2008 Audi S5 Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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Speedy, sporty, streamlined, solid, and sophisticated. These are the five Ss in the 2008 Audi S5, a new sports coupe being introduced with the new A5 sedan. Based on a new platform and a new design by Walter de Silva that incorporates a trapezoidal front grille, frameless windows, and angular headlamps, the 2008 S5 will distinguish itself from its sedan counterpart with a different engine, different exterior styling, and beefed up performance parts.
The 4.2-liter direct injection FSI comes from the R8 and delivers 354 hp and 325 ft-lbs of torque with a 6-speed manual. A DSG automatic gearbox should arrive later. Audi clocks its 0-60 time at 5.1 seconds. On the outside, four exhaust pipes, aluminum side mirrors, a chrome grille, body-colored moldings and side skirts, a larger air intake, and bolder bumpers identify the S5's racing pretensions over the A5. It also boasts a sports suspension, interior Recaro sport seats, larger brakes, performance tires for the 18-inch wheels, and carbon fiber accents in the cabin.
A unique trans-axle design that places the V8 engine behind the front wheels allows for lower overhangs and a wider wheelbase, which improves overall handling, balance, and driving response. Combined with the quattro all-wheel drive, the 2008 S5 hugs the road in various driving situations. Though the quattro affects initial acceleration speed and takes away some of the rear-wheel drive performance found in other sports coupes, the superior system does default to a 40/60 front/rear torque split.
The four-seater sports coupe will be customizable, but starts with a CD player, tri-zone climate control, an electric parking brake, push-button ignition, a navigation system, tilt sunroof, and a Smart Key, which records fault codes that then can be read by your mechanic. While that may sound like too much practicality for what Audi hopes will prove to be a fun ride, early reviewers have been impressed with the combination of highway speed and handling with overall safety and driver comfort.
Published Aug 8, 2022 by CarGurus Editorial Team
User reviews for 2008 Audi S5
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by Randy H
Jun 21, 2022
This car is extremely, evokative. Its powerful, exciting, responsive and, yes, sexy. Especially, the red leather interior. The Bmw M, Benz AMG coupes possess some similarities. However, in my opinion, the S5 is singular as it is able to pull it all together. Oh, there are other coupes that out perform it. However, they are in a different tier that target an entirely different demographic. Therefore, its not a fair comparison. For rhe target audience the the S5 is designed, it rules. Jun 21, 2022
by Colin O
Apr 13, 2022
Car is not represented well. A lot of body damage, filthy interior, check engine light turns on, etc. This car has a lot of problems for being 66,000 original miles. Apr 13, 2022
by William M
Oct 26, 2020
Loved this car truly
I love everything about it Oct 26, 2020
User rating:
by Randy H
Jun 21, 2022
This car is extremely, evokative. Its powerful, exciting, responsive and, yes, sexy. Especially, the red leather interior. The Bmw M, Benz AMG coupes possess some similarities. However, in my opinion, the S5 is singular as it is able to pull it all together. Oh, there are other coupes that out perform it. However, they are in a different tier that target an entirely different demographic. Therefore, its not a fair comparison. For rhe target audience the the S5 is designed, it rules. Jun 21, 2022
by Colin O
Apr 13, 2022
Car is not represented well. A lot of body damage, filthy interior, check engine light turns on, etc. This car has a lot of problems for being 66,000 original miles. Apr 13, 2022
by William M
Oct 26, 2020
Loved this car truly
I love everything about it Oct 26, 2020
by Laura D
Oct 19, 2020
Great car-engine and body/ interior were in pristine condition. Sorry to miss this one- sold .Oct 19, 2020
by Diego J
Mar 23, 2020
Awesome body lines great performance a little expensive to maintain Mar 23, 2020
by Ryan H
Jan 11, 2013
When I was 10 I wanted the Mach 5 from Speed Racer. When I was 22 I wanted a BMW 635CSI, white with tan interior. The dream is now a well planned reality and it's better than that 10yr old me could have imagined! The S5 is fast when you need it to be, a cruiser when you want it to be and always a joy to drive. Now I know why Speed Racer only drove one car. When you get what you want and what you need and at a reasonable price, you sit and enjoy! See you in the rain, snow and funny pages!Jan 11, 2013
by Andy W
Apr 07, 2012
Performance: Audi 4.2L V8 is a great motor especially in this sleek looking car. It
has the same base engine as the beautiful RS4 minus the few ponies and twist.
