First Drive: 2008 Audi A5/S5

S5 is sick looking but i think its slightly over priced compared to the 335i coupe

The S5 has slightly better performance than the 335i, so the price is justified.

Plus, I don't mean to sound like GermanNut or S4cab, but you get a better interior.

Will, the base price of the S5 is expected to be $14k more than that of the 335i Coupe. Fourteen thousand. That isn't s slight difference, that's a big one, that's 35% more expensive. The "nicer interior" (which is subjective anyway) better be made out of diamond and unobtainium to justify that kind of difference. Plus the 335i Coupe has more rear seat room despite being smaller, and it handles and rides better based on the reviews I've read. The base A5 3.2 is expected to start for what the 335i Coupe starts at, and as nice as I'm sure the A5 is I'll take a 335i Coupe all day for that money.

JRob, that's also because the S5 will probably be better-equipped. You can easily push a 335i coupe to $55K+ with high-end options that BMW offers. I optioned up "my" 335i convertible last week, and it was $59K, only $4K less than my S4.

And I don't mean to sound like a troll, but you do get a lot of "coolness, prestige and exclusivity" with an S-badged Audi. It's not the same in a "normal" 3 Series.

S4, that's true, if you literally put every single option BMW offers on a 335i Coupe you'll be at $56120 with destination. But no one ever, EVER gets that car. You're talking about active steering, adaptive cruise, etc. There's no way the S5 comes with all that standard. A (what I would consider) loaded 335i Coupe (premium, cold weather, sport, nav, park distance, comfort access) is $48925, and that's a whole bunch less than "$55k to start". I think the A5/S5 is going to be a really nice car, I just think they overpriced it.

I read somewhere that the S5's steering communication leaves something to be desired. The chassis is still not as balanced and communicative as the BMW.

I read (in an S5 article, not a comparison) that the S5 has pretty fabulous steering. I believe it was AutoWeek, but there were other raves. On its own, the S5 is a superb sporty GT. Compared with the 335i, though, it's faced with a real challenge.

Umm you don't buy an Audi for its performance.

If you want best bang for the buck, go buy a suby or Mitu or a Vette.

Audi's are known for refinment, its interior, and its overall package, not just performance.

So....what about, S4, S6, S8, RS4, R8...if that is not performance, I don't know what is.
The Mitsu is hell of performance, but...not refined at all.

^ lawl, R8 is nowhere close to turbo performance.

Good point.

Apparently, it's quicker around the track than a Turbo, and if pushed, can pretty much keep up in a straight line (0-60 in 3.9 for R8, 3.5 for Turbo).

If you saw it, I did post a glowing review of the S5's interior in another article. I'm not too impressed from the pictures, either, but from what I've read it's just as good/better than the current A4 Cabriolet's interior.

I don't like the look of the front, other than that I think it look great. But I still think the Audi RS4 and the R8 is the besting looking sportcars Audi has.

I love this car, but I have a dilemma. Should I get an RS4 Cabriolet this year, get on the list for an R8 next year (and wait a year) or wait for the S5/RS5 Cabriolet to come out? I'm really having trouble. I need some help from you guys.

Oh, BTW, some info on my position:

The RS4 Cabriolet is going to be a limited vehicle, as they're only bringing 300 here, like the R8. I'm thinking of being spontaneous and getting myself on the list soon, but what I'd like to do is drive the RS4 sedan (Cabriolet won't be available to drive), the XKR convertible, the 911 C4S and maybe even the 650i- that will let me know if any of the others (non-Audis) are worth waiting for. Because, I would only get the RS4 Cabriolet this year, because I'd have to. I'd wait a few years to get the others.

The R8 should seem like the obvious choice, I know. I am in love with it and there's nothing about it I don't like, but there are two issues: price and viability. Can I realistically blow $120K on a car (I may end up leasing it), and would I really be able to take it through the winter? It's also not a convertible, and I'd have trouble not having a convertible in the hot Chicago summer. The summers here are just as intense as the winters.

S5/RS5 is the wild card... I don't even know if either of those (in Cabriolet form) would be out by the time I'm looking, but I do really like how the new S5 looks. It's probably not worth waiting for, though, when you have the RS4 and R8 as other choices that you can get sooner.

S4, if I were you, I would get the Audi R8, because it is so distinctive. And off course it also has performance of a super sportcars level.

S4, unless you put down a huge deposit on an R8 already, youre sh*t out of luck.

