Let's start with the things I don't like about the Audi S5 because they're few and they are trivial.
The "Advanced Key", an electronic box that replaces the traditional ignition key, behaved inconsistently. Sometimes the car wouldn't start after I followed the procedure of jabbing the "key" into the slot and pressing the clutch.
Once I locked the car to find that the ignition lights were still on when I returned half an hour later. Let's just say it's a R5300 option I wouldn't pay for.
The other thing I don't like is that the 4.2-litre engine sounds more like a sewing machine on steroids than a V8.
I like powerful engines to have a rousing acoustic accompaniment but acknowledge it's horses for courses and there are people who'll prefer the S5's smooth refinement with its underlying hint of a roar.
Overall, Audi has a winner and I reckon it stands a good chance of being one of the finalists in next year's SA Car of the Year competition. It's a fine machine that presses all the right buttons: dashing looks, gutsy performance and all-round competence and class.
The VW group's design chief Walter da Silva calls this his favourite design - quite a statement coming from a man who penned cars such as the Audi R8 and, from his past life at Fiat, Alfa Romeo's 156 and 147.
I'm not certain if the S5's better-looking than the mid-engined R8 but I see what Walter means. This two-door, four-seater coupe is a strikingly beautiful automobile, a guaranteed head-turner.
The car is low and wide and has authority and presence, factors enhanced by its LED running lights. It's athletic rather than assertive - more Jean Claude van Damme than Mike Tyson.
The S5 quattro selling for R549 000 is the high-performance model in Audi's new A5 coupé range that includes a front-wheel drive, 3.2 petrol version, soon to be joined by a diesel.
The engine used here is a detuned version of the fire-spitting, 309kW 4.2 that powers the RS4 and the R8. In this spec, the direct-injection V8 develops 260kW and 440Nm; it's fed to all four wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox (tiptronic auto coming soon).
The three-pedal S5 as tested has one of the best manual transmissions around. There's no clonky feel and the gearshifter slides through its gate smoothly with the help of an un-heavy clutch.
Audi's taken some of the skill out of quick starts too by limiting the engine to 4000rpm before you dump the left pedal - a feature no doubt aimed at prolonging clutch life - but I still posted a 6.3sec 0-100km/h and 14.2sec quarter-mile up here in Gauteng - not far behind the turbocharged BMW 335i's 5.9 and 13.6.
The S5's also great at gobbling distance, not only because it cruises and overtakes so easily but also thanks to its smooth refinement and ride comfort.
Anvil-solid body
The S5 canters along gracefully despite firm suspension and low-profile tyres. You can feel the stiffness but it doesn't bump-thump over uneven tar and there's no judder from the anvil-solid body.
The car displays a fine talent for gripping the road and pleasing the driver. There's not only good traction but also driver involvement and previous quattros' early understeer has been replaced by a more agile, crisper-turning car. It's forgiving but fun.
The A5/S5 range is positioned between the TT coupé and the R8 sports car for those who want looks with legroom. As sporty coupés go, it's practical: there's space for four adults if the rear passengers don't mind their heads touching the roof and the boot's a useful size.
The S5's inner glamour matches its external show-and-tell with carbon-fibre inlays, leather-and-alcantara bucket seats and superb fit and finish. Standard spec is fairly high and includes power front seats and cruise control and there's a vast array of extra-cost options.
VERDICT
One of the best Audi products I've driven. Speed, sophistication and sex appeal in hard-to-resist doses.