August 8, 2012
Editor-in-Chief's Note: Our "quick take" this week has us in something called the "Audi A5 2.0 TFSI quattro MT6 Coupe." Other than the fact that Audi really needs to give some serious thought as to how they officially name their vehicles here in the U.S. - how about shortening it to just "Audi A5 quattro Coupe" for starters? - finding fault with this beautifully-sculptured Audi Coupe is like finding fault with Justin Verlander's late-inning pitch sequence. It's just not possible. First of all, the VW Group's direct-injected, turbocharged 4-cylinder is simply one of the finest engines in the business, bar none. Throttle response is superb, it's acceptably quick, it's perfectly suited to the six-speed manual gearbox and it delivers excellent real-world fuel economy (to the tune of 29-30+ mpg at a consistent 85 mph). This A5 is so good at the mind-numbing urban slog with this drivetrain combination I'd be hard pressed to go for the S5, it's that good. Okay, so of course I'd take the S5 but for all-around performance the 2.0-liter package is just too good to ignore. As for the rest of the car, the cockpit is typical Audi-detailed and refined, the driving dynamics lack nothing, and the overall fling-ability of the A5 is just, well, damn near perfect, to the point where it would be difficult to choose a 3 Series BMW over it. Okay, there's one fault: The price. I know that when assigning cars to the media fleets the manufacturers tend to load their cars up with options, but $10,000 worth? Yikes. It's no secret why Audi has become the star profit generator for the VW Group machine. But even with that being the case, this Audi is one of the best enthusiast cars available in the market today. -PMD
2012 Audi A5 2.0 TFSI quattro MT6 Coupe: $47,680 ($37,100.00 Base Price; Monsoon Gray Metallic, $475; Black interior; 2.0-liter, direct-injected, turbocharged I4 with 211HP; 6-speed manual gearbox with dual mass flywheel; A5 Premium Plus Model - Audi xenon plus front lighting, LED daytime running lights and taillights, Auto-dimming interior mirror with compass, Auto-dimming heated exterior mirrors, Convenience package, Heated front seats with driver memory, Three-zone climate control - $3900; Audi MMI Navigation Plus - MMI "high" control panel, 1CD/DVD player and HD radio, Color driver information system, HDD Navi with voice control - $2000; Sport Package - Front sport seats with 4-way power lumbar, 18" 10-spoke-design wheels, Sport suspension, 3-spoke steering wheel - $1000; Bang & Olufsen Sound System, $850; 19" 5-arm Y-design wheels with summer performance tires, $800; Audi advanced key, $550; Polished exhaust tips, $130; Front filler panel, included; Destination charge, $875)
We introduced a new dimension to our "Quick Take" auto reviews last week by discussing brand image, in which we will ask a simple question: Does the vehicle we're driving adhere to the stated image of the brand? Or is it just a placeholder until they figure it out? We will be very clear as to what we think here, unlike some of the manufacturers in question who aren't quite sure as to who they are and what they stand for. - PMD
Adherence to Brand Image: Outstanding. The Audi A5 Coupe exudes "Audi-ness" from stem-to-stern. The German brand went through its "march to a different drummer" phase when it was on its quest to get on par with BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but now there's no question that it has arrived in consumers' minds to take its place at the top tier of luxury-performance automobiles. Was it an easy journey? No, not by a long shot. But I have to commend Audi management over the last 12 years for their focused consistency as to what they believed in and where they wanted to take the brand. It would have been very easy to walk away from their dominant Le Mans-winning racing program, or to get lazy with their product execution and cadence, but they didn't allow themselves to waver or falter. Audi still does things with their cars that indicate a fundamental passion for the engineering and a willingness to do things that in their minds constitutes the right way - the Audi way if you will - rather than worrying about what's "acceptable" given the competition. That's refreshing and an integral part of what makes Audi special. In some ways, Audi operatives still retain a slight chip on their shoulder from their "march to a different drummer" days. It defines them and it reveals itself in the driving difference that propels the brand. I sincerely hope they never lose that edge. - PMD
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