2012 Audi S5: Muscle and elegance, refined

Photos by Alex Martinez and Richard Melick

More often than not, when a V-8 powered midsize 2-door is roaming the American road, it is one of the many muscle cars coming from the factories of Ford, Chevy and Dodge.  The combination of a long bonnet, pure power, and back seats big enough only to hold a bag or two, has been apart of the American powerhouse for decades.  That is until Audi brought along the S5 Coupe.

This two-door midsize Euro is a coupe by definition, but vaguely meeting the normal qualifications.  With a large boot in the back, and plenty of space in the cab for two grown men and camera bags, this was anything but what many coupes are today.  And to top it all off, a 350 horsepower 4.2l V-8 in the front, paired with 6-speed flappy-paddle gearbox and the all-important Quattro drivetrain, this ride is anything but a coupe.

Audi has always been very good at 2-door rides, from the older Quattro to the new R8.  Each vehicle has had its own characteristics that have kept it apart from its brothers and sisters in the lineup.  The S5 is no exception when it comes to looks, from the arching rear end up to the aggressively stanced suspension, all the way to the front end styling, with an almost evil scowl coming from the headlights and grille.  It’s as if the car is begging to be taken out to the streets and play king of the mountain with all the other 2-door V-8s.

And this is exactly what we did.  From the very start with the noise of the engine coming to life, photographer Alex and I knew it was going to be one fun day.  And with lunch coming upon us, we knew we had to take it downtown for the crowds to enjoy beautiful tone with us.  It’s not an overly loud exhaust note, especially compared to the American muscle, but that was the immediate appeal.  It was elegantly refined, bringing more class to the vehicle, presenting a tone of “look at me” but not screaming it at the same time.

This car is pure power, a driver’s car to have for the track and the road.  The seats hug you close in and out of curves, and there is never a point where the car feels unbalanced or ungainly.  Hitting the highway on our way to give the car a quick spray down, it was very apparent that there was far more under the hood then we would be able to access on public roads.  It begged to go quick, for its 350 ponies to be released in a pure act of fury and enjoyment.

The interior, which is shared with its sister 4-door car, is very elegant and to the point.  Some other car guys would call it very German, which could be true, but it still has character to it all.  The seats were well-appointed in Alcantara, and the button layout was fairly familiar.  One thing I immediately noticed though was the MMI dial was a bit further back on the center console, making for an ungainly approach at adjusting the navigation for both the driver and passenger, having to twist in my seat a bit to reach it while still keeping my eyes on the road.  Other than that though, the dash is very beautiful and full of all the technology necessary and common in today’s vehicles, with the navigation screen built right in and access to everything fairly simple and strait-forward.

This is not a car built for comfort as a daily driver alone.  No, this is a racecar, ready and wanting to hit every street hard and fast.  When we hit downtown, it was the center of attention as we drove among the tall buildings and crowds of lunch going workers with the noise reverberating off the glass and concrete, the car leading the pack off each light and corner.  Driving down Speer, it made its presence known two blocks back to a jay walker who ended up stopping and watching the car drive by.

It was on Speer though that one flaw really stood out.  The suspension is extremely stiff.  Okay, this may not be a flaw for everyone, and yes, I know this car was not designed for the streets alone, but riding along the ‘well maintained’ roads of Denver, it was not the ride I was expecting.  When just cruising along, the car felt like it was aiming for the bumps and cracks in the roads, and while Speer is not necessarily the best example of the quality roads in Colorado, it did make a point to be noticed through the ride.  This is not saying I had doubts about the vehicle being able to handle or stay firm and safe, but that the race heritage of this vehicle was not going to hide behind any sort of veil.

But this car has a stiff suspension for a reason and is in keeping with the whole concept behind this ‘coupe.’ It handles the power extremely well, and has no problem handling the curves and corners.  The car is built to go fast and enjoyed on the track, but at the same time also avails the creature comforts that make driving home a normal experience.  This is a dual-purpose ride that straight off the lot will do what is advertised with no problems.

This 2012 Audi S5 is a muscle car by every definition.  The suspension is stiff, power endless, and the exhaust note devilishly amazing, but is refined enough to still be a looker on the road, a vehicle that can be driven to and from work in class and style.  Audi has taken the American muscle and applied it to a vehicle with every bit of refinement possible to build something truly amazing.  Stiff suspension or not, this vehicle is a complete joy to drive and ride in, making a point everywhere it went without trying.