Imagine a strong and bold knight in a fierce battle; strong enough to intimidate its rivals and leave the rest awestruck. The knight wears a light weight but strong armour, riding with the power of 350 horses. While it projects a sense of force and speed, the knight’s shield also reflects the air of luxury and depth of character.
The knight we speak of here is not Jamie Lannister but the new Audi S5 Sportback priced at 70.60 Lakh INR. The new sporty sedan from Audi has made its entry, 4 years after the birth of its older sibling The five-door coupe is indeed an athletic, luxurious sedan. Flaunts strong head-turning characters. The car blends elegant and emotional design with modern technology and comfortable interiors. The car, now in its second generation comes with reengineered suspension, high-performance drives and innovative driver-assistance systems. The S5 was first launched in 2013/14 across the world. The newer version od Audi Sports sedan S5 is now officially launched in India
Audi India recently launched the new generation of Audi A5 Sportback, Audi A5 Cabriolet and the Audi S5 Sportback into the Indian market. While all three will charm different buyers, Audi S5 is the car many would aspire for its strong, sporty character.
Audi S5 Exteriors: Athletic luxury
The Audi S5 exhibits a new signature look that is more aggressive than the A5 Sportback or the A5 Cabriolet. Its body is given athletically-solid surfaces. Strong character lines on the bonnet not just adds muscle to the car but also adds to overall dynamics. The front three-dimensionally modelled, single-frame-grille is significantly flatter and wider than previous Audi models. Audi S5 front headlamp cluster is placed at an angular level and is almost stretched back, giving a sharp feature to the face of the car. The lower front bumper is similar to that we see on the regular S5 model but like all the S and RS sporty models of Audi, the S5 too gets silver accents that enhance the overall luxury appeal of the car.
The first glimpse of Audi S5’s ‘Knightly’ image asserts when you look at its sides. Sharp lines starting from A-pillar going all the way to the rear spoiler. This design is quite French, to be honest. Will remind you of the lower sitting back of the car like seen on cars made by French brand like the PSA Group. Even the suspension on the car is considerably low like many other sports cars in its category. On the rear, Audi S5 also features quad tail pipes. From the rear it is hard to differentiate between the A5 and the S5 sedans. Audi is offering body coloured boot spoiler on this one.
The wave-pattern shoulder line imparts elegance on the S5 Sportback . It is even more strongly accentuated than on the previous models. This creates an interplay of light and shadow. The pronounced bulges over the wheel arches underscore the quattro DNA. The rear end exhibits horizontal, equally highly precise styling.
Audi S5 interiors
The new generation Audi S5 interiors have grown both in space and in overall luxury quotient. As compared to S5 which was launched earlier this decade, the interiors have gained 17 mm in width. The shoulder room for driver and front passenger has increased just enought to get some more room to nudge your shoulder. The distance between the driver seat and the rear seat has also been increased by 24 millimeters. The sophisticated materials, precision of fit and color harmonies on the interiors are typical Audi. If you have driven the luxurious Audi Q7 SUV, you will know the S5 design is inspired from here. The long A/C vent is at the centre of the dashboard giving it a sleek and sophisticated look. The Audi S5 gets optional ambient lighting with 30 colors to choose from.
The dashboard of Audi S5 features a pop-up style 12.3 inch touchscreen infotainment system with Audi’s all new operating system. The Audi virtual cockpit has the drivers assistance system, supports Apple Car Play and Google Android Auto. It gets the Bang & Olufsen Sound System with innovative 3D sound. With 19 loudspeakers around, sometimes feels like sitting in a mini concert hall! The Audi tablet serves as an able flexible Rear Seat Entertainment device, both inside and outside the car.
A big miss however is the sporty appeal inside the cabin. Despite getting the bucket seats with silver accents it doesn’t feel like you are sitting inside the Audi S5. With the higher price point as compared to the new Audi A5 we would expect more carbon fiber treatment inside the cabin. The other thing a driver will miss is the flat-bottomed steering wheel which was present in the older S5 but not in the 2017 version. I keep wondering why was it taken off! The ‘S badge’ on the steering wheel might be the only consolation here.
Audi S5 drive: The fast German beast
The new Audi S5 carries a similar engine specification as its previous generation car. The car features a 3L twin-turbo V6 engine and outhouses a power of 349 bhp and 500 Nm of torque. This four wheeled monster has enough power for you to carry a smile throughout your drive. Just don’t glance too often at the fuel indicator because the Audi A5 is a fuel guzzler! The steering is nice and quick, the 8-speed transmission works like a charm. It is very responsive. Audi S5’s engine sounds sportier and accelerates quickly without throwing any tantrums. It features a dynamic or an additional sport mode that further allows the engine to open up and immediately accelerates the car. The suspension firmly and steadily allows turns on corners and is equally comfortable on long drives.
Audi S5 is without doubt one of the best all-rounder performing sporty sedan available in the market. The rear sitting space has been compromised just a little bit to increase the boot space of the car.
Priced at Rs 70.60 lakh, Audi S5 (second-generation) is without doubt one of the best all-round performing sporty sedan available in the Indian market. Audi India has played it well in terms of positioning its new A5, A5 Cabriolet and the S5 sedans. Each car has its own market and bringing in all three together rather makes an aggressive statement. Audi S5 is a knight that will never let you down on a regular commute or even on a race track and will leave the driver with a smile after every drive.
