First Drive: 2008 Audi A5 S5 - MotorTrend Magazine
Good times are rolling at Audi. The next one will be a voluptuous, decadent four-seat grand tourer, the likes of which Audi has been itching to produce for the last 11 years, while it was attending to more serious business. With its all-new A5 and S5 coupes, the company is scratching that itch in grand style. A new transaxle design places the differential ahead of the clutch or torque converter, so that the front-axle centerline is now just 1. 7 inches behind the engine (the A8 and Bentley Continental have a similar layout, but their axles are almost... This arrangement extends the wheelbase for improved ride and reduces the front weight bias for crisper handling (S5 quattro models scale in at 54/46 percent front/rear). The A5's direct-injected 3. 2-liter FSI engine launches a novel new variable valve-lift system (see sidebar) to produce 265 horsepower with improved fuel efficiency. Chassis highlights include a new braking system, with automatic hill-holding and electronic parking-brake application, and a change to a front-mounted steering rack positioned near the height of the wheel centers for improved steering feel. An electronic novelty-the so-called Smart Key-stores vital information about the car every time it's used, including the odometer reading and any fault codes to expedite the service-writer's job at the dealership. Source: www.motortrend.com
