This thread appears to be that the price of these machines becomes entirely dependent on how liberal you’d like to be with the options list.
Take the Audi A5 that was recently delivered to our office as a prime example; here we have a car with a base price of R757 500, which on top of that had R225 640 in options fitted. I’m no mathematician, but basic arithmetic dictates that I had close to R1-million worth of Audi at my disposal.
The A5
There’s no denying that the latest products from Audi are sublime. I have only had the highest of praise for the latest A4 and after a week with the slightly sportier yet less practical A5, I was left as suitably impressed as I thought I’d be. The model I had on test was the 2.0-litre TFSI equipped with quattro all-wheel drive and finished in Glacier White with contrasting black leather inside, all very sophisticated.
The looks
Many of my colleagues criticised this car at its national media launch for looking too bland, even when finished with the Sport exterior and interior trim. I have to say that I disagree; we’re in a stylistic era where you’re either way over-the-top or minimalist in the strictest sense.
The A5 certainly falls within the latter category and excels as a result. Despite its restrained aesthetics, it still garnered enough attention from passersby to provide the driver with a sense that he/she is driving something a bit more stylish than a plain German saloon car. Leave the manic styling to the S5 and RS5 I say.
That interior
Where do I start with the master class that is Audi ergonomics and interior design? Everything, from the way you’re seated to the materials and location of the switchgear just feels a cut above the rest in the segment. It is even reasonably practical, with seating for four adults and a rather capacious 465-litre boot, considering it’s a coupe after all.
I realise that the excessive nature of the specification on my test car made the interior a better place with the likes of a Bang & Olufsen sound system, nappa leather, MMI infotainment with navigation, touchscreen and smartphone interface, Virtual Cockpit and heated front sport seats with lumbar and massage support all being fitted.
That said though, you don’t need all of the aforementioned features, although the Virtual Cockpit and updated MMI system are certainly tempting.
Driving A5
Much like its A4 sibling, the A5 is a very satisfying car to drive, there’s very little drama when pushing on too, with reasonable driver feedback and a tendency to remain neutral or to understeer.
The 2.0-litre motor produces 185kW/370Nm which, when combined with the super slick seven-speed S tronic gearbox and quattro system, means that acceleration and general performance is more than adequate.
I had to remind myself that this is still the more vanilla offering in the A5 range, and that judging its performance might be over-critical when the S5 and RS5 are there to satisfy those wanting a performance car. Still, it will get you to 100 km/h in less than six seconds and more importantly, will provide a supremely comfortable ride despite the test unit having Sports Suspension, Dynamic Steering and 18-inch wheels with low profile tyres fitted.
In terms of fuel consumption, don’t expect to come anywhere near the 6.2-litres/100km claim, but having said that, a figure of around 8.0-litres/100km is realistically achievable.
Verdict
The A5 is most certainly an accomplished product and ticks all of the boxes that a medium-sized sports coupe should. It is usable on a daily basis, quite practical, reasonably fast and looks good.
I just find that price hard to swallow. I know it’s really up to the consumer to specify the car, but honestly, the pricing can literally jump up a segment if you want all of the extras. I think it’s time that more of the popular options become standard, even if this drives the price up, as the consumer will at least be aware of what they are getting.