Audi has sold out the 1st year's production and half of the second. Better run!

I've already figured that I'm not going to get a new car until 2009. It's just stupid for me to get an RS4 Cabriolet this year, or even next year.

Thinking about it, I'll probably end up with an XKR, C4S or 650i. I don't know, though. Something new could be out by then (a sporty Lexus?).

why not the new M3 convertible then?

RS5 cabriolet

I just can't bring myself to get a BMW, let alone an M3. It looks beautiful and I do admire it, but the car is just too much of a cliché, and too many @ssholes drive them. I don't want to be looked at in that way- "just another 45-year-old in an M3."

My elder son did convince me that I'm just not a "BMW guy," the other day. I'm inclined to agree. It's Audi, Porsche or even Jaguar for me- but not BMW or Mercedes-Benz.

S4, who cares if people think youre an @sshole!! The M3 to me isnt a cliche at all, its the gold standard.

Im a BMW driver/fanatic. Im not an asshole. I love my car. Thats what matters.

I previously owned a couple Audis (98 A8, 01 S4) and also thought I wasnt a BMW-type of guy. Then I drove one. Been hooked since.

But dont limit your options because of others opinions. Anyone with a nice car can be perceived as an @sshole, but as long as youre not, then who the hell cares!!

im not gonna make any judgements until I try one. i think the idea isnt that bad though.

Really S4 I don't know how you can go from looking at an RS4, R8, Carrera S, & XKR to a 650i. Don't get me wrong I love the 650, I'd even say it's the best car I've ever owned, but don't you think that's a little tame after looking at those first 4?

On that list the R8 is the most exclusive, best looking, most expensive, & best performing...If you ask me that's the hands down easy choice, IF you can get one that is.

Well, the price, the exclusivity and the impracticality are what are holding me back. IF I got an R8 (which is highly unlikely), it would cost me in excess of $120K, and I still have a lot of payments left on the S4. I'm in a very confusing situation.

However, I have settled that I'm not going to get an RS4 Cab this year. It's just too much for me to take at once- new house this year, new car for wife next year, and home improvements. I'll be lucky if I'm comfortable buying a $100K car by 2009.

BTW, the 650i is on my list because of the cars I'm looking at, it's most similar to my S4. It's not as much as an intense sports car as the 911/R8, but more of a GT, which I like. It has great looks, a great engine and a great interior.

S4, how about a Merc CL? Or is that too expensive? If you're looking for a GT I would definitely consider the Maserati Coupe.

No, CL is not too much money. But if I want a coupe, I'm getting something like a Cayman S, XKR or used V8 Vantage. You know, something sporty. The new CL550 looks fantastic, and the interior is probably a dream; I'm happy for you in getting one, but I'll wait ten years before I can get a car like that. Right now I want a sports car.

The S5 from what I have read from reviews is a very beautiful car with some fantastic performance but it has a big problem.
The problem with the S5 is that that there is a BMW 335i. The performance of the 335i is very close to that of the S5, a few tenths of a second difference and a very closely matched handling.
Like others have pointed out- the problem is that the BMW cost about $10k less, has more leg room, and better fuel economy.
The Audi S5 brings into play a 4.2 litre V8, while the BMW is equipped with an I6 TT engine.
Exterior styling I would say are closely matched, and the interior is subjective, although my preference would be the S5.

So would I take an S5 over a 335i- I doubt it, if it were this time last when there was no 335i- the S5 would have been a clear winner.

I meant this time last year with no 335i, the S5 would have been a clear winner.

I tend to agree with you. I love Audi's - but I think the price strategy is wrong with this vehicle. Comparing the base A5 to the 328 and the S5 to the 335 - the performance difference doesn't justify such a big price increase. I live in NY and see the 3 coupes and convertibles everywhere I turn. Pricing the A5 like that won't do the same for Audi. I know they said they are more concerned about profits in the U.S. than they are sales - so I guess that is their thinking. I don't think the article is right though. If an A6 starts at $40k - how can the A5? I think I would buy the base A5 over the 328 - but I can't see buying the S5 over the 335 with that big of a price difference. If it was only $5k then that would be a different story.

this car is awesome especially with the new amazing audi v8! i think they could have priced it better compared with the 3 series coupe especially with the standard a5

Who are you kidding? Audi's line-up doesn't look like anything on the road today, if any company is guilty of not being creative it's Lexus.

I think this car looks sooo good, but if I was in this kind of market I ll look at the 335i, maybe with the M-kit they offer.