Horch’s Scorcher PGA unleashes the all-new Audi S5

In 1901, Dr. August Horch rolled out his first “horseless carriage”, the precursor of the modern production car, and called it the Horch 4/5 HP. He firmly believed that racing improves the breed and his products were constantly subjected to the rigors of motor sports to test for reliability and performance. His company’s investors did not see Horch’s logic in competing and when he suffered some motor sport setbacks in 1907 and 1909, he was terminated from the company that he created.

Horch wasted no time in putting up a new car company but legal constraints disallowed him from using his own name for the new enterprise. Horch decided to translate his name, which means “Listen!” or “Hear!” in German, to its Latin counterpart which is “Audi”. From the start, Audi automobiles possessed a sporting character, fueled largely by Horch’s desire to make an immediate impact in the automotive industry. From the Audi Type B, the company’s second vehicle which won the 1911 Austrian Alpine Rally, to the Audi R10, a V-12 turbo-diesel race car that produces 650bhp and 1100Nm of torque and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2006 and 2007, Audi has proven its winning sporting character and technical innovation in various races around the world.

In a League of its Own

Audi’s expertise and time-tested experience in high-performance automobiles have been incorporated into the all-new Audi S5. The S5 boasts of V8 FSI technology and Quattro permanent four-wheel drive, which combines the impressive power delivery of the 4.2-liter eight-cylinder engine with the impeccable handling and traction characteristics of its exclusive all-wheel drive system. With 260kW (354bhp) and a peak torque of 440Nm (325lb-ft) at 3,500rpm, the S5 can sprint from zero to 100kph within 5.1 seconds and continue to build-up speed above the legal speed limit. The V8 derives its enormous power potential from the FSI direct injection technology with high compression and optimum fuel mixture formation and its power is transferred to a precise six-speed manual transmission with short-throw shifting action.

Power is then transferred to the ground through the Quattro permanent four-wheel drive, which provides sporting traction with its variable torque distribution. Quattro has a basic distribution setting of 40 percent to the front and 60 percent to the rear wheels but within a fraction of a second, the drive train adapts to the road and driving conditions and constantly delivers the ideal distribution of drive torque. The S5’s sports suspension is tuned to enhance its performance with dynamic handling while special high-performance brakes, recognizable by their black-painted calipers, ensure precise deceleration. In addition, the ESP electronic stabilization program can be deactivated in two stages in case the driver wishes to exploit the potential of the Audi S5 to the fullest.

Dressed for the Occasion

The S5 is based on the sporty yet elegant new Audi A5 and features aesthetic touches that impresses images of vigor and velocity. The radiator grille is painted in platinum grey and filled with vertical chrome inlays and possesses the specific look of an Audi S-model. The aluminum-look exterior mirror housings make an overtly sporty impression, as do the color-keyed door sill trim and dual exhaust system with four oval tail pipes. Audi points out that the S5’s sporty attributes always have a functional aspect and cites the pronounced rear spoiler which yields additional down force as an example. New 18-inch S-design wheels shod in 245/40-18 high performance tires, xenon HID headlights with daytime running lights and sports seat with electronic adjustment are some of the “form-follows-function” features of the new S5.

Inside, the S5 stresses the axiom that “true strength comes from within”. The aforementioned sports seats, sports steering wheel, instrument with grey dials and aluminum door sill plates provide a dynamic and refined driving atmosphere. Individual buyers can choose from carbon fiber, aluminum, stainless steel or wood interior inlays to match their preferred interior design characteristics. Dr. August Horch would have been proud of the new scorching Audi S5.

If, like the good Dr. Horch, you’d like some high-performance scorchers in your life, you can view the Audi S5 at PGA Cars, the country’s only authorized importer and distributor of Audi cars, at 201 EDSA, Mandaluyong City.