Audi has consistently been one of the top-quality car manufacturers since its beginnings. Around the same time as the release of the Audi A5, it introduced the S5 to consumers at the 2007 Geneva Auto Show. The Audi S5 was met with mixed reviews. Although the exterior styling was certainly elegant and streamlined, the power was not what critics expected. The S5 produces only 350 horsepower, while its comparables on the market range from around 385 - 500 horsepower. Also, the S5 was only equipped with a 4.2L FSI V8. Even the A5 has a more powerful 5.2L V10. Critics were confused about Audi's intentions. Audi was marketing the car as a high-performance coupe, but the numbers said otherwise.

Even though the S5 has a smaller engine than the A5, it is still faster. It can go from 0 to 62 mph in only 5.1 seconds, quite an impressive accomplishment for a factory coupe. Edmunds, a vehicle guide website, asks why the Audi S5 is not as powerful, if not more so than its counterpart the A5. However, the website also predicts that soon Audi will release an upgraded version of the S5, complete with a V10 engine.

Audi did not forget sophistication during the S5's development. The S5 was released with classic Audi design. Sleek lines and interior comfort and luxury are all present and accounted for. Also, a Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System is included. While the Audi stylings are present, so is the Audi price. Listed at a base MSRP of $50,500, Audi is not making it easy for middle-class Americans to partake of their product.

Even with all of the acclaim, Audi did not seem to be concerned with fuel consumption during the development of the S5. With an average of only 16 MPG, Audi has simply put another gas hog on the market. For being so advanced in their technologies, one would think that they would carry that progress through to the fuel economy. Even the emissions have not been significantly reduced from other prior Audi models.

With having only been on the market for less than a year, the Audi S5 is sure to improve with age. Experts are already making predictions for upcoming model years and the additions that buyers might get to see on the S5. The S5 can reach speeds of up to 150 mph, but is not speeding off lots. Nevertheless, Audi is used to hesitancy from the public when they first release a vehicle. They say that they'll weather the storm and release an even better S5 at some point.