No, the A4 is not dead - disbelieve anything that you may have read to the contrary, dear reader. Owing to a change in naming conventions, electric Audis will gain even numbered designations, while piston-engined models gain odd numbers. As such, the A4 has become the A5 which replaces the A4, although a new electric 'A4' will launch relatively soon. Got it?

The A5 always has been the prettier sibling to the A4 in my opinion, and the 5-door Sportback model has only grown in popularity since its introduction, owing to the extra practicality that goes along with the good looks. It’s no wonder that I see countless examples of them in my corner of the country, yet a regular A4 has become something of a rare sight in recent years. With the comprehensive overhaul of the model range and Audi not wanting to leave the executive class to arch-rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz, it makes sense for them to major on style for the new A5, but we’ll come back to that later.

New 2024 Audi S5 Saloon and Avant forced induction petrol V6 returns!

While the new A5 launches with mild hybrid petrol and diesel 2.0 litre engines, it’s the current range-topper that we’re most interested in. Revealed simultaneously, the new S5 Saloon and Avant make a return to petrol power following a few years of having a diesel engine fitted under the bonnet. The 3.0 litre V6 uses a single variable geometry turbocharger and makes 362 bhp and on its own, but can call on the assistance of an updated mild hybrid system to receive an extra 24 bhp torque delivered to the drivetrain. 

The 48 volt mild hybrid makes the petrol powertrain more efficient, as it now runs the air conditioning compressor and allows for extended start/stop times when waiting at traffic lights. Something that’s uncommon for a car with a system like this is the usage of the 24 bhp electric motor to allow for purely electric low-speed manoeuvring, making silent parking an option with the new S5. 

The 48v system does not require plugging into an external power source to recharge the battery as this is completed by regenerative braking. The car can slow down using the electric motor on its own or combined with the discs and pads, and Audi say that the brake blending system feels consistent regardless of whether it is regen or hydraulics reducing the readout on the speedo. Overall, the new drivetrain is claimed to deliver lower emissions than the outgoing diesel model - that’s no mean feat from a petrol engine.

However, I think what may be of greater interest is how the powertrain works with the rest of the chassis and how well it all performs. Naturally, quattro all-wheel drive is standard for the S5 and quick shifting is to be expected with the revised S-Tronic DSG transmission.

Improved handling should come courtesy of the quattro sport differential with torque vectoring, along with the standard-fit adaptive suspension that will offer a range of settings to suit motorways and B-roads alike. For both body styles, 0-62 mph is quoted as 4.5 seconds, with a limited top speed of 155 mph attainable.

New 2024 Audi S5 Saloon and Avant - Design and Styling

Design-wise, the saloon and estate look sharp and make use of rather flared wheel arches to underscore the angled pillars that carry the distinctive rooflines. The Avant estate takes on a Shooting Brake profile with a raked rear window and prominent rear spoiler, while the “saloon” version has a gently falling roof that feeds into a short rear deck with a prominent integrated ducktail that features a black lip spoiler as standard. I say “saloon” because the glass rises with the boot lid, thus making the S5 Saloon a hatchback - or Sportback. Perhaps the decision to call a hatchback a saloon is so as not to alienate A4 saloon buyers. Regardless, the hatches on both models open up to large load bays of 445 litres for the saloon/hatchback/sportback and 480 litres for the Avant respectively. 

In true Audi S-model style, the S5 has four exhaust pipes either side of the diffuser, but this time they’re real! I’m pleased to report that the fake outlets of the previous model have been placed in a skip, where they belong. A full-width light bar makes its way to the model, along with Audi’s latest customisable running light tech appearing. OLED panels are able to display messages like warning triangles when the hazard lights are activated and the car is parked in a box junction, as well as change the shape and pattern of the six running light sections. When a car gets rather close to your bumper, the lights automatically brighten to warn the driver of the rented van to back off, although I can imagine this leading to a few accusations of brake checking being made.

