2008 Audi A5 Review

A5 of a Kind

The two-door Audi A5 bridges the gap between the A4 and TT in the automaker's growing model line.

While the traditional two-door car market has long since relegated itself to niche status, automakers continue to offer somewhat practical coupes to youthful buyers who find sedans too stodgy and low-slung sport coupes too difficult to live with on a daily basis. To that end, Audi has produced the A5, something of a cross between the next generation of the compact A4 sedan and TT sports coupe. It’s designed to go grille-to-grille with BMW’s 3 Series Coupes and the Mercedes-Benz CLK.

While the Audi A5 carries the brand’s signature outsized trapezoidal front grille, in terms of overall aesthetics it’s much more than just an A4 with fewer doors. It’s more muscular, lower, and sleeker, not to mention nearly two inches longer than the A4. There are wide headlamps and similarly shaped lower air intakes up front, bulging wheel wells, a flowing beltline, and a squared-off rear-end treatment with dual exhausts. Its styling is inspired by the striking Nuvolari Quattro concept coupe that graced the auto show circuit in 2003.

The Audi A5 eschews the A4’s standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine and offers only a 3.2-liter direct-injection V6 engine that delivers smooth and strong power. Audi claims this engine enables the A5 to reach 60 miles per hour in around six seconds; its top speed is limited at 155 mph. The V6 can be mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed Tiptronic automatic with manual gear selection. Unfortunately, neither the A4’s butter-smooth gearless CVT transmission, nor the TT’s acclaimed manual/automatic Direct Shift Gearbox, are available on the Audi A5.

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A TDI diesel engine is offered on the Audi A5 abroad, but probably won't be sold in the U.S. (even with high gas prices, the thought of a diesel-powered luxury coupe is still anathema to most Americans).

The Audi A5’s design places the engine closer to the center of the vehicle than in the A4. In addition to allowing a shorter front overhang, the automaker says this configuration results in better front-to-rear balance and improved driving dynamics. To that end, the Audi A5 rides on a new five-link suspension up front, with a new trapezoidal-link array at the rear; while sporty, the suspension is tuned to maintain a relatively smooth ride. An available “S line” package adds a tauter suspension, larger wheels and tires for improved handling (though with a rougher ride), plus sport seats and special trim items.

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The coupe’s performance is further enhanced by the automaker’s standard quattro all-wheel-drive system. It’s rear-biased on a 40/60 front-to-rear ratio for sportier handling than that afforded by the usual 50/50 setup; the system can send additional power to the front or rear as needed on a continuous basis, both for added foul-weather traction and to maximize the Audi A5’s dry-pavement cornering abilities. Stability control and traction control are also on hand to help keep the car under control at all times.

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The Audi A5’s leather-clad interior is handsomely cast with a cockpit-like dashboard design and a choice of wood, aluminum, or piano-black trim. It offers good comfort, particularly for the driver and front-seat passenger. Two can ride in the rear, though taller passengers will have issues with the diminished headroom that is a byproduct of its sharply sloping roofline. Front, front-side, and side-curtain airbags that cover both rows of seats are standard on the Audi A5.

The latest version of the automaker’s MultiMedia Interface, which uses a joystick-like knob and LCD display screen to control things like the audio, climate control, and optional satellite navigation systems, is included on the Audi A5. It’s not as confounding as BMW’s widely vilified iDrive system, but it’s still more complex to operate than a conventional array of buttons and knobs.

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The Audi A5 includes an Advanced Key keyless entry and starting system that stores vehicle data, such as warning messages from the vehicle’s information center and the car’s current mileage, to make servicing easier. Available options include a 14-speaker premium audio system from Danish hi-fi specialist Bang & Olufsen and adaptive high-intensity headlamps.

A higher performance V8-powered version of the Audi A5 is also available as the S5.