensation. The seats matched red leather padding on the doors, along with red stitching on the steering wheel and gear shifter. Attention to detail is visible throughout the interior, from the high quality dashboard materials, right through to the look and feel of the carbon fibre inserts.