The 2,995-cc V6 turbo-petrol engine in the Audi S5 Sportback is a potent offering. I’d first sampled the engine and in this very Euro 6d guise, particulate filter and all, in the Porsche Macan S and with EU plates, too, during the Porsche World Road Show. The refinement is as evident as the significant output it promises and that’s the primary reason it finds employment in a lot more expensive VW Group creation too, the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, albeit with an electric motor to add to the grunt. Such, then, is the pedigree of this V6 motor.
The peak 354 hp comes in after 5,400 rpm and stays strong till 100 rpm short of the 6,500-rpm red-line. The full 500 Nm of torque is supposed to be at my disposal from below 1,400 rpm, but it’s at the crucial overlap of the power and torque curves that the S5’s business is truly ascertained. Yes, the bright blue and sharp creases are a stunning sight but it’s not all that focused on tempting the driver to push it and be naughty. Given the space, it would obviously have one wanting to floor it. And, after coming to rest, engaging “dynamic” and confirming the chunky gear-lever was in S-mode, I did.
The Audi S5 Sportback sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. Given the room, it will hit a limited top whack of 250 km/h; impossible at times and roads like these. However, what comes to the fore are its handling dynamics at speed. The eight-speed fluid-coupling fills up the quattro all-wheel driveline’s senses in all the right ways and the split-second it takes to hook in those 255s front and rear is a moment of time to be savoured. What follows is a building roar far from the muffled baritone it had been thus far and big spoonfuls of speed and blur. Get on the brakes and it locks grip in just as hard, shedding speed undramatically. The cornering is sublime and it feels simply planted holding its course. There’s nary a squeal as it latches on to the line and shifts its weight, nose pointing in line with my eyes. A good feeling. That’s what it’s about, isn’t it?
Okay, so I looked down at about six to the litre but, hey, “dynamic” mode, 6,000-plus revs piled on, and a healthy foot firmly finding its spot on the bottom of the carpet can do that. It goes up to 13 km/l in “efficiency”. And there’s a glass roof for when I want to look up at the rain. The rear seats have adequate space and there’s a flat and nearly square 465-litre boot.
The Audi S5 Sportback is, at a bit over Rs 80 lakh, in a field of its own. Almost. There’s no BMW M440i Gran Coupé nor Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 to throw punches. Although that works both ways. There’s no S4 to counter the BMW M340i xDrive sedan which is here, so it’s a fair head-to-head comparison; if one ignores the nearly 18-lakh-rupee price difference. The Bimmer is more exciting but, in a level playing field for numbers, it’s anyone’s game.
Need to Know -Audi S5 Sportback
Price: Rs 80.49 lakh (ex-showroom)
Engine: 2,995 cc, V6, turbo-petrol, direct+port injection
Max Power: 354 hp @ 5,400-6,400 rpm
Max Torque: 500 Nm @ 1,370-4,500 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed, automatic, all-wheel drive
Suspension: Five-link front and rear
Weight: 1,760 kg
