2008 Audi A5 and S5 First Impressions

VERONA, Italy -- The tease started more than four years ago at the Geneva Motor Show. That's when Audi taunted us with the idea of a large, Audi coupe.

In concept, it was the Nuvolari Grand Touring coupe. In production form, it is the 2008 Audi A5 2+2 GT and its requisite sporting variation, the S5. For that you will pay at least $55,000, with prices still to be set.

The new A5's styling is a departure from the usual ''machined from a single piece of aluminum billet'' design.

If the past decade's Audis looked like they were machined from a single piece of aluminum billet, in contrast, the new Audi big coupe looks like it was chiseled out of the slabs of marble found near this Italian city of Verona, where Audi recently previewed its two new 2+2 GTs.

Audi's first GT in 20 years
The A5 comes with seats for four and 455 litres of trunk space. BMW's benchmark 3-Series Coupe and Infiniti's upcoming G37 seem as immediate competitors. In dimension, the A5 is actually a little bigger than both of them and Mercedes-Benz's CLK.

The new Audi GT's chassis addresses the more clinical driving characteristics critics have had of nose-heavy Audis from the past. To stay ahead of the above-mentioned rear-drive competition, Audi's solution arguably makes the A5 the company's most important model to date.

Essentially, the A5's new architecture moves the axle forward. This not only makes it possible to have a long wheelbase with short front overhangs Audi's designers like, but it also optimizes weight distribution. To achieve this, engineers used a trick adopted from the Audi A8: the front axle differential is located in front of the clutch.

Despite this radical alteration, Audi ensures the A5 has all of Audi's core qualities. Which starts with the usual high standard of interior ergonomics and build quality.

Room for two up front is generous. Nonetheless, anyone asked to hop in the new Audi 2+2's back seats may start the "Are we there yet?" chant early if they've already hit puberty.

Audi did a good job segregating features in the A5's cockpit. All very encouraging except for the surprisingly retrograde electronic emergency brake that removes the more useful hand brake. 2008 Audi A5 and S5 First Impressions from (http://www.auto123.com/en/car-reviews/new/2008-audi-a5-and-s5-first-impressions?artid=82506)

The A5 2+2 Coupe is built with the usual attention to detail and spot-on ergonomics.