SUBTLY SPORTING(some text hidden)

By Jonathan Crouch

Ten Second Review word count: 66

Yes, there's a potent engine plumbed beneath the Audi S5 Coupe's bonnet, but the subtly aggressive and now smarter bodywork only gives clues to those in the know. It's arguably the closest thing Audi currently makes to the classic Quattro coupe that so defined the brand back in the 1980s, though today, the turbo engine has six cylinders rather than five. Oh, and it's a diesel.

Background word count: 126

Audi's growing reputation as a maker of truly sporting cars continues on apace. For proof, we could have chosen an R8 supercar, an S4 super saloon or a TT RS roadster. But instead, we've got this car, the very fast, very focused and, in its own way, really rather frugal S5 Coupe. It's a model we could have tried as a two-door Cabriolet or a more practical five-door Sportback but instead, we've opted to pitch this car at you in desirable Coupe form. It's a bodystyle that not only looks great but also works particularly well in a current form that now features a potent turbocharged mild hybrid 3.0-litre TDI six cylinder diesel with 347PS plumbed in beneath the bonnet. It's actually a potentially addictive package.

Driving Experience word count: 313

At the wheel of a model like this, you can see why Audi has in recent times achieved so much, so quickly. It's not perfect (the steering for example, could be sharper) but overall, let us try and define for you just why this car works as well as it does - starting with the engine. Ignoring the current zeitgeist, Audi has switched this S5 Coupe into diesel power, installing a mild hybrid 3.0-litre TDI unit that produces 347PS and 700Nm of pulling power, good enough to get this car from rest to 62mph in just 4.8s, which is only a tenth slower than the previous 3.0-litre TFSI V6 petrol unit could manage. Top speed, as before, is artificially pegged at 155mph. The engine utilises a large turbo, which is partly driven by a little electric compressor, as well as exhaust gases. Audi claims that this set-up minimises the effects of turbo lag, with the system being automatically activated whenever the requested engine load exceeds the capabilities of the turbocharger. To go with this change of engine, Audi has upgraded this car in a number of other areas, adding in Progressive steering, refining the sports suspension and incorporating a revised chassis platform, which controls the car's quattro 4WD system. The transmission remains an 8-speed Tiptronic auto unit, but this set-up's impressively quick-reacting and smooth. Not so good is the lowered 'S' Sports suspension, which will be rather over-firm for some, though you can improve it by paying extra for a 'CDC' 'Continuous Damper Control' system that can be tweaked via the settings of the standard 'drive select' driving dynamics system. As well as also altering steering weight, throttle response and stability control thresholds, the 'drive select' modes can also influence the optional 'Quattro Sport differential' system, which constantly varies the amount of drive to each of the rear wheels for extra cornering traction.