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For 2008 the Audi A5 luxury sports coupe (with an MSRP of $39,900) goes
bumper-to-bumper with such heart-throbbing contenders as the Mercedes CLK-Class,
the Infiniti G37, and the BMW 3 Series Coupe. Audi may have been out of the
sports coupe genre for a decade now, but they're back in style for the coming
model year.
The beautifully aggressive A5 with its long body and wide, low stance is
outfitted with a 3.2-liter, 265 hp, V6 (direct fuel injection, 243 lb-ft of
torque) engine with the driver's choice of a six-speed manual or automatic
transmission. Quattro AWD is standard along with such internal niceties as
leather upholstery, automatic climate control, and Audi's own Multi-Media
interface.
In fact, the A5's cabin is a study in precision craftsmanship augmented with
satin-finished elements and knurled aluminum. Controls on the center console are
well-placed, large, and logical. You'll find a six-disc CD changer there, just
under the central air vents and on top of the climate controls. Everything is
intuitively within the driver's reach and not obscured by the three-spoke
steering wheel that is both perfectly sized and sufficiently thick to give a
superior feeling of control. The optional premium sound unit from Bang and
Olufsen is backed up by a 505-watt, ten-channel amplifier pumping sound across
fourteen speakers.
Surprisingly there's plenty of room throughout. Rear passengers won't feel
cramped and there are storage compartments in the center consoles and on the
doors with large cup holders for the front occupants. Luggage space runs to 16.1
cubic feet. Safety features include a comprehensive array of airbags including
those in the side curtain position as well as anti-lock brakes all the way
around and systems for traction and stability control.
Overall, there's little on the 2008 Audi A5 to disappoint the luxury sports car
enthusiast. Since the coupe is a new venture for Audi after a long absence in
this sector we've yet to see how the A5 performs in real life driving
situations, but there's nothing about this one to suggest it won't be a winner. |
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