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Responsibly Restrained 2009 Audi S5

2009 Audi S5
2009 Audi S5

Though not packing quite as much punch as the RS4 or R8, I doubt anyone who has the pleasure of taking a spin in the still powerful 2009 Audi S5 will have anything but nice things to say about it. 

The S5 along with the A5 was introduced last year featuring the same, though marginally tamer, 4.2-liter V8 engine that is found in the RS4 and R8.  It produces 354hp and 325lb-ft of torque instead of the 420 hp and 317 lb-ft found in its siblings.  Detuned or not, the motor is good enough to still propel the S5 to 60 mph in under five seconds and to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.  Like all Audi “S” models, the S5 has sportier suspension, unique front and rear fascias, performance wheels and brakes, carbon fiber interior elements, and the choice of a six-speed manual or DSG gearbox.  A wide 62.6-inch front track, the widest in the sport coupe segment, helps “provide direct feedback to your most aggressive steering demands,” Audi says.  The main competition for the S5 is the BMW M3 and Mercedes Benz CLK coupes, though the S5 gains a slight edge with the availability of a manual transmission.  Also unlike the other two, Audi’s coupe is offered exclusively with all-wheel drive, making it a capable all-year, all-weather vehicle. The Quattro system itself is also tuned to provide a more sporting driving experience thanks to its 40/60 front to rear bias.

S5 Interior
S5 Interior

As would be expected, inside Audi hasn’t skimped on the accoutrements including an optional Bang & Olufsen surround sound system with 14 speakers and 505 digitally amplified watts that is enhanced by microphone-based noise compensation that ensures optimum sound under varying road conditions and speeds. The other major options include a navigation system with coverage for all of North America, a 7-inch touchscreen display and six-disc CD changer, as well as a technology package comprised of a parking assistance system with rear view camera, adaptive headlights and a key-less entry and vehicle start system. 

The S5 has a price tag that starts at $50,500 with a manual transmission and $51,800 for the automatic.  Realistically, even if it is slightly less aggressive in comparison to its big brothers, it’s still better than 99% of the cars on the road.



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2011 Acura NSX Chasing The GT-R

Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept
Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept

It seems like an eternity since the NSX was shelved in 2005.  Since that time, there has been a definite decline in aggressive automotive design at Honda/Acura that has hardly been filled by the likes of the S2000.  So it is easy to get excited about news that the NEW NSX is being put through testing at the Nurburgring in Germany in preparation of a tentative 2011 release.  With so much success in its past, and so many changes planned for the future, the biggest question may be how much “NSX-ness” is left?

New NSX Testing In Germany
New NSX Testing In Germany

The biggest, if mostly irrelevant question that plagued the old NSX was power.  In its 15 years of production horsepower lingered around the mid to upper 200 range.  Of course the fact that it was a rear-engine and lightweight aluminum vehicle meant it was still capable of Ferrarri-esqe performance.  But if a lack of power was ever an issue, it appears to be a non-issue in the new NSX.  If you believe the rumors, the new vehicle will have close to 550 horses and still be relatively lightweight in comparison to its self-chosen competition; the Nissan GT-R.

Gone from the new NSX is the rear-configured V6 engine.  Added to the all-wheel-drive sports car is a front-loaded V10 with cylinder deactivation to shut down half of the engine in mild driving conditions for increased fuel efficiency and controlled by an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The new NSX also appears to be a 2+2 four-seater with the usual amount of unusability in the back seat.

The targeting of the GT-R as a benchmark is the result of a report that Honda CEO Takeo Fukui demanded that the Acura must be faster around the Nurburgring than the Nissan GT-R and future Lexus LF-A; a goal that the Acura is unofficially very close to achieving.

Though heavily camoflauged it appears that the general layout of Acura’s Advanced Sports Car Concept has survived although with minor changes that have been made to increase the level of aggressive styling for the NSX; a criticism of the concept.  The production NSX retains the concept’s dual stacked exhaust set-up, but the rest of the rear bumper is completely different, with reconfigured air ducts now stretching all the way across the back that gives the car an athletic stance. The prototype’s fastback rear deck also shows significant changes from the concept. The rear hatch now kicks up between the tail-lights, which gives the prototype a stout look to match the Nissan GT-R.

Whether it truly matches the GT-R’s performance is yet to be determined.  But even if it does, with all of the hype and press the GT-R is getting, the NSX may still get lost in the Nissan’s celebrity shadow.



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