2010 Audi S5,Reviews

The 2010 Audi S5 gets a cabriolet (soft-top convertible) variant that's available only with a new supercharged V6, whereas the coupe keeps the previous V8. The 2010 Audi S5 is a calculated addition to Audi's arsenal, a high-performance luxury coupe/convertible intended to counter BMW's growing stockpile of turbocharged sporting machines.

Shared with other performance cars in Audi's lineup, the cabriolet's force-fed V6 makes 333 horsepower and as much torque -- 325 pound-feet -- as the coupe's 4.2-liter V8.
The high-performance 2010 Audi S5 is available as a coupe or soft-top convertible (the cabriolet) in two trim levels: Premium Plus and Prestige.

The base 2010 Audi S5 Premium Plus comes standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, xenon headlamps, foglamps, power heated exterior mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, an electronic parking brake, a multifunction leather-wrapped steering wheel, a panoramic tilt-only sunroof, tri-zone automatic climate control, power and heated front sport seats, napa leather upholstery, a 50/50-split-folding rear seatback, Bluetooth, Audi's Multi Media Interface (MMI) with dash-mounted controls and a CD audio system with satellite radio and an auxiliary input jack. Optional on the Premium Plus trim are the navigation system and Bang & Olufsen sound system. The cabriolet-only Comfort package adds a neck-level heating system and ventilated seats with special Milano leather upholstery.

A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the coupe, and a six-speed automatic with manual shift control is optional. On the cabriolet, a seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual is the only available transmission.

In performance testing, we spurred a manual-transmission 2010 Audi S5 coupe from zero to 60 mph in a fleet 4.9 seconds.
The V6-powered cabriolet comes in at 17/26/20 mpg.

Coupes have side curtain airbags as well, while cabriolets have active roll bars behind the seats.

Driving Impressions
The optional variable-ratio steering system that comes with the 2010 Audi S5 Drive Select package provides a similarly contrived feel.
The coupe's 4.2-liter V8 is simply one of our favorite engines.