Video: Get spoiled in the Audi S5

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Before I get to this week's review, let me just take a moment to ask my boss for a raise. He's an automotive enthusiast and since I’m pretty sure he reads this column I’ll use this opportunity to hit him up right here and now. Now, do I stand a chance of an income boost? Doubtful. My friends and co-workers often remind me that I have the best job imaginable and any payment at all is just plain stealing. Still, my request is for professional reasons because it's for a long term Audi S5 tester. A three-year lease ought to do it.

Now just because a car is expensive doesn't mean it makes me all weak in the knees. There are vehicles twice the price of the S5 that left my driveway with no remorse on my part and others at half the cost that I would enjoy owning. The S5 is one of those that will be hard to hand back. Starting at around $50,000 ($56,500 as tested) it's not cheap, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. This kind of coin buys everything you'd want in a car - style, acceleration, handling, comfort and technology - all done very, very well.   

Let's start with design. S5 is based on the new A5 coupe. Audi has given us a lot of attractive cars over the years and this one can be added to the heap. 1991 was the last year they gave the United States a four-seat two-door coupe. It's been worth the wait; S5 draws a lot of attention. People really love the design of this car if the thumbs ups I'm seeing on the road are any indication. It manages to be elegant and aggressive at the same time. Audi's new LED running light feature - similar to electronic eyeliner under the Bi-xenon headlights - looks nasty, in a good way. My 11-year-old boy says some parts of the S5 look like his Lego Bionicle figures, and when looking at the front end I have to agree with him. The armchair designer in me is still cool to the wide plastic strip that dissects the gaping grille, but considering they've not taken my advice for the past three years I’ll assume they could care less about my opinion.   

To make an A5 an S5, Audi goes into the parts bin marked "go fast" and bolts on some good stuff. Hmmm, 19-inch wheels, upgraded disc brakes (vented up front) with anti-lock and electronic brake pressure distribution, and a stiffer suspension. The thing that'll get the most attention is the engine. The 4.2-liter V8 with FSI direct fuel injection pumps out 354 horsepower and 325 ft. lbs of torque. It sounds like music in both full throttle and idle modes. Best of all, it pushes this car from 0-60 in about 5 seconds flat. Just think: You’ll never have to go to Disneyland again if you own this car. There's no shortage of oomph here, but as expected it quaffs a gallon of required premium fuel every 14 miles while in my hands. A 200 mph speedo is promising but sorry Speed Racer, Audi says the S5 is electronically governed to 155 miles an hour.

Making sure all that power gets used correctly is Audi's quattro all-wheel drive that by default divvies up the torque 60 percent to the rear and 40 to the front. The system is smart enough to divert power to the wheels that need it. Being a modern car there's electronic stability control; being a performance car it can be deactivated in two stages. Choose between two transmissions- a 6-speed manual and an optional 6-speed Tiptronic automatic. I'm driving the manual and while it has a great feel about it, I'll nit pick and say the throws to be a little on the long side.

Wring all this machinery out and your synapses will immediately sense this car is exceptionally smooth, as if every piece is coated with a silk and Teflon coating. The performance tuned suspension and Servotronic electronically controlled steering makes easy and accurate work of tight corners. The body structure is bank vault rigid, chassis dynamic solid as the Deutch mark. Unlike some high performance machines the S5 never feels high strung in traffic. It remains comfortable and quiet enough to be a daily driver.  

As attractive as the exterior is, owners stare at the cabin more than anything. High quality materials and distinctive design should keep them very happy. My tester is shod with carbon fiber trim accents  It also gets a new 505 watt 14 speaker Bang and Olufsen stereo system that sounds great but doesn't offer the uber cool look this Danish company is known for. A push button starts the V8; the "key" is a transponder that stays in your pocket or purse. The adjustable, supportive and deeply bolstered seats keep everyone in place during hard cornering. Front side torso and full length curtain airbags are standard as well as knee bags for the two up front. 

Audi's user interface, called Multi Media Interface (or MMI), is fine but it still takes time to learn and isn't always consistent. Here's an example: The four buttons that surround a knob on the console correspond to the four corners of the LCD display. Click one of those buttons and you get a list which you scroll and select with the knob. But when the heated seats menu comes up that main knob doesn't do anything as the graphic suggests. Who would figure you have to turn the climate control knob to warm your buns? New owners should spend time with MMI in the driveway before using it on the road. 

Two-door coupes often short change people in the back seat. I'm an average sized guy at 5-foot 9-inches and I just fit in the rear chairs with a little headroom to spare. Wisely, Audi limits the seat belt count to two in the back. The center is reserved for the arm rest, where folks have a place to put a refreshing beverage.

An S5 would be a great car to tour the country in, especially on twisty-turny backroads.  Since bundles of Kirkland brand bath tissue are suitcase sized, pack lighter because the five bundles that squeeze in this space mean it's is a hair smaller than average. I like the bag hooks that swing down and are always ready to use. Unusual for a performance coupe, the rear seats fold to expand cargo.

S5 is the first to ride on Audi's all new chassis. It will also underpin the new A4 and Q5 sport ute coming later this year. As far as competitors go, the BMW M3 coupe is really the only two-door in the ballpark. Like the looks of this Audi but not the price? Well, there's always the A5 that's around 10 grand and 89 horsepower less. But I'm asking for that raise because one test drive in the S5 has spoiled me. That S badge and all the parts that come with it turn a supermodel into an elite athlete.