Stuff Geeks Want

There’s a bunch of new stuff under the hood from Audi. The 2010 Audi S5 has added a new soft-top Cabriolet with a supercharged V6, but the real rush is the classy V8 coupe. If you want a luxury performance coupe or convertible, the S5 belongs on your short list.

The coupe’s 4.2-liter V8 churns out 354 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. A seven-speed manual transmission is standard on the coupe, and a six-speed automatic with manual shift control is optional, which can transfer torque during cornering to reduce understeer. The manual-transmission will get you from zero to 60 mph in a pace-quickening five seconds.

The S5’s attractive and high-quality cabin is one of its strong points. The front sport seats are excellent for both enthusiastic driving and long-distance cruising. There’s little doubt it’s a sharp-handling car, with tenacious AWD traction.

Buy Starting at $52,400 from Audi