Like most Audi the brake are great to stop a heavy car. Handling again like most
Audi there is understeer on high speed corner thanks to the engine mounted
sooo far up in the car
Appearance: Beautiful timeless body match the almost perfect interior. The
interior is nice and it make seem you're in some sort of space ship and your the
pilot. The dash of the car angle most of the controls toward the driver.
Fun Factor: 4 out of 5 stars Apr 07, 2012
by Kevin G
Nov 04, 2011
It is a great GT car for every day use. The Active Steering and Suspension make it two cars in one at the press of a button. Driving it sedately or pressing on is always exciting. The engine noise could be louder when the dynamic button is set. Performance is very good for the power provided. Build quality is excellent and no rattles or squeaking has occured.Nov 04, 2011
by Luke C
Nov 26, 2009
practical, but expensive when doing short journeys.
always manages to get attention, LED LIGHTS!! freeview, bang and olfsun sound system, ipod interface and plenty of boot! gorgeous front with a chrome grill and mirrors, lil' V8 badge on the side just to be cheeky. its an audi so quality for the money. Nov 26, 2009
by Tony P
Jul 27, 2009
Best car I have owned. Elegant yet sporty still. You know me and my lead foot... It has all the power I need and the reserve is unbelievable. it's definitely a must have in my garage!!! I can't say enough.Jul 27, 2009
by Anonymous
Dec 06, 2008
This car has heart stoping performance and a very reasonable price.I have driven it and it feals soft but holds tight corners good. Brakes are very good, handlig the best with quatro. This car acceds expectations, you will not be disapointed at all.Dec 06, 2008
by Aeron U
Jun 21, 2008
......Jun 21, 2008
by Flemming H
Jun 19, 2008
Den er for sejJun 19, 2008
by Alex S
Jun 18, 2008
its going to be awsomeJun 18, 2008
by Jim M
Jun 16, 2008
It's fast, beautiful, has tons of features, and sounds awesome! Wanna race? Can't beat me!Jun 16, 2008
by David d
Jun 13, 2008
amazingJun 13, 2008
by Michael H
Jun 11, 2008
daytona grey, red interior, carbon fiber finishJun 11, 2008
by Sang R
May 08, 2008
This car is a beast. The six speed manual coupled with the cars V8 gives the exhaust a fantastic roar and unbeliveable torque. Just about the most beautiful car ever built as well.May 08, 2008
by Lawrence T
May 08, 2008
The most exciting looking Audi for normal people.May 08, 2008
by Rhona D
Apr 25, 2008
The Audi S5 adds a 354-hp V8 engine to the All-Wheel-Drive A5 Coupe and the result is a fast, beautiful ride that's perfectly designed.Apr 25, 2008
by Anonymous
Apr 21, 2008
everone has to try to drive the car.you just can feel the power of the car.Apr 21, 2008
by Heath G
Apr 12, 2008
Best performance value anyone can find GUARANTEED!!!Apr 12, 2008
by Callum P
Apr 11, 2008
It is a fast car but also convenient for a family. It has the same huge engine as the
R8Apr 11, 2008
by Adith S
Apr 07, 2008
its a great car and a must have.Apr 07, 2008
by Devon W
Apr 04, 2008
My Version of the Transporter CarApr 04, 2008
by Chris G
Apr 03, 2008
this car is a blast to drive and the looks you get because no one knows what it is and why it sounds so goodApr 03, 2008
by Ben S
Mar 25, 2008
My father and I went to test drive this car as soon as we saw that the local Audi dealership
had one on the lot. I was really impressed with how smooth the engine was on this car,
but the clutch took a lot of getting used to as it engages about a micron off the floor but
this was soon forgiven once you got out of first gear, but there is no feathering the clutch
when trying to start this car moving! This leads to my first real complaint, when trying to
start moving again after being stopped at a red light right outside of the dealership, I
accidentally brought the clutch out a bit too far (1.5 microns instead of 1) and ended up
killing the engine in the middle of Main Street. Not to worry I thought and touched the
large "Engine Start" button. Nothing happened, I tried again, same result, I tried putting
the car in neutral and hitting the button, nothing, put on the parking brake, nothing. Now
I was a bit nervous, I started fiddling with the myriad of controls on the dash of the car, all
while keeping my feet firmly on the clutch and brakes when i somehow managed to bump
the key flob that was securely in its place in the dash, and lo and behold, the engine
purred to life. For some reason, Audi in their infinite genius decided that if the key was in
its spot that you had to press the key flob in to start the car, but if you left the key out of
that spot, you had to push the "Engine Start" button, why they did this, who knows, but
this wasn't the only thing confusing about the interior. When you sit down in this car, you
are confronted with more switches and buttons than are equipped on the USS Enterprise
and the dual screens (one in the instrument cluster and one in the normal sat-nav
position in the dash) each with their own roller selector on the steering wheel, make even
changing the radio a chore at first. Don't get me wrong, from a purely driving stand point,
I loved this car, the seats were comfortable but supportive and communicative, the
shifting was short and crisp and the ride quality was superb, however compared to the
interior of a comparable BMW with their iDrive system, the Audi's extra switchery felt
awkward and cluttered to the first time user. I am sure once one is used to this system, it
would probably feel very natural but the overall first impression left me wanting
something with a more minimalist control scheme.
