Overview

The 2010 Audi S5 is a luxury sports coupe that offers attractive styling and sharp handling. The S5 gets a cabriolet (Soft-top convertible) variant powered by a new supercharged V6 engine whereas the coupe derives power from the earlier V8. The navigation-equipped S5s get the third-generation MMI system with a revised controller and real-time traffic.

Power and performance

The S5 is powered by two engines: the coupe's 4.2-liter V8 pumps out 354 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque and the cabriolet's 3.0-liter supercharged V6 is rated at 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the coupe, and a six-speed automatic with manual shift control is optional. A seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual is the only available transmission on the cabriolet. The EPA fuel economy estimates for the V8-powered coupe are 14 mpg city/22 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined with the manual transmission, while the automatic is rated at 16/24/19 mpg. The V6-powered cabriolet comes in at 17/26/20 mpg.

Body and styling

The high-performance 2010 Audi S5 is available as a coupe or soft-top convertible (the cabriolet) in two trim levels: Premium Plus and Prestige. The base S5 Premium Plus rolls on 19-inch alloy wheels with ease along with a sport-tuned suspension, xenon headlamps, foglamps, power heated exterior mirrors, rain-sensing wipers and an electronic parking brake. The interior is decked up with a number of features like a multifunction leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front sport seats, napa leather upholstery, a 50/50-split-folding rear seatback, Bluetooth, a panoramic tilt-only sunroof, tri-zone automatic climate control, Audi's Multi Media Interface (MMI) with dash-mounted controls and a CD audio system with satellite radio and an auxiliary input jack. The S5 Cabriolet adds a power-retractable soft top and a wind blocker. The Prestige comes with keyless entry/ignition, auto-dimming mirrors, driver memory functions and a hard-drive-based navigation system with real-time traffic updates and the third-generation MMI system. A color information display and a Bang & Olufsen sound system with a DVD player are also there. Navigation system and Bang & Olufsen sound system are optional on the Prestige Plus. The S5 Prestige is available with adaptive cruise control, a sport rear differential that varies torque between the rear wheels, and four selectable driving modes for transmission, a back-up camera with rear parking sensors (included with the navigation bundle on Premium Plus), a blind-spot warning system and Audi Drive Select (includes adaptive suspension dampers, variable-ratio steering, and steering response and ride tuning). A Sports Rear Differential package (Essentially Drive Select minus the adaptive dampers and the variable-ratio steering), various decorative inlays and Alcantara seat inserts can be installed to all S5 models. The cabriolet-only Comfort package comes with a neck-level heating system and ventilated seats with special Milano leather upholstery.

Safety Features

The 2010 Audi S5 comes with a variety of standard safety features that include electronic stability and traction control; anti-theft vehicle alarm system with immobilizer; tire pressure monitoring system; four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with brake assist; front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags; LATCH; side impact protection; crash sensor; safety belts; and central locking system. A blind-spot warning system "side assist" is optional on the S5.