johnpalley

guys ive been planning to buy an s5 for a year now and im finally in the position to do so. the only problem is ive been reading alot of good stuff about the new v6 s4. i want to buy the one that is the fastest, quickest, and has the best handling. which one do i want? what are the differences? thanks

questionlp

Outside of the wanting a sedan versus a coupe, and the associated styling differences, the supercharged 3.0 engine in the S4 gives it more oomph off the line and makes it feel like a really good performance sedan. The V8 in the S5 makes it more like a grand tourer than a high-performance coupe (such as the venerable M3, the RS5, and to some extent, the 335i/is).

A good chunk of it comes down to the torque band being available earlier in the RPM range and lasts longer found in the 3.0T, while you need to be higher up in the RPM range to get about the same amount of torque for the V8. If you are not going for a manual transmission, the S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission is better than the tad slower shifting Tiptronic.

Now, if you have the dosh, you can almost get the best of both worlds (S4 grunt, S5 looks) with the S5 cabriolet. It has the same drive train as the S4, but the seating and most of the lines of the S5 coupe.

Personally, I just love the curves and design of the S5 that I'm willing to give up some up-front speed found in the S4. Now... if there was an S4 Avant available in the US, I would have a harder time choosing.

johnpalley

thanks for the response. i like the looks of the s5 more also but at the same time it feels kind of stupid buying a more expensive model thats slower you know. which car has better handling?

johnpalley

i forgot to add i was gonna get a tiptronic

questionlp

I can't speak for handling for the S4, but the S5 drives and feels like a good touring vehicle. Since the S5 is the first S model that I've really had a chance to drive, I can't really compare it to the S4... but it feels taut enough for me.

Luxury coupes will almost always cost more than their sedan relative (335i coupe costs about $2K more than the sedan, the 6-series costs over $7500 more than the 550i, I don't want to even go into the price difference between an M5 and an M6), though I don't know if that's the case with the Infiniti G37. The disparity in pricing comes down to volume, design differences (the S5 coupe doors are frameless compared to the framed windows in the S4), and usually a bit more upscale interior standard. It's part of the reason why Audi numbered the coupes/cabriolet a number higher than their sedans now (i.e.: A7 coupe based on the A6 sedan).

As far as Tiptronic versus S-Tronic, I would side towards the S-Tronic more. Not saying that the Tiptronic is bad, but it doesn't seem to always provide the same shift feel as any dual-clutch transmission. Now, if you really want a visceral shift feel from an automated transmission, check out some of the newer SMG/R-Tronic transmissions. Some hate it or think it's too clunky or harsh, but I kind of like it, just not the cost of one.

johnpalley

nice info. tell you the truth, the s5 is far too beautiful of a car to not buy. im pretty sure im gonna get it. i just wanted to see what the differences were. i just got a couple last questions.

does the s5 plan to release a supercharged v8 in the future, and if so what year?

how come i cant find any rs models on audi's website? which is the faster model above the s4/s5? and how much more expensive is it? i was thinking it would be the rs4 or rs5 but i cant find them on the website

questionlp

All signs point to the introduction of the supercharged 3.0 engine and S-Tronic transmission for the 2012 MY S5 coupe (the cabriolet already has that combination standard).

The RS4 has already been discontinued and, as Audi announced today, the RS5 coupe will be released as a 2012 MY sometime in mid-to-late 2011. No official pricing has been announced for it, but estimates put it anywhere from $68K to $75K as the starting MSRP.

In terms of performance, it gets a tweaked version of the RS4/R8 4.2 engine and gets around 440-450 BHP and 317 lb-ft of torque.

johnpalley

so the 2012 s5 is gonna be v6?

the rs5 is the next step up?

questionlp

No official announcement yet, but all signs point to a supercharged V6 for the 2012 MY S5. The RS5 would be the step up from the S5.

johnpalley

thanks for all the info questionlp, i appreciate it. i cant wait to get an s5!