In the old days, a 6-cylinder engine in an Audi or a BMW was very common.
But those days are over. Only when you save up enough for a 440i,
BMW supplies you with a 6-inline under the hood.
In an Audi, the V6 is so special, it receives an "S" in front of its name.
If you want a petrol A5 Sportback with a V6, the only option is the S5 Sportback.
That does give you a stylish body, and an amazing engine.
The engine in this really is a gem.
There aren't a lot of V6's which convince you as this does. The total package is so good.
The sound, the torques, the souplesse... It really is an amazing engine,
this 3.0-litre V6 from Audi, and it's only got one turbo.
The trend seems to be more turbo's and smaller turbo's, for better throttle response.
Yet this car has got just one. It does have twin-scroll capacity,
which means three cylinders are following one turbo-track, and the other three are following the other.
The throttle response is very good as well. It really picks up nicely.
When you put your foot down, you almost immediately get maximum torque.
It produces 500 of torque at 1,370 RPM, and that makes the engine incredibly smooth.
It feels like you're driving an electric car, except you've got a lovely soundtrack.
I'm really enjoying this. Of course, 354 horsepower makes it very quick,
but that's not where the magic happens. On the contrary.
The mid-range is where you want to be in this. The power, the souplesse, the sound,
it really is a piece of comfort to be honest. It's added value without a doubt.
It's connected to the same 8-speed automatic gearbox you get in the BMW, made by ZF.
I'll have to say though, BMW has finetuned the gearbox a little bit better.
This shifts up a little quick for my taste, which sometimes brings it in an area where it doesn't have them maximum torque available.
Other than that, the drivetrain really is sublime.
It really feels like a GT-drivetrain, and that suits the chassis in this Audi S5 rather well.
When I test drove the Audi S5 Coupé, I thought it was a little bit disappointing.
That "S" certainly sound special, that it's not like an ordinary A5.
And in this four-door Sportback, I feel the same, except I'm not disappointed at all.
It's a four-door car after all, so it's more for your family. It's also more of a daily driver, with enough room in the boot.
You can decently transport people who are in the back seat.
And that's when you can really appreciate those GT-qualities.
It's a car which, when you put it in "Auto"-mode,
really drives very relaxed. Sure it's sturdy and it's fitted with big wheels,
but it's very comfortable. You can go to Groningen,
only to drive back home with a detour in Maastricht. And when you get out of the car, you won't be tired at all.
If you put the car in "Dynamic"-mode, or Drive Select...
The chassis becomes sturdier, the dampers become harder and the roll decreases.
What makes the biggest difference however, is the sports differential.
Now, that is optional. And it's quite expensive as well.
It's worth the consideration though, because it really gives the chassis a dynamic edge.
There is a LSD fitted already, it's four-wheel drive after all.
But instead of only having understeer when you're driving fast, you can steer with the throttle if you get that sports differential.
It's not like you can drift for minutes, but if you're in a tight corner and you encounter a little bit of understeer,
because of the engine position in the front, you just put your foot down and the sports differential will send power to the outer rear wheel.
That way, the car pushes itself around the corner.
And that does give the car a sort of playfulness. It's quite agile to be honest.
That makes it a car which is very comfortable, but very fun to drive at the same time.
Another option, which I wouldn't equip if I'm honest,
is Dynamic Steering. That's a steering which varies in directness,
but also in the way it uses its power steering.
The idea is quite simple; the car steers very light and direct when you're travelling at low speeds,
and when you're at higher speeds, the power steering gets decreased and it becomes a little less direct.
That way the steering becomes easier. I'll admit, it sounds pretty good,
the only problem is however, it takes all the feedback away.
And because there's a lot going on at the front wheels, I mean they receive power and they have to steer,
you'd want to feel what's happening at the front wheels, how much grip you've got left... Especially if you have a quick driving style.
And you can't feel that right now. The Dynamic Steering generally feels very light,
which filters a lot of the driving experience. It gives you a little uncertainty as well, and in a car which produces 354 horsepower,
that's not what you want.
But if we exclude that steering, this S5 Sportback really convinces in every aspect.
It really is a GT with a sportier approach than we were used to in Audi's.
And that makes it, maybe now more than ever,
a direct rival to BMW.
Especially if it's concerning a BMW like this, with xDrive; the four-wheel drive system from BMW.
Basically, the 4-Series is a sportier car than the Audi A5. That's because of a few things in the layout.
For example; BMW-cars are rear-wheel drive, whilst Audi's entry models all are front-wheel drive.
What also counts is the fact that BMW puts the engine far back in the front, for optimal weight distribution.
So with that and the rear-wheel drive, you have a car which is already aimed at driving dynamics.
It's little bit different in the Audi. The engine is further in the front and you get the Quattro four-wheel drive system.
Basically, the BMW is sportier, but if you equip it with xDrive,
a part of the standard BMW-dynamics gets lost.
It's not like it isn't dynamic at all, especially if you've got a M-Sport version like this,
because you still get sturdy springs. It's not as comfortable as the Audi though,
because it doesn't matter what mode you're driving in, you still bounce around. Especially if you're on bigger wheels.
But the xDrive four-wheel drive system isn't as playful as the Quattro-system with a sports differential, like in the Audi.
The moment you steer into a corner, the balance basically feels better in a BMW.
You don't get that light moment of understeer like you get in the Audi.
However, if you put your foot down, the system starts looking for traction.
So instead of you sliding through the corner by giving more throttle, this feels like a safer system.
It's got an open differential as well. It doesn't make it less good, because it still offers lots of grip,
but that playfulness, that throttle steer, which the Audi offers... That's something the BMW lacks.
Also, it's a little less comfortable. So when you look at it as a total GT-package...
Audi is more convincing than this BMW...
It's a little down on power when it comes to the engine. It doesn't offer 354 horsepower, but only 326 horsepower.
It's also a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder engine, only this time it's a straight-six instead of a V6.
Also with one turbo, only it's a little less powerful.
It also offers a little less torque; only 450 Nm instead of 500.
That means it's a little bit slower, but this straight-six is amazing.
That mid-range really sounds great and it is pretty quick as well.
A six-cylinder like this really is a party.
Like I've said before, the way the engine and gearbox are finetuned is better in the BMW.
I want to make one thing very clear. Both of these are incredibly good cars.
Cars in which you can travel to work very comfortably, and in which you can have some fun when you go home again.
And that's something you expect, because they're quite expensive. Both cars cost more than €100.000 in the form that we've tested them today.
We haven't even discusses the fuel consumption yet. 9 kilometres to the litre, if you're lucky.
But it's the little things. A more modern interior, a chassis which is very comfortable,
an engine which sounds amazing...
In little things like that, this Audi S5 Sportback takes the lead.
And if it costs that much, it has to be perfect...