About the only other thing that I was disappointed with was how tall first gear was. With
how the clutch on this car was, I expected first gear to be a little bit more forgiving, but
even with this car's great engine, the all wheel drive system made sure that if you weren't
within that small acceptable range on the clutch and the throttle, you either killed the
engine or jerked off the line. With these few things aside though, I really enjoyed my test
drive of Audi's new S5 and am looking forward to trying out next years model.
Mar 25, 2008
by Alec P
Mar 09, 2008
I very much enjoy driving it, even though I've got a manual transmission and have to shift it abt a 1000 times in traffic jamsMar 09, 2008
by Ben H
Jan 22, 2008
Weight: 3891 lbs
Drive: AWD with Quattro system.
Horsepower: 354 Bhp
Torque: 325.00 Ft-Lbs
Engine: 4.2L V8
Hp to Weight Ratio: 11.0 LB / HP
Transmission: 6-speed Manual, Auto Clutch. (Opt.)
0-60: 4.9 s
Top Speed: Governed to 155 MphJan 22, 2008
by Can K
Jan 19, 2008
not totally fun to drive, performance is similar to 3.35i but the looks, its awesomeJan 19, 2008
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2008 Audi S5 Pricing
Original MSRP
$50,500 to $50,500Price range
N/AAverage price on CG
N/AYoY price change
N/ATrims & specs
Air Conditioning
Active charcoal air filtration · Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones · Automatic climate control rear air conditioning · Single rear air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Front side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: diversity · Memory card slot auxiliary audio input · 6 disc in-dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Bang & Olufsen · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · 1 subwoofer · Total Number of Speakers: 14 · 505 watts
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 13.6 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 13.0 · Rear brakes: disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: front center · Center console trim: carbon · Dash trim: wood · Door sill trim: stainless steel · Door trim: alloy · Floor Mats: front · Shift knob trim: leather · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Cupholders: front · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Easy entry: power rear seat · Memorized settings: side mirrors · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · One-touch windows: 2 · Power outlet(s): 12V · Power steering: speed-proportional · Reading lights: front · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio · Storage: door pockets · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 8
Drivetrain
4WD Type: full time · Axle ratio: 3.52 · Locking differential: rear
Exterior Features
License plate bracket: front · Mirror color: aluminum · Paint: premium
Headrests
Adjustable rear headrests: integrated headrests · Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2
Instrumentation
Warnings and reminders: low fuel level
Lights
Headlights: cornering
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Passenger Seat
Power adjustments: 8
Rear Seats
Type: 60-40 split bench
Roof
Moonroof: remote operation
Safety
Camera system: rearview · Impact sensor: door unlock · Parking sensors: rear
Seatbelts
Auto height adjusting shoulder belts: front · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front
Seats
Driver seat power adjustments: height · Front seat type: sport bucket · Passenger seat power adjustments: height · Rear seat folding: split · Upholstery: alcantara
Spare Tire
Mount Location: inside · Size: temporary
Spare Wheel
Rim Type: steel
Steering
Steering ratio: 16.3
Suspension
Front Arm Type: lateral links · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: strut · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear
Telematics
Navigation system: DVD navigation system
Tires
Type: performance
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent · Power windows: with safety reverse