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From YourSITE.com Reviews & Road Tests It may seem cliché to compare a desirable car with a fine wine. It’s not like it’s never been done before… rather that horse has taken its lumps though it may yet draw a breath. When I consider the 2010 Audi S5, likely the last of the V8 breed, it is the comparison with a fine wine that I keep returning to.
The S5 has been on the market for over two years now and in that time its voluptuous lines and strong proportions have served it well by allowing it to remain one of the freshest-looking coupes in its segment. In virtually any outward way Audi has chosen to not mess with a good thing, maybe because the S5 is one of the few cars in the notable sales growth column during this down economy. At the same time, less visible but substantially significant new equipment has been added to the S5 roster for 2010 – namely Audi’s latest 3G MMI that raises the car’s infotainment value and an optional Sport Differential that seriously transforms its driving dynamics. Given this could be the last year for the V8, 2010 looks to be one very fine vintage for the Audi S5.
Day to day, it will be 3G MMI that improves the ownership experience the most. With the system deactivated, the new joystick style center button in the MMI’s main rotary dial is the only visual hint of a change. However, operation of this latest evolution of Audi’s electronic do-all reveals more. Ingolstadt has upgraded the system with a new NVIDIA chip for improved graphics allowing for 3D modeling of buildings in metropolitan areas. There’s a hard drive for music storage and DVDs can be played on screen. Unless you tackle your commute as aggressively as Allan McNish rounds Road Atlanta, you’ll likely not truly appreciate Audi’s new Sport Differential until you hit some substantially slippery roads or attend a local track day. This new piece of kit is an algorithm controlled rear hydraulic differential that distributes power between the rear wheels. By sending torque to the outer rear tire in a turn, this added push helps bring the tail around and minimizes understeer.
The new physics of the Sport Differential are both a safety feature and a performance gain. From a safety standpoint the setup operates much like ESP, only using the throttle rather than the brakes. Further acceleration at that outer rear wheel can not only minimize understeer but it’s also good for tail-out fun should that be what you’re looking for. While we just driven our US-spec 2010 Audi S5 on the streets of Audi’s home town in Ingolstadt, Germany, we’ve tested the new Audi S4 with the Sport Differential on wet and dry tracks and find the effect of the new Sport Differential to be confidence-inspiring when used for stability and transformative when intentionally used for oversteer. So-equipped, an Audi with Sport Differential is second only to the Audi R8 in its willingness to hang its tail out and largely in a very controllable manner.
The Sport Differential is available as a stand alone option on the S5 and is also packaged in all cars receiving Audi Drive Select (ADS) – Ingolstadt’s three-stage program that allows you to adjust suspension, steering weight and ratio, throttle and shift points on Tiptronic cars to settings ranging from Luxury to Dynamic. Sport Differential only cars get the same button cluster as ADS even though they may not have it which might prove confusing once these cars start popping up on pre-owned lots. The only other changes we noted on our 2010 model were LED taillights as seen on the S5 Cabriolet and the availability of Audi’s ‘Tri-Five’ 19-inch wheel design that seems to be migrating onto nearly anything with an S-badge.
For 2010 the base S5 starts at $52,400. Our particular tester was painted in Audi’s more boisterous Sprint Blue (pearl effect paint $475) and paired with handsome two-tone black and silver leather interior. Our car also included Audi’s Prestige package, costly at $5,700 but it does include a litany of luxury options including Bang & Olufsen sound system, Advanced Key, navigation, voice control for radio/telephone/navigation, auto-dimming exterior mirrors and interior mirror with compass and memory for driver seat and mirrors. Our car also included the aforementioned Audi Drive Select with Sport Differential ($3,950), a Driver Assist Package with backup camera and sensors ($900), carbon fiber interior trim ($500) and 19-inch Tri-Five wheel package ($400). Combine all of this with $1300 in gas guzzler tax and an $825 destination charge and our S5 priced out at $66,450. Audi has suggested that the V8’s time in the S5 is coming to an end. There is debate whether the engine might go on a little longer than 2010 but it won’t go on forever. The world economy and a march toward efficiency will see to that. However, for now the S5 remains one very impressive vintage – the ultimate in Audi’s latest technologies combined with one of the best-looking grand touring coupes on the market and rightfully paired with Audi’s torque-laden and canorous V8 that may not be as easily efficient or even as tunable as the new 3.0T, but remains the first choice for those simply seeking a car with the feel of an Exotic GT at a premium price that won’t break the bank.
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