The customisable light signatures can be configured via the infotainment and adjust the style of the clusters at the front and rear. New wheel designs are promised, with performance-enhancing red brake callipers sitting within 20” rims. The front end has been completely redesigned and it bucks the trend of having the largest singleframe grille possible in the allocated space, instead the classic shape is confined to the top half of the grille with a large horizontal opening left underneath. The S5 is subtly separated from the regular A5 by having honeycomb trim on the lower half, while all models get triangular surrounds for the outer inlets, mirroring what’s seen on the new Audi S e-tron GT.

Lovers of silver exterior trim will be disappointed, as at launch the S5 comes with the Black Styling Pack Plus which darkens the window surrounds, mirror caps, bumper inserts and badges, making the four rings blend into the grille. Anonymising the branding from the factory does mean that insurance companies won’t need to work so hard to de-brand a new S5 if they use one for a TV advert though. My favourite design details are the new flush door handles and the model name being etched into the B-pillar, although the car is missing an S5 badge in the grille.

New 2024 Audi S5 Saloon and Avant - Interior

Inside, the new S5 borrows the latest Android-based infotainment system and layout from the Q6 e-tron electric SUV with a curved double display for the instrument cluster and media, while available for the Edition 1 model is the 10.9” passenger display which sits on the dashboard. A head-up display comes as standard for the S5, while the front passenger can make use of an enormous full-width display that plays a dynamic feed of scenery in real time whether stationary or moving. It’s called the windscreen, and is infinitely preferable to be looking at than a digital display when I’m a passenger. Elsewhere, there is a mixture of physical controls and capacitive touch sensors for key car functions, while the air conditioning and heated seat controls can be found at the base of the infotainment display. 

Two-piece bucket seats will be standard equipment, and these are covered in diamond-stitched nappa leather in black or red for the new model. Something which is included as standard at launch as part of the Edition 1 model is the new fixed glass panoramic sunroof which uses electrochromic dimming to turn from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button, with different amounts of shading being selectable. We first saw this in the wider Volkswagen group earlier this year with the new Porsche Taycan facelift.

New 2024 Audi S5 Saloon and Avant - Pricing and Competitors

The new S5 Sportback - sorry, saloon - and estate are good first offerings from the new PPC (Premium Platform Combustion) architecture which will see more models and derivatives being based on it in the coming months and years. Plug-in hybrids are on the way and as is typical from Audi, what follows S is RS so a new RS 5 will be crowning the range with a 600 bhp+ V6 plug-in powertrain. If you like what you see but would prefer a fully electric version, the upcoming A4 e-tron saloon and Avant will cater to that need and I have a feeling that they’ll look quite similar to the S5 that we see today.

Naturally, the key rivals are the recently refreshed BMW M340i and M440i Gran Coupé which have an extra 7 bhp from their mild hybrid straight-six, along with the Mercedes-AMG C 43 which now delivers 415 bhp from its 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine which is universally seen as epic in a hot hatchback before somehow becoming terrible when placed in the larger C-Class, according to people who haven’t driven it. I have and it’s the quickest-responding turbocharged engine I’ve ever encountered, but that’s a story for another article…

The new Audi S5 is now on sale in the UK, with the Saloon priced from £68,700 and the Avant from £70,600. The car launches in Edition 1 specification which brings 20" 5-twin spoke wheels, adaptive dampers, a head-up display, diamond-stitched nappa leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, ventilated front seats with massage functions, adaptive cruise control and the electrochromic panoramic glass sunroof all as standard. The S5 Edition 1 is priced below both its rivals from BMW and Mercedes-AMG when specification is factored in, although the starting price for the BMW M340i with no options is significantly cheaper at £59,835.

So does the new S5 seem like a fitting replacement for two models under one new name? Having always preferred the five-door fastback look, I think so, as the only way to keep the midsize saloon and estate segment alive is to give the customers what they find and like in coupés and SUVs - bolder styling